Current Events and Politics: The Berlin Wall and European Reconciliation -- Vision.org

PASADENA, CA, Nov 10 (MARKET WIRE) --
In recent current events and politics, the twentieth anniversary of the
fall of the Berlin Wall reminds us that historic happenings in the
European theatre can provide the world with great moments of
international drama. Does the recent ratification of the Lisbon Treaty
set the stage for another such scene of reconciliation and unity on the
European continent? Vision.org writer Tom Fitzpatrick reports on a recent
event at Brown University's Watson Institute of International Studies
titled, "The European Union in a Moment of Crisis" where two former
European heads of state explored the future of European unity.

The two former European heads of state, now academics at Brown
University's Watson Institute for International Studies, addressed the
future of European unity. The two-day event titled "The European Union in
a Moment of Crisis," took place in Providence, Rhode Island, October 28
and 29, 2009.

Efforts at European unity over the last fifty years have produced a
remarkable record of accomplishment. The European Union has enlarged its
size, empowered its member economies and now enhanced its constitution.
However, the European Union remains somewhat frustrated by its inability
to play an effective role in international affairs.

Romano Prodi, former prime minister of Italy and past president of the
European Commission and Alfred Gusenbauer, former Chancellor of Austria
described the inherent challenges hindering further integration. They also
proposed institutional changes needed if the European Union is to perform
an influential role in future geopolitics.

While the EU has demonstrated a remarkable record of enlargement,
institutions of integration have lagged behind. Professor Prodi laments
the current lack of common economic, energy and foreign policy that
relegates the EU to the role of spectator rather than actor in world
affairs. The inability of the Eurozone to speak with one voice on these
matters limits its influence on the world scene. He describes the
definition of Europe as "a union of minorities" each with its diverse
views and defensive of its vested national interests. The European
Constitution currently requires that all member states agree before
change can be implemented. Prodi declared that differences in national
interests and the requirement of unanimity make continued integration
difficult to achieve through democracy.

Nevertheless, he sees greater unity for Europe as a necessity. "The world
is changing," he emphasized. "This is not the same world as a generation
ago. We are entering an era of cross-continental issues where social
issues can't be solved by one nation. Europe must adapt by uniting, or its
individual countries will become irrelevant in shaping the future."

The European Union is enlarged and enriched, but to be effective it must
speak about its social issues with a clear and coherent voice in
international affairs. The ratification of the Lisbon Treaty represents
the European Union's desire to audition for a greater role on the world
stage.

About Vision.org

Vision.org is an online magazine with quarterly print issues that feature
in-depth coverage of current social issues, religion and the Bible,
history, family relationship topics and insights into philosophical,
moral and ethical issues in society today. For a free subscription to the
Vision quarterly magazine, visit their web site at http://www.vision.org.

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