Europe and Globalisation
Author : Matteo Aristei
May 2019
Globalisation is the phenomenon caused by the intensification of international trades and investments on a global scale. In the last years this phenomenon has ever more increased and led to an ever more higher interdependence of national economies as well as social, cultural, political and technological interdependence. Negative and positive effects of Globalisation have a world relevance in terms of trade, cultures, traditions, thoughts and cultural heritage.
Since it is a group of phenomena which represent very different aspects, the economical Globalisation is: an intensification of trades together with the removal of trade barriers; an exponential growth of financial flows within the markets that are ever more connected; an increase of the number and influence of transnational economical groups; a spread of new technologies, in particular in the information field, with a new economical model (new economy); new collective problems such as world poverty, the underdevelopment, environmental risks and the situation of sustainable development.
Globalisation can bring wealth and jobs, but it has negative aspects as well. The EU has always tried to reduce its negative aspects through rules and cooperation with other countries.
The European Union has the most important role in terms of global market and uses its influence not only to impose standards to imports but also to foster European ideals abroad. Members of European Parliament promote measures to fight unfair competition from abroad, like for example when they requested a European strategy after an increase in the provision of rail imports at low price. In order to protect this, the EU Parliament is strongly working in favour of agreements in short time about the modernisation of trade defence instruments. They need to find the right balance, like in the case of China.
Members of European Parliament are also aware of how much the Globalisation affects jobs: for example they support initiatives to enforce workers rights. The Parliament is working on the people protection in new forms of employment created by the digital economy. Moreover, the Parliament supports the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund which helps fired workers to find new jobs.
In order to prevent the fact that the trade of minerals finances wars or human rights violation, Members of European Parliament have adopted a draft regulation which impose a control of providers in almost every European imports of tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold. Furthermore, big producers will have to demonstrate how they want to verify that they providers respect the rules.
The European Commission will release five discussion papers in order to start a debate on the European integration. Every paper has a specific issue: the social dimension of Europe, globalisation, the economical and monetary union, defence and finance. These papers contain ideas and scenarios on how Europe could be in 2050. The initiative will end in September with the annual speech on the Union’s status by the President Jean-Claude Juncker.
The relationship between globalisation and integration is not unidirectional, In fact, the Union has means to influence world processes in favour of the affirmation of that rules system. Therefore, the Union is able to protect concepts such as economical ,social and environmental responsibilities on a global scale: they are the main concepts of its ‘Social Model’.
ARTICLE SOURCES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalization
