Europe’s Role in the Globalised World

When examining Europe in a globalized world, there are many aspects and many perspectives to examine. How Europe affects the globalized world can be one of the most important elements in our hands. So how do Europe or European countries affect the global environment? This paper will dive into the specifics of the stability and security that European countries provide for the world. In order to understand how European countries take their place in the globalized world that we live in today, we must go way back and understand the foundation that the past laid out in order to build upon the framework that led to today.

Economical Background

The first aspect that we have on our hands to examine is the economic side of the European countries. The economies of European countries rely heavily on their historical backgrounds. In the medieval era, European countries used the system of feudalism. Allowing rich and powerful individuals or groups of individuals to use the wealth they have to employ those who lack any kind of money to work and take care of their lands in order to gain further benefits from them. This feudal system led to the formation of many strong elite groups and caused massive inequalities between the people. Beginning in the 15th century, Europe decided to embark on many colonial expansions to grow and get richer. These expansions helped the European countries gain a larger workforce and accumulate large amounts of wealth and resources. These expansions did not just allow for material benefits. The influence of the nations grew larger, and their jurisdictions allowed for future opportunities. Since the 18th century, Europe has played a crucial role in the Industrial Revolution. Thanks to the industrial revolution, European countries managed to transform their agrarian economies into industrialized economies, which, with the help of technological advancements and transportation, allowed them to grow even more. This is not to say that European countries don’t really face any economic problems. The inequalities that arise from the growth of the European region still exist today, but people are coming up with ways to be able to handle the problems. After World War II, the European nations came together to form an organization that we all know today as the European Union. The main purpose of forming this alliance was not just to have peace and stability on their side but rather that even the threat of another major conflict would mean that they would have to use further resources, which they lacked due to the First and second world wars. Nowadays, when people are thinking of welfare, prosperity, and stability, the European Region comes first on the list.

Political Background

The second aspect is the political power that the European countries have. Europe’s political history has roots in ancient times. The ancient cities of Rome and Greece laid out the framework for today’s modern Europe. The ancient Greeks gave birth to democracy and used it efficiently. Of course, their idea of democracy and the democracy that we know today are quite different, but as mentioned, they just laid the framework. Civic participation was a first at the time, but who got to participate changed over time. The system of the rule of law can be seen as an important element of ancient Greece. Rome, on the other hand, laid out the groundwork for representative government and legal and administrative structures. Moving forward in time, as mentioned before, we witness the feudal system in effect. This era not only helped economically but also made it possible for elites and monarchs to consolidate their power and position. Between the 17th and 18th centuries, the European region saw contrasting ideologies. Thanks to the federal system consolidating the power of the monarchs, two distinct monarchies arise from the system. Absolute monarchy and constitutional monarchy Absolute monarchy meant that the monarch who possessed the throne could do anything they wanted without the scrutiny of any other entity. Their ideas, actions, and even preferences could not be questioned. A constitutional monarchy, on the other hand, limited the freedom that the monarch possessed. It simply represents the idea that no one is above the law, not even the overall ruler. One of the main examples of constitutional monarchy is the Treaty of Magna Carta, which was signed in 1215 in order to limit the power that the king had in England. Those people who no longer wanted to live under the rule of an elite decided to revolt. The French Revolution that occurred between 1787 and 1799 made sure that the voice of the public was far more important than the voice of the ruler. After World War II, the establishment of the European Union made it possible for European countries to use the power they have in order to change the world that we live in. They come up with solutions to the problems that we face and prevent further altercations in the future to provide stability and peace for the world. In order to do that, they are not alone in this fight. They get help from many other organizations and countries that share their perspective. Before diving further into other organizations, we should examine the countries with which the EU works hand in hand. The European Union has 27 members, which used to be 28, but on December 31, 2020, the United Kingdom left the European Union. Those members consist of the countries of central, eastern, and western Europe. Many other countries, such as the Balkan Nations and Turkey, want to be members of the European Union, and in order to become a candidate The European Union demands some changes and requires specific points to be established to consider them candidates for the EU. These requirements are well known as the Copenhagen criteria. The Copenhagen criteria ensure that the candidates understand what the European Union stands for, and in order to become one of them, they must accept a neo-liberal market economy and a stable political environment. Other than its own members, the European Union enlists the help of other intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations and NATO. With the majority of its members, the European Union participates on many fronts in order to protect a stable environment around the world. The relationships between the European Union and other organizations rely on sharing information and acting side-by-side with other organizations on said information. Knowing that the international arena is an anarchical system where one individual country cannot have a say over another, this cooperation is crucial to protecting the order that we have today.

Europe as Soft Power

Europe’s main power lies within the bureaucracy. Nowadays, the world revolves around the principle of non-aggression. There are some exceptions to this principle, given that there are still some regions under constant threat of violence, so when needed, aggression can be required. Nevertheless, Europe mainly uses the power it has to solve conflicts or any other problems through negotiations, mediation, or even simple agreements. Besides using the tools mentioned above (the European Union, the United Nations, and NATO), Europe also takes advantage of any opportunity it considers useful for its purposes. Knowing that Europe possesses the majority of the world’s largest economies, which grossed over a quarter of the world’s (EU, 2003), they can direct the flow of market competition in any direction they wish. For example, as mentioned before, one of the many requirements for European Union integration is having a neo-liberal market economy. By using the tools of the free market, they can determine the price of each product and how much they can gain to maximize the benefits of the work they put in. They are not alone in this perspective. They are standing side-by-side with the United States, which makes them the main superpowers in the international arena. (Moravcsik, 2009). Europe knows the position they are in, and that is something with which no one can disagree. Though they exist in an anarchical international order, possessing the economic and political capacity to influence others makes them one of the main decision-makers, and they can enforce anything they wish using the power they have. But what do they do in order to add more power to what they already have? There are many projects that consolidate Europe’s position. One example that can be given for this is that knowing the peripheral countries in the European region, they look for their approval on many matters and try to connect with them to gain insights into how they are thinking. Erasmus projects, for example, are a great way to see how teens from other countries can be educated further and how their minds think about matters. Lately, a new project with the name Linking Europe at the Periphery (LEAP), which is an Erasmus + Jean Monnet Network project, came up with the question: "How is European integration taught, learned, experienced, and contested at the periphery? (LEAP, 2019). This project aims to understand the perspectives of the periphery on the matter of integration. Knowing that the pressure of integration is already hard to avoid when doing research on the process itself, the LEAP Project puts it aside to see how the academic side correlates with the everyday information the periphery has. For now, the participants in the project are Turkey, Kosovo, Georgia, Romania, and Ukraine. The project tries to have many activities for the students to connect with each other and understand how others like them think on the same subject matter, either by organizing academic seminars in which the students listen to the presentations given by the professors or even Model European Union simulations where they assume the roles of the members of the European Union and try to come up with solutions to the problems that the world faces today. The LEAP project is not the only project that Europe uses to connect with others. Humanitarian aid projects and peacekeeping operations are also other tools they employ. Humanitarian aid projects are used to help those who are struck by either man-made or natural problems and are in dire need of help from outside. In line with human rights and humanitarian principles, the European Union deploys teams to help the people get back on their feet and provide them with enough resources to keep going after the aid is gone. Using the information and support that they gain by employing such tools and projects, they can come up with new agendas and new paths to follow in the international arena. Another example of how Europe can influence other countries is the refugee crisis. In 2011, a war broke out in Syria. The Syrian people decided to flee the country to seek refuge in other countries. Being the closest, Turkey was the first country they entered. After many years, the refugee crisis became more severe than each year before that. How does Europe come into the picture? Europe did not want to house the refugees in Europe. One of the main reasons behind their decision was that the refugees would threaten the stability they were trying to maintain, so they decided to give Turkey some economic aid in order for Turkey to take care of the refugees. Some of the refugees managed to enter European countries, but again, the majority stayed in Turkey.

Europe as Hard Power

In our world, there are many threats that humanity has to face. The main actor who would respond to those threats was mainly the United States of America since after the Cold War they consolidated their power to higher degrees. But as the European Union states, just one country cannot face the problems on its own. This is where Europe comes into the picture. The European Union identifies the threats as terrorism, the proliferation of WMDs (weapons of mass destruction), regional conflicts, state failures, and organized crime (EU, 2003). These threats do not necessarily have to be directed at Europe itself. Living in this globalized world, any threat to any country can disturb the order that wishes to keep everyone stable. To deal with these threats, the EU has followed policies that would strengthen the already existing infrastructure or introduce new possible policies that can help fight against them. When a state fails to protect its citizens and provide a stable environment for them, the European Union comes in and helps them regain the stable environment they deserve. Balkan nations and Afghanistan can be seen as perfect examples of this situation. In both cases, in order to solve the conflict, NATO had to intervene. The European Union uses many policies to prevent conflicts, and even if a conflict occurs, they have measures to deal with it. Such as the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP), Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), and Frontex. The CSDP encompasses military missions executed by EU forces composed of personnel seconded by member states' armed forces. These missions play a crucial role in maintaining peace, managing crises, and resolving conflicts on a global scale. Within the CSDP framework, collective self-defense among member states is a fundamental principle. This means that if one member state faces an attack, others are obligated to provide assistance and support, underscoring the importance of solidarity and mutual protection within the EU. An additional significant aspect of the CSDP is PESCO or Permanent Structured Cooperation. Currently, 25 out of the 27 EU member states are members of PESCO. This cooperation facilitates the integration of national armed forces, allowing for collaborative defense projects, research endeavors, development initiatives, and procurement activities. The ultimate goal is to strengthen defense capabilities and foster closer collaboration among member states. PESCO, or Permanent Structured Cooperation, has the primary goal of enhancing the defense capabilities of the EU and strengthening its collective security. This is achieved by encouraging member states to combine their resources, invest in shared defense projects, and improve their military capacities through joint efforts. Through PESCO, member states commit to increasing defense resources, improving interoperability, and developing innovative defense technologies. They also pledge to enhance defense investment and coordinate their planning processes. PESCO promotes regular consultations and cooperation among participating countries, ensuring greater unity and coordination in defense matters. These policies do not go unchecked. There are mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of each policy. The Coordinated Annual Review on Defense (CARD) is a mechanism established by the European Union (EU) to assess and coordinate defense efforts among member states. Its objectives include enhancing defense cooperation, promoting transparency, and developing a more efficient and effective European defense capability. CARD serves as a platform for EU member states to exchange information, share best practices, and conduct peer reviews of defense plans and investments. It provides a comprehensive overview of defense capabilities, spending, and priorities across the EU. In order to provide funds for the policies they implement, the European Defence Fund (EDF) exists. The main idea of EDF is to provide the financial resources needed to enhance the capacities of the policies and to promote the research and development processes needed. Another policy that is important for global security is the European Peace Facility (EPF). The main purpose of EPF is to provide global support for peace and stability efforts. The European Peace Facility functions through conflict prevention and peacebuilding, military defense actions, crisis response, and stabilization efforts. This facility tries to prevent conflicts from occurring, but if one occurs after any effort, they defend their grounds and rebuild the damaged stability afterward. Frontex, also known as the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, plays a crucial role in border defense and security. Frontex's primary goal is to assist member states in effectively managing their external borders. It coordinates joint operations and rapid interventions to address critical situations and aid member states facing specific challenges. Furthermore, Frontex promotes the development of common standards and best practices in border management.

The Future of Europe

The EU has a longstanding goal of further integrating its member states, which could involve strengthening cooperation in areas such as defense through initiatives like the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO). The EU faces ongoing economic challenges, which have been further amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recovery efforts may focus on initiatives like the Next Generation EU, a €750 billion plan aimed at promoting sustainable growth and economic resilience. Discussions on reforming the Eurozone and enhancing economic governance within the EU may also take place. This could involve harmonizing fiscal policies, deepening financial integration, and addressing economic disparities among member states.  The EU may also deepen integration in foreign policy, potentially establishing a common EU diplomatic corps. In terms of expansion, the EU has an enlargement policy that allows aspiring countries to join if they meet certain criteria. The Western Balkan countries, including Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, have expressed aspirations to join the EU. However, the process of integration is a complex and everchanging subject the overall perspective of the European Union is changing along with it. Especially with the rise of populist parties targeting the European Union for their actions and ideas led to the rise of Euroskepticism in the world. The spectrum of Euro skepticism has a wide range. On one hand of the spectrum, we can see simple critiques of the European Union and its policies but on the other hand, there are more radical actions towards European Union such as leaving the union altogether. One can not start discussing the future of Europe without addressing the Brexit process. Brexit, a term derived from "British exit," is used to explain the process of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. On June 23, 2016, a referendum was held, resulting in 51.9% of voters supporting leaving the EU, while 48.1% voted to remain. To initiate the Brexit process, the UK government invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union on March 29, 2017. This triggered a two-year negotiation period, during which the UK and the EU aimed to reach agreements on trade, security, and other cooperative areas of their future relationship. The UK's departure from the EU has entailed significant economic changes. By exiting the EU's single market and customs union, the UK encountered new trade barriers, tariffs, and non-tariff barriers, affecting industries such as finance, agriculture, and manufacturing. The long-term economic impact of Brexit remains uncertain, subject to ongoing analysis and debate. The UK and the EU negotiated a Trade and Cooperation Agreement, effective from January 1, 2021, after the transition period's conclusion. This agreement governs trade in goods, services, and fisheries. However, challenges and disruptions have been experienced in trade since its implementation, particularly at the borders. Brexit has necessitated changes in the UK's legal and regulatory framework. No longer bound by EU laws, the UK regained the authority to set its own regulations in domains like agriculture, fisheries, and data protection. Nevertheless, the UK and the EU agreed to a level-playing field mechanism, ensuring fair competition and maintaining common standards for workers' rights, environmental protections, and state aid. Immigration policies and freedom of movement between the UK and the EU have undergone transformation due to Brexit. The UK implemented a points-based immigration system that treats EU and non-EU citizens equally. The era of free movement between the UK and the EU concluded, and new rules were established for EU citizens residing and working in the UK, as well as for UK citizens in the EU. Brexit has triggered significant political consequences within the UK and across the EU. The decision to leave reflected societal divisions and prompted debates on national identity, sovereignty, and globalization's role. In the EU, Brexit has stimulated discussions regarding the future of the European project and concerns about the rise of Eurosceptic movements in other member states. The long-term implications of Brexit for the UK, the EU, and their relationship remain subjects of great interest to economists, political scientists, and policymakers. The EU has demonstrated a strong commitment to combatting climate change and achieving sustainability through initiatives like the European Green Deal. Future conferences may focus on accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources, promoting sustainable agriculture and transportation, and adopting more ambitious climate targets. Sustainable finance and investments in green technologies may also be prioritized. Migration remains a complex issue within the EU, with differing perspectives among member states. Future conferences may aim to foster greater solidarity and cooperation in managing migration flows. Discussions may revolve around establishing a fair and comprehensive European migration policy, addressing root causes, and enhancing border management. Strengthening security cooperation to address emerging threats like cybercrime and hybrid warfare may also be a priority. The rise of populism and Euroscepticism has challenged the EU's democratic governance. Future conferences may explore ways to strengthen democratic institutions, enhance transparency in decision-making processes, improve communication with citizens, and address concerns regarding sovereignty and democratic legitimacy. Countering disinformation and promoting media literacy to safeguard democratic processes may also be key focuses. The EU has taken steps to regulate the digital economy and protect data privacy through initiatives like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Future discussions may involve evaluating the impact and effectiveness of these regulations, adapting to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, and promoting innovation while maintaining a balance between privacy, security, and economic growth. The creation of a Digital Single Market for freely trading digital services and products across member states may also be pursued.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Europe plays an important role in global politics, exerting influence across various areas and policies, including economics, security cooperation, and diplomacy. The European Union, renowned for its collective strength and unwavering commitment to multilateralism, aims to establish itself as a prominent global actor. Europe's economic power, exemplified by the EU's single market and its status as a significant trading bloc, allows it to actively shape global trade policies and economic dynamics. Additionally, Europe putting emphasis on democratic principles, human rights, and the rule of law serves as a notable standard for international norms and standards. By addressing urgent global challenges like climate change, migration, and security issues, Europe showcases its dedication to seeking collaborative solutions and providing international cooperation. The scale of Europe's historical heritage, cultural diversity, and shared values consistently contribute to shaping the course of global politics as it strives for a world characterized by stability, prosperity, and a more equitable and sustainable global order. In the case of its future, however, there are still some discussions to be made and only time can tell the path that European Union will follow.

                                     References and Further Readings

Alberto Alesina, Francesco Giavazzi (2006) The Future of Europe: Reform or Decline The MIT Press

A Secure Europe in a Better World -. (n.d.). Migration and Home Affairs. https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/pages/document/secure-europe-better-world_en

A stronger economy, social justice and jobs - Conference on the Future of Europe. (n.d.). A Stronger Economy, Social Justice and Jobs - Conference on the Future of Europe. https://futureu.europa.eu/en/processes/Economy

BBC News. (2021). Brexit: What are the key points of the deal? https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-50838994

Civil protection. (n.d.). European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/civil-protection_en

European Commission. (2021). Brexit: Trade in Goods. https://ec.europa.eu/info/european-union-and-united-kingdom-forging-new-partnership/eu-uk-trade-and-cooperation-agreement_en

EU in the world - Conference on the Future of Europe. (n.d.). EU In the World - Conference on the Future of Europe. https://futureu.europa.eu/en/processes/EUInTheWorld

Giegerich, B., & Wallace, W. (2004). Not such a soft power: the external deployment of European forces. Survival, 46(2), 163-182.

Humanitarian aid. (n.d.). European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/humanitarian-aid_en

LEAP About LEAP. (n.d.). LEAP About LEAP. https://www.leapjmnetwork.com/about

The UK in a Changing Europe. (2021). Brexit: What We Know. https://ukandeu.ac.uk/brexit-what-we-know/

UK Government. (2021). The Trade and Cooperation Agreement. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/agreements-reached-between-the-united-kingdom-of-great-britain-and-northern-ireland-and-the-european-union

Values and rights, rule of law, security - Conference on the Future of Europe. (n.d.). Values and Rights, Rule of Law, Security - Conference on the Future of Europe. https://futureu.europa.eu/en/processes/ValuesRights

What we do: policies and actions | EEAS. (n.d.). What We Do: Policies and Actions | EEAS. https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/what-we-do-policies-and-actions-0_en