Overview

As an actor, the EU has found it hard to construct its own identity and a common identity for its citizens.

The European Union and Communication

     See also: Euro Mediterranean Partnership  

The Euro Mediterranean Partnership (EMP/ Euro-Med/Barcelona Process) was initiated by Euro-Mediterranean Foreign Ministers Conference in Barcelona, Spain in November 1995 when the EU Council decided to improve relations in the Mediterranean through a new framework.  It involved uniting the then 15 (now 27) EU Member States and 12 (10 after Malta & Cyprus joined the EU) Southern Mediterranean states along with other states (europa.eu).

The Commission adopted the phrase 'wider Europe' when referring to Europes Southern and Eastern neighbours, running from Morrocco up to Russia in an arc, including all of the states between them including the Mahgreb, parts of the Middle East, Turkey, the Balkans and a large proportion of the former Soviet Union. The Euro-Med is a pillar of the European Neighbourhood Policy and it enables south Mediterranean states to form a relationship or association with the EU, however, this unique relationship does not entitle them to be included in the neighbourhood policy (Dinan, D, 2005:533) .

The European Union and Identity

What is a European Identity and does it really exist? This section answers such concerns as well as outlining steps that have been made by the institutions of the EU to construct such a feeling.

Identity Crises

     Main Article: Identity Crises

Enlargement of the EU is the allowance of new member States to the European Union. European Commission President Romano Prodi (1999-2004) described this process of enlargement as the final process in removing any boundaries which may have existed during or because of the Cold War (cnn.com). 

The argument surrounding identity within the EU and enlargement has surrounded many aspects. One of the main issues is whether a states loses its individual identity when it becomes a member of the EU and how it affects its citizens, are they citizens of the EU, a European citizen or a citizen of their home country which is a Member State? This sort of reference can be found on the EU's immigration citizenship website which writes European citizenship of any EU country (www.immigrationcitizenship.eu).

Indicating that if an individual was granted citizenship to a a member state such as Italy, they would be seen as a European citizen living in Italy as has been agreed, not as an Italian citizen.Another identity crisis which is occurring within the EU is what the EU is itself, this debate has become increasingly focused on issues surrounding geography and religion, especially since  Russia and Turkey have shown interest in EU membership.

European identity crisis

Main Article: European identity crisis

European Identity

Main Article: European Identity

The Euro and Identity

Main Article: The Euro in Britain

The debate of whether Britain should adopt the Euro is one which has been circulating since the concept of a single European currency first emerged. The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) has been responsible for settling the economic and monetary policies of the Union’s Member States with the aim of introducing a single currency. This became the subject of an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) for which decisions were finalised in Maastricht in December 1991 (europa.eu). The debate surrounding British membership to the EU has not just surrounded the introduction of the Euro or world order, it has also stretched to incorporate jobs, living and working conditions and local and regional democracy (White, Little & Smith, 2005:68). 11 Member States began to advertise produce in both their current currency and the euro in preparation for the introduction of this single European currency following its agreement in 1999 and in preparation for its introduction in 2002 (O'Brien & Williams, 2008:228) .