Regionalism & EU Flashcards
Regionalism = a group of countries in a given region that shares common features A/D
ADVANTAGES
- encourages regional governments to collaborate, pool resources and approach challenges more effectively
- cooperation between regional states can boost economic prosperity, increase security or political stability
- provide individuals with freedom of regional movements or cheaper goods services
DISADVANATGES
- inter connectedness between states can blur lines between the cultural, political and economic identities and sovereignty of states [e.g politician’s voting for Brexit as the membership eroded state sovereignty]
- regional organisation can be dominated by the larger or richer countries [e.g France and Germany in the EU]
-nation states may disagree with regional bloc decisions which can result in gridlock and inaction
Supranationalism = sovereignty is weakened as institutions take decisions above the level of domestic government A/D
E.g The EU
ADVANTAGES
- countries can cooperate, becoming rich through trade with your neighbours
- supports liberal values and beliefs maintaining peace
DISADVANTAGES
- you are required to pay membership
- the regional organisations power will always supersede the state sovereignty, which may cause conflict between states
Federalism = a centralised federal body acting on behalf of the . Advocates for supranationalism
- link to UK Politics : Devolution
- e.g The USA has a federal state system, to which all the states have equal powers granted by their centralised body
Intergovernalism = states work together but sovereignty remains intact A/D
- link to realism
ADVANATAGES
- state sovereignty is not lost and state remains able to fully make decisions on its state
DISADVANTAGES
- because sovereignty between different states will differ, states may still compete with each other for power preventing state cooperation
Economic regionalism
= this is when countries in a regional bloc (a.k.a trade bloc) share similar economic aims , free trade agreements, cooperating with one another to make trade easier A/D
ADVANTAGES
- accelerated trade and economic development
- FDI [foreign direct interest]
- Increased competition encourages innovation
- economic integration can promote political cooperation and stability
DISADVANTAGES
- erosion of multilteralism
- larger and richer states may manipulate or control the smaller states
- loss of autonomy
- loss of jobs
- political tensions
What are the various forms of economic regionalism ?
- Free Trade Areas
- Custom Unions
- Common Market
- Economic union
What is the Trans-Pacific Partnership ? [economic regionalism example]
A regional trade agreement deal in 2016 between the states of the Pacific Rim [Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia etc], but excluding China and USA
President Barack Obama had championed the trade deal but his successor Trump withdrew the USA from the TPP in 2017
What is the North Atlantic Free trade Agreement (NAFTA) ? [economic regionalism example]
Free trade agreement between Canada, Mexico and the USA in 1992
Aims and achievements
- they aimed to eliminate all tariff and non-tariff barriers of trade between the states
- they achieved the creation of large free trade zones reducing or eliminating tariffs on imports and exports
Drawbacks
- does not extend past economic agreements
Political regionalism
= this is when a regional bloc has shared cultural values and similarities in terms of their identity A/D
ADVANTAGES
- helps manage states easily and gives a voice to smaller less politically prominent states
- encourages regional governments to collaborate, pool resources and approach challenges more effectively, relevant to large, global issues such as the ongoing climate crisis
DISADVANTAGES
- blurs the lines between cultural, political and economic identities
- can lead to conflict between nation states
What is the Arab League ? (Political and security example)
- founded in 1945 consists of 22 member (as of 2017 as Syria was suspended) states across the Middle East and North Africa
- conducts its business through Arab league summits
Aims / achievements
- its aims to accelerate economy, social progress and cultural development
- aims to encourage cooperation between Arab speaking states
DRAWBACK
- organisation is divided and therefore not that effective [e.g Syrian Civil War]
What is the African Union (AU) ? (Political example)
- 54 original members but currently has 55 members
- it replaced the Organisation of Afrcian Unity
Aims / achievements
- it aims to promote unity and solidarity between member states and coordinate development
- they have achieved and helped avert catastrophes and protected people from Burundi, Dafur and Somalia
Security regionalism
= this is when members within a regional bloc will work together to make an alliance to strengthen their regional borders
- link to the EU, NATO and ASEAN / link to realism security dilemma
ADVANTAGES
- security helps to enforce cooperation and communication between states
DISADVANTAGES
- this can lead to the erosion of sovereignty if states agree to take military actions when another state requires it
-
What is the Association of South-east Asia (ASEAN) ? (Economic and somewhat political example)
- originally had 5 countries [indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, phillipines and maylasia] increased to 10 in 1967
-clear aim to promote trade in the region (protect against Chinese domination) - political element via aim to protect member sovereignty
Aims / achievements
- it aims to encourage economic, social, cultural, technological and educational development, as well as peace an stability in the region
Example of how the EU supports globalisation
- eu has a set of standards for pharmaceutical production so drugs can easily be transported within the member block
- additionally it has established a ‘white list’ countries like Japan and Australia where less documentation is required for the importation of drugs
- this enables globalisation as these countries are easily able to import and export drugs with less restriction
Example of how ASEAN supports globalisation
- an organisation like ASEAN want to increase trade in their block which goes hand in hand with the globalisation goal of increasing trade between countries
How does regionalism promote globalisation ?
- it promotes regionalism, as NAFTA, EU & ASEAN to increase trade between their member states, directly aligns with economic globalisation
- in the USA, NAFTA has been perceived as the outsourcing jobs to Mexico [ this helps expand to Mexico helps promote economic regionalism ]
- on a regional level, states have one together to limit the power of TNCs and their economic mobility
How does regionalism hinder globalisation ?
- their will always be certain memeber states who cannot effectively compete in a tougher market, this can lead to the scaling back of industries and losses
- NAFTA has also caused significant job losses (job displacement) and industry closures in the USA
- regionalism lead to democracy to be undermined and these decisions lack legitimacy, therefore undermines sovereignty and self-determination
The impact on state sovereignty [different theories/ views that comment]
Liberals
- cooperation is always a good thing whether on a regional or global scale because some issues cannot be dealt with by nation states alone such as terrorism and the environment
Realists
- regional blocs will always fail as states will act in their own self interest. Strong states will abuse the system to benefit them most
Differences between the types of regionalism
Economic
- does not extend beyond economic terms, with the 3 nation states still retain quite different goals in other areas [NAFTA]
- does not need long term strategic aims
- tends to be more outward looking, reaching trade deals as a bloc with other states outside the region
- involves limited erosion of sovereignty, except in the case of a single regional currency like the euro, which involves considerable impact on sovereignty
Political regionalism
- needs longer term strategic aims
- to some extent relies on shared cultural values
- more inward looking and acts in the regions self interest
- emphasis on pooled sovereignty and deeper integration means more erosion of sovereignty
Security regionalism
- focuses on defence and security against shared threats
- territorial borders are important (e.g having a common threat)
- this could have an impact on sovereignty because of emphasis on common defence policy
What is the European Union ?
The EU is a collection of 27 members states (excluding the UK after BREXIT 2016)
- where states adhere to similar rules ( they vote for these rules)
- once your a citizen of the EU (your a European citizen)
- all countries pay memebership dues
What are the aims of the EU ?
1.Economic Integration and the single market
2.Economic and monetary union
3.Enlargement
4.Social policy
5.Political union
Economic integration and the single market (aim)
Prior 2002, the creation of the shared euro currency, the EU had created a common market with freedoms, focusing on removing tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade
The four freedoms of movement [key features of the European single market]
- Free movement of people [shengen agreement (1985)]
- Free movement of goods [ single market removed all custom checks and restrictions]
- Free movements of capital [large amounts of money can be moved freely without restraint]
- Free movement of services [companies within the EU are free to set up companies in other member states]
Difference between widening and deepening integration
Enlargement (aim of the EU)
- there has been 5 waves of enlargement
- Inner Six (1951) [belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands]
- First Enlargement (1970s) [ Denmark, Ireland, the UK ]
- Mediterranean Enlargement (1980s) [ Greece, Portugal and Spain]
- Northern Enlargement (1990s) [ Austria, Finland and Sweden]
- Post Communist / Eastern Enlargement (2000s) [ Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia (2004), Bulgaria and Romania (2007), Croatia (2013)
Drawbacks of the EU’s enlargement
- Russia claims that the EU acception of Eastern European states (ex - USSR members) is antagonistic, as the EU (designed to promote peace, stability and security) therefore they must consider the conflict with Russia
- Newer members often have weaker economies putting pressure on the larger states to support these smaller states
- Since the EU has grown to have more of a collective culutural identity, accepting countries within different outlooks (e.g Turkey = Islamic population) could be seen to be problematic
- issues with effectiveness, as the larger the EU the larger the base of interest it needs to coordinate
Social policy (aims of the EU)
European Social Fund (ESF)
In terms of social policy, the European Social Fund (ESF) gives money to projects aiming to, for example, reduce unemployment. Around 10% of the EU’s budget is spent on the ESF
Policital union (aim of the EU)
The EU has individual EU laws, known as ‘directives’. These harmonise social policy on matters as diverse as working hours and unemployment rights
- the European Commission proposes EU directives, and the EU’s council of Ministers and the European Parliament agree them
European Coal and Steel community (ECSC) [1951]
There was a need for integration and desire for peace and security post the Second World War
- this community comprised of the ‘inner six’
- the ECSC was designed to reduced trade barriers on coal and steel and to better coordinate policies over these resources
This is the original form of the EU based on economy recovery
The Treaty of Rome (1957)
This led to the establishment of the European Economic Community (EEC)
- this was important as it provided a legal basis to the modern EU
- this was the beginning of the common market
- key agreements such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)
Enlargement of the ECC (1973)
During this year, 3 other nations joined the ECC : the UK, Ireland and Denmark
- links to the First Enlargement (1973)
The Single European Act (1986)
This Act established the Single Market, which was completed in 1992
- established a single market and a reduction of tariffs between these nations
- this was significant, as nations gave some of their constitutional powers to the European Union [because i saw the abolishment of national vetoes]
The Maastricht Treaty (1993)
It remained the ECC to the European Union (EU), here saw the increased communication on not only economic issues but social and political issues
- this treaty established the 4 freedoms of movements : people, goods, capital and services
- introduced the euro (which the UK and Denmark opted out of)
- the institution has 12 members [ after the Mediterranean enlargement]
Subsidiarity Principle (1993)
This principal came upon John Major’s insistence
- this was a general principal of the EU law whereby the European can only act where the action of individual countries is insufficient to the interests of the EU as a whole ( a measure to protect the sovereign interests of the EU as a whole
Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) [1993]
Established in the Maastricht Treaty (1993)
- this promoted cooperation in justice and home affairs
Shengen Area (1995)
The passport-free Shengen Area was established, this meant for the citizens of member states
- there were no longer borders, so residents could freely move between EU member states
Euro Currency (2002)
The Euro was introduced in 12 countries by 2001
- at this point it was only used for commercial transactions only but currency in the form of notes and coins came in 2002
- this created the Economic Monetary Union (EMU), with the exception of Portugal, Scandinavia and the UK
- the European Economic Bank regulates the euro
The Treaty of Nice (2003)
The treaty made amendments to both the Maastricht Treaty (1993) and the Treaty of Rome (1957)
- formed the institutional structure of the EU, in part to deal with eastward expansion
Post communist / Eastern Enlargement (2004)
10 countries joined, with a further two in 2007, making this a noticeable period of expansion
Economic Debt Crisis (2008)
The Treaty of Lisbon (2009)
This treaty was ratified and came into force in 2009
- significant in reforming institutions making them more efficient
- it created positions for the President of the European Council and High representative for Foreign Affairs
- which aimed to give the EU more of an independent and influential voice on the world stage
Who are the PIIGS ?
Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain
- these are countries that fell into significant economic recession, which had a knock on effect that created an overall crisis of confidence
- these were the weakest economies in the Eurozone during the European debt crisis
Europol (1998)
European Union’s Law enforcement agency
- headquartered in The Hague (the Netherlands), they assist the 27 EU member states against serious international crime
- this is an example of the EU’s increased involvement in humanitarian work and developing a more connected intelligence service to fight crime and terrorism across the borders
European Union Naval Force ()
Has been involved in interventions in Somalia
What is the EuroZone ?
These are member states within the EU that share the same currency (euros)
- there are 20 countries in the eurozone
- the same 20 countries are part of the the EMU (Economic and Monetary Union)
What is the European Economic Area (EEA) ?
The EEA allows for countries not apart of the EU to be apart of the EU’s single market
- this includes all EU countries and Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein
What is the Schengen Area ?
This is allows for the freedom of movement between Switzerland and EU countries
- passports are not checked
- membership fees are still paid
Case Study : Greece financial crisis
Post 2008 global financial crisis, there were fears of a debt crisis among eurozone members, particularly those dubbed ‘PIIGS’
- Greece was experiencing severe financial trouble due to flouting (openly disregarding) the EU rules on fiscal responsibility, after which it hid the extent of their budgetary issues in an attempt to cover them up
- therefore Greece was forced to implement significant spending cuts, eurozone bailouts which became apart of SAPs that the IMF and EU imposed on the country
What are the different theories on the EU ?
- Federalism
- Functionalism
- Neo-functionalism
Federalism (on the EU)
This suggests that there should be a mov towards a centralised federal body that acts on behalf of the regional bloc, therefore advocating for supranationalism
- prevents state centrism [sate acting purely on their own interests]
- it is a good way to promote peace and stability
- states transferring some of their sovereignty to a higher federal body (pooled sovereignty), reduce the risk of self interest
- creates an anarchic system
- more liberal
Functionalism (on the EU)
Challenges the idea of federalism, argues that blocs did not emerge to become federal but to serve specific functions
- the stages of the EU, from the ECSC to ECC to EU (establishing the ICJ) is a demonstration of functionalism being an applicable model
- functionalists are generally positive about to EU’s ability to meet theses needs effectively
However…
- states have been very reluctant to hand over power to functional bodies, as bodies have lacked the legitimacy of sovereign bodies
- functionalism almost disregards the long term issues of the EU, focusing on the short term
Neo-functionalism (on the EU)
This falls somewhere in between the two. There is a mixed impact on sovereignty
- it believes that it addresses economic functions, but leads to some political spill over
- e.g the EU begins with the ECSC and eventually into the EU showing that it can being based on economy but move politically
- where there is functional need, the EU develops new policies (for example combating terrorism)
The European Council (2009) - intergovernmental
Established as an informal summit in 1975
- a decision making body that focuses on long term decisions
- the council includes : the president of the European Council and the president of the European Commission
- has a permanent full time president (Donald Tusk)
- meets 4 times a year
The Council of the Europe Union (1949) - intergovernmental
Also known as the Council of Ministers
- a decision making body, that focuses on day to day or short term decisions
- comprises of all ministers from 27 member states - accountable over their own governments
- it has the power to amend, veto and approve legislation form the European Commission
- the council has the function of being responsible for the budget of the EU / directing economic policy of the EU member states
The European Commission (1952 based in Belgium)- supranational
This the executive branch of the EU, that acts like a ‘cabinet government’, with each country being a member known as ‘commissoners’ and are led by a President
- this is the only part of the EU that can propose new laws
- the most bureaucratic arm of the EU
- commissioners have a duty to defend and promote the EU’s interests, rather than the interest of their home state
The European Parliament (named this in 1962, but originated in 1958 France) - supranational
Made up of the members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the 27 states. It is the only elected body of the EU, with countries electing MEPs every 5 years
- its role has expanded over the years, but its main function is to scrutinise, rather than create legislation
- its main powers (to reject the EU’s budget or dismiss the commission same as the Council of Europe) are in practice too far-reaching for it to implement
The European Court of Justice (1952) - supranational
The court was established in 1952, by the Treaty of Paris (1951) as part of the European Coal and Steel Community.
- the single judicial branch of the EU which ensures EU law is followed in all member states
- comprises of a single judge from every member state
- works to interpret EU law and makes judgments on case brought to it
- represents justice and equality
The European Central Bank (ECB) - intergovernmental
Example for the European Court of Justice : N2O (2014)
In 2014, before Britain left the EU, a case was brought up regarding clean air in the UK
- the court ruled against the UK and stated that levels of Nitrous Oxide in the UK exceeded the EU’s maximum limits
- as a result, the UK had to lay out and revise plans on how it will tackle reducing the Nitrous Oxide levels by 2015
The process of the European integrated stages :
- Economic union
- Monetary union
- Political union
Should Turkey join the EU ? Y/N
YES
- accepting Turkey to the EU would present an image of inclusivity and diversity (prevents the EU being viewed as the ‘Christian Club’)
- extend the scope of diplomatic relationships, particularly with the Middle East (or Arab speaking countries)
- prevents turkey from forming allies with Russia
- provides the EU with access to key natural resources, particular energy
- EU borders would be more in line with NATO’s, which makes sense given the EU’s abd NATO’s defence alliance
NO
- Turkey is culturally different to other states in the EU
- it has a poor human rights record, contradicting the EU values and would impact the EUs soft power
- politically unstable at times and is not seen as democratic (opposing liberal democracy)
- turkey connection to the Middle East is more of a concern than asset [Turkey, Kurdistan], therefore leaving the UK vulnerable to Islamic extremism
Name on agreement signed in each Treaty (1957-2009)
- Treaty of Rome 1957 [European economic community, CAPS & CFP)
- Maastricht Treaty 1993 [the freedom movement of goods, services, people and money / the principal of subsidiarity and the EMU
- Treaty of Nice (2003) [single market and Single European Act]
-Treaty of Lisbon (2009) [common security and defence policy, European constitution, President of the European council and External Action service and high representative for foreign affairs]
Economic Monetary Union (EMU) economic - A/D
= it has both economic and political elements, was initially made to tackle exchange rate
ADVANTAGES (economic )
- it removes obstacles to trade by extending the single makret, meaning travellers and constraints of conversion rates
- there is greater transparency over prices which benefit producers
- SGP ensures economic stability and thus low inflation
ADVANTAGES (political)
- pooling sovereignty arguably strengthens rather than weakens, the EMU member state sovereignty
- many see the euro as a further step towards a federalist political union, leading to greater integration
DRAWBACKS
- these are economic established, the BundesBank rather than the ECB controlled by the EU monetary policy
- many countries such as France where considered or were unhappy with Germany’s economic control of union
What is the difference between the EMU,the EU and the Eurozone ?
The Economic and monetary union (EMU) integrates the economies of 19 EU member states, through a group of economic and monetary policies.
The EU differs as all the its members are part of the economic union, but not all apart of the monetary union e.g Bulgaria, Poland, Denmark and the UK
The Eurozone is synonymous with the EMU’s third stage (political union), the third stage occurred in 1999 fixed exchange rates and replaced the national currencies of participating countries - the euro
Is EMU membership positive or negative ? Y/N
Positive
- the euro has made free trade even easier within the EU member states that are part of the eurozone. Exchange rates are eliminated when trading between member states
- the ECB can regulate monetary policy across the EU, making financial conditions more and predictable
- the ECB can offer more stability through the ability of states to pool together to help states that encounter economic difficulty e.g if Greece had not been Eurozone, it’s doubtful whether it would have received so much financial assistance
Negative
- some states lose out as they are supporting weaker economies e.g major states can to contribute / aid Greek’s debt crisis
- there is a loss of sovereignty for EMU members as individuals states are unable to change their monetary policies (i.e by raising or lowering interest rates)
- there is some democratic deficit as the sovereign repsonisbitly to regulate monetary policy is given to an unelected independent central body (ECB)
Why is the European Council and the Council of Europe - intergovernmental ?
European Council - member states act on their own behalf (short term interest)
Council of Europe - 27 minsters all representing states (long term benefits)
Why is the European Commission, European Parliament, European Court of Justice and European Central Bank - supranational ?
European Commission - its supranational as it acts as an executive with its legislative role, acts in the interests of the EU not on the interest of individual sovereign members
European Parliament - it’s supranational since, member state elect MEPs to office, its role is to scrutinise legislation on behalf of the EU, rather than national interests
European Court of Justice - its supranational, given its ability to pass legislation that can override the laws of national governments
ECB - its supranational as its overseas monetary regulation on behalf of EMU countries
Qualified majority Voting
= 65% of the population of the EU must agree, 16 out of 27 states
It’s a double majority rule, that reduces 1 country using a power of veto and balances the interests of small states
- this is used by the Council of Europe (day to day / short term decisions)
Constraints on the EU : political, economic, structural and military
- Impingement of sovereignty [state sovereignty is fueled around issues involving the freedom of movement]
E.g hence why UK 2016 : Brexit - Democratic Deficit [lacks simple democratic principles, citizens don’t have power to vote over supranational elements]
-2008 economic debt crisis [PIIGS still have not recovered, meaning ballot for the EU was expensive] - Newer members [ weaker economies tend to create a burden on stronger economies]
- Euros not widely accepted [e.g Germany has done well having a devalued currency, making exports appealing however Italy has been prevented from devaluing their currency]
- lack of central authority or clear figurehead (hence why it can’t be a superpower)
- lack of military power [it deploys humanitarian intervention but doesn’t have a central standing army force]
How have regional blocs addressed the environment ? AU
AU HAVE ADDRESSED IT
- Agricultural, rural development, blue economy and sustainable environment (ARBE)
- ARBE comprises of 2 directorates, the 2 make up SEBE (sustainable environment and blue economy)
- many states within the AU, signed the Paris Agreement 2015
- AUC (African Union commission) approved the ‘African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action plan’ [estimated to come into effect 2022-2023]
AU HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- However, limited resources and coordination challenges can impede the AU’s efforts to enforce uniform environmental standards
How have regional blocs addressed the environment ? EU
EU HAVE ADDRESSED IT
- The European Green Deal prioritises protecting our biodiversity and ecosystems [EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy : Farm to Fork Strategy]
- this deals includes the [Zero Pollution action Plan] + [Circular Economy Action Plan]
- the EU Climate Law was adopted, binding the EU to achieve climate neutrality by 2050
- the EU participates in int. climate change summits [COP-28]
EU HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- Due to the lack of commitment levels varying among member states (i.e ) countries may choose to prioritise economic development, resulting in disparities
How have regional blocs addressed the environment ? Arab League
ARAB LEAGUE HAVE ADDRESSED IT
- 2007 A council of Arab environment declared “that dealing with the potential impacts of climate change requires international action and solidarity”
- [Arab Economic and Social Development Summit in Kuwait 2009] this saw a passage on resolution on climate change on drafting plans to fight water scarcity
- they created Arab Ministerial Water Council and Arab Permanent Committee on Meteorology = combined issues 14 resolutions between 2010 and 2017
ARAB LEAGUE HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- 9 of the 17 countries that the World Resources Institute, described as facing “extremely high baseline water stress” in 2019
How have regional blocs addressed the environment ? ASEAN
ASEAN HAVE ADDRESSED IT
- ASCC (ASEAN Socio-cultural community) Blueprint 2025, determined to tackle poverty, develop clean cities
- ASEAN at the Paris Agreement 2015, under the UNFCC was encouraged to submit INDCs (intended nationally determined contributions)
- the ACB (ASEAN centre for biodiversity) and the ASEAN Working Group on Climate Change both focusing on the sustainable environment
ASEAN HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- enforcement can be inconsistent and some member states can prioritise the wrong concerns over others
How have regional blocs addressed the environment ? NAFTA
NAFTA HAVE ADDRESSED IT
- it primarily focuses on trade but had a side agreement established in 2007 called North Atlantic Agreement on Cooperation (NAAEC), made to address environmental matters collaboratively among Canada, Mexico and the USA
NAFTA HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- many other countries found it hypocritical that NAFTA, an agreement that promotes trade and ultimately increase global pollution, was signing an agreement that opposed that
How have regional blocs addressed the poverty ? AU
AU HAVE ADDRESSED IT
- it addressed poverty through initiatives, such as the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the Agenda 2063
- these frameworks emphasise economic development, infrastructure improvement, education and healthcare to alleviate poverty across the continent
AU HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- has faced challenges due to its limited financial resources, political instability in some member states, and conflicts in certain regions have hindered poverty reduction strategies
How have regional blocs addressed the poverty ? EU
EU HAVE ADDRESSED IT
- the European Employment Strategy (EES) states back to 1997 when EU member states undertook targets for employment policy
- the European Union structural funds like European Social Fund Plus, which aided 530 Maltese students over 4 years by offering loans amounting to 20 million euros
EU HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- critics argue that issues like income inequality, youth unemployment and disparities among member states remain substantial
- economic disparities and the effectiveness of social polices can vary, leading to concerns about the EU’s comprehensive impact on
How have regional blocs addressed the poverty ? Arab League
ARAB LEAGUE HAVE ADDRESSED IT
- Arab Strategy for Sustainable Development 2030, this startegy focuses on economic diversification, job creation and social welfare programmes to reduce poverty in the Arab region
ARAB LEAGUE HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- the effectiveness of anti-poverty initiatives can be hindered by these complexities and regional dynamics
- limited coordination and implementation of regional strategies
How have regional blocs addressed the poverty ? ASEAN
ASEAN HAVE ADDRESSED IT
- Have addressed poverty through initiatives like the ASEAN Community Vision 2025
- the bloc has implemented measures such as the ASEAN PLUS THREE EMERGENCY RICE RESERVE to enhance food security
ASEAN HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- issues like income inequality, inadequate social protection mechanisms, and disparities in infrastructure development can hinder the reduction of poverty
How have regional blocs addressed the poverty ? NAFTA
NAFTA HAVE ADDRESSED IT
- nafta addressed it by creating the United States -Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), aimed to promote economic growth and address poverty by facilitating trade and investment
- USMCA includes provisions addressing labour rights and environmental concerns
NAFTA HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- critics argue that while the agreement led to economic growth and job creation in some sectors, this displacement combined with concerns about wage stagnation, raised questions on the overall impact on poverty reduction
How have regional blocs addressed human rights ? AU
AU HAVE ADDRESSED IT
AU HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- AU not cooperating with the ICC, as since its establishment the ICC has only indicated and convicted Africans complaints that it was institutionally based [e.g 2016 Burundi, North South Africa severed its ties with ICC as membership conflicted with national interests]
How have regional blocs addressed human rights ? EU
EU HAVE ADDRESSED IT
EU HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- eu migration (e.g Afghanistan)
- the humanitarian emergency at the Poland-Belarus border, and pushbacks at that and other external EU borders exemplified a focus on sealing borders …
How have regional blocs addressed human rights ? Arab League
ARAB LEAGUE HAVE ADDRESSED IT
- Arab Charter on human rights entered the league conventions in 2004 - it was ratified in 2008
- there are different categories :
1. Individual rights : right to life
2. Concerns rules of justice : the right of all persons to be equal before the law
3. Concerns civil and political rights : the right to freedom of movement
4. Concerns economic, social and human rights : the right to work
ARAB LEAGUE HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT
- despite the charter there are still inconsistent enforcement of human rights standards
- commitments vary among different countries
How have regional blocs addressed human rights ? ASEAN
ASEAN HAS ADDRESSED IT
- they’re various mechanisms : The ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) was established to promote and protect human rights in region
- it has adopted ASEAN Human Rights Declaration
ASEAN HAS NOT ADDRESSED IT
- effectiveness of these mechanisms : some say AICHR lacks enforcement power (not robust enough)
How have regional blocs addressed human rights ? NAFTA
NAFTA HAS ADDRESSED IT
- it primarily focuses on economic cooperation however arguably that will have an indirect impact on improved living standards and human rights
NAFTA HAS NOT ADDRESSED IT
- NAFTA does not have explicit human rights provisions or enforcement mechanisms, leading to criticism about its limited attention to human rights
- the agreement actually prioritise economic interests over social and human rights concerns
