I. Questions of Identity, Unity
B. Researchers Reach out to Europe
V. Background and Web sites
I. QUESTIONS OF IDENTITY, UNITY
A. UNITY OR SEPARATISM: WHICH WILL WIN?
The European Union is just one example of globalization and
integration changing the world around us. But is consolidation
really what the future holds? Mahyar Arefi, assistant professor
of planning in UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and
Planning, says it's not altogether clear whether consolidation or
disintegration will be the victor. "The most intriguing issue
about the European Union is the issue of identity. Look at
Kurdistan and the former Yugoslavia. There is just as much
fragmentation and disintegration going on around the world as
there is integration. There is no clear-cut answer about who is
winning and who is losing," he says. Recently, for example, some
10,000 anti-globalization activists marched outside the recent
summit of European Union and Asian leaders meeting in Korea.
contact: 513-556-0212
B. THE ORIGINS OF THE UNION
Though most of us look at the European Union as a '90s
phenomenon, the roots of this collaboration date back as far as
the 1950s to the Coal and Steel Authority, according to UC
President Emeritus Henry Winkler, a UC historian who specializes
in British history. Winkler also says you can't compare the
founding of the EU with the founding of the United States. "The
colonies were on the whole all English-speaking. In the European
community, there are very different cultures, very different
languages. It's going to go much more slowly." Before the effort
will be successful, it's clear that Great Britain will have to
make some more accommodations to change: It will need to sign
onto the euro as well as agree that its courts are subservient to
the European Union courts. Yet, Winkler adds, "The amount of
collaboration and cooperation that has taken place already is
really quite breath-taking."
contact: 513-556-0125
C. THE QUESTION OF NATIONALITY
As European nations proceed to integrate into a union, a new
European identity will emerge. However, that won't happen at the
expense of individual, national identities, says Richard Schade,
UC professor of Germanic languages and literatures who also
serves as Honorary Consul for the Federal Republic of Germany.
"There's no question there will be a loss of some individuality,
but I don't think any country will simply turn their backs on
thousands of years of their own history." He sees the European
Union as at a stage similar to the "Federalist Papers phase"
when the budding United States struggled with the issue of
whether to form a federal model or have decentralized states.
"It is definitely my sense that they are moving forward, but it's
not going to be easy. Where there is a will there is a way, and I
think there is a will there."
contact: 513-556-2756
II. THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
A. EAST MEETS WEST
The euro may be going through a shaky period, but that doesn't
mean that the concept of the European Union isn't still appealing
to many would-be participants. George Vredeveld, UC professor of
economics with an expertise in eastern European economies, says
almost all of the former Soviet-bloc countries in eastern Europe
have applied for European Union membership. "They see something
there, the access to so much more trade and access to financial
stability," Vredeveld says. In the short term, a weak euro is a
mixed tale for eastern Europe. Some eastern European countries,
such as Bulgaria, have their currencies tied directly to western
European currencies. So a weak euro translates into more
expensive imports for Bulgaria, which creates inflationary
pressures. On the flip side, however, a weak euro means exports
become cheaper, making a country's products more competitively
internationally. Eastern European countries whose currencies
aren't directly tied to the euro right now are also enjoying
cheaper imports from western Europe.
contact: 513-556-2079
B. EURO SLUMP TIED TO TRADE
European Union officials have worried aloud lately as their
currency, the euro, has slipped to new lows in the currency
markets (although it has gained some ground recently). Paul
Swanson, UC associate professor who studies international
finance, points to a pair of factors that haven't helped to the
stem the slide. One is the almost complete absence of any rumors
of multi-country intervention in the euro. These rumors stopped
over a week ago which suggests that the currency has been left
out to dry. The second point has to do with the cost of oil and
with trade tensions with the European Union's chief trading
partner, the United States. Rising oil prices are almost always
bad news in Europe because few countries have access to
meaningful reserves. In addition, when you start throwing things
like tariffs up even on only select goods, the combined effect
will be rising prices and falling demand, which Swanson says
suggests a possible disaster ahead. The euro's slide, he feels,
is just reflecting the instability of the underlying economies of
its member nations. "The euro is saying 'Hey folks, we've got a
flat tire here -- do something.'"
contact: 513-556-7085
C. TRANSATLANTIC BUSINESS DIALOGUE
Hundreds of CEOs from both sides of the Atlantic will gather in
Cincinnati Nov. 16-18 for the sixth annual conference of the
Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD) to develop recommendations
on how to boost international trade and investment. Among those
expected to attend are government officials from both the United
States and the European Commission, a 20-member body working to
expand the European Union. CEOs from America Online,
Astra-Zeneca, Bayer, Cofide & CIR Group, FDX, KPMG, Meiko,
Usinor, Power Clean 2000 are expected to participate in the
conference. Previous conferences have been held in Spain,
Chicago, Rome, Charlotte, and Berlin. This year's event will be
held at the Omni Netherland Hotel, Cincinnati.
contact: Jeff Werner, 202-336-7408 (US TABD)
III. MILITARY MOVES
A. A SEPARATE MILITARY FORCE?
France has indicated it will push hard to create a European
military force that can act independently of NATO. UC military
historian Daniel Beaver would rather see NATO expanded than the
creation of a separate European military. An independent force
has "tremendous potential to disrupt things," he says. He
believes NATO has worked well enough since 1948. An American
presence is needed to counter-balance the domination of Germany.
Beaver would prefer to see an expanded NATO that includes the
former East bloc nations -- AND Russia. "But I am fantasizing. It
would be very expensive and the politics of the thing are very
complicated....China would really be upset."
contact: 513-556-4179
B. ADJUSTING POLICY FOR EU
What might a united Europe mean to the future of U.S. security
policy? Presidential candidate George W. Bush found out recently,
when his campaign talked of reducing the U.S. military presence
on European missions like peacekeeping in the Balkans. Some
European leaders reacted with alarm. "With the Bush proposal
there is some new thinking, but it is being overshadowed by
default thinking," says Richard Harknett, UC associate professor
of political science who specializes in international relations.
Harknett points out that, with the Cold War over, it makes sense
to hand over U.S. military responsibilities in Europe to European
forces. That could free up the U.S. to use its power in difficult
areas outside of Europe, such as the Persian Gulf or potential
Asian hotspots. "The U.S. isn't going back to isolationism. The
question to be looked at is how our relationship (with Europe) is
manifested. We're not rethinking the relationship itself,"
Harknett says.
contact: 513-556-3314
C. UNLIKELY SCENARIO
UC military historian George F. Hofmann says at this point, it's
unlikely Europe will have a combined military anytime in the near
future. Hofmann says there are too many economic and cultural
differences between countries like France, Great Britain, Germany
and the eastern European countries. "When I'm talking about
economics, from the military-industrial complex, each country has
a mechanized force based on their own indigenous systems. If
you're going to have a mechanized element, you need to build it
on the same ingredients." Hofmann says a combined European
military would ease the burden on U.S. forces that are stationed
around the world. "Right now, U.S. forces are involved in 70 hot
spots all over the world and we're stretched thin. Our forces
have a problem with 'insert' capabilities. What equipment can
they insert overnight? You can't insert a 70-ton tank." Hofmann
says the ideal system would allow the military to act within a
week to 30 days.
contact: 513-347-9529
IV. HIGHER EDUCATION IMPACT
A. EMPHASIZING EUROPEAN STUDIES
The fall of the Berlin Wall, the creation of a "borderless"
Europe, the expansion of the Common Market, and the introduction
of the euro represent four reasons that UC's College of Arts and
Sciences is re-examining the way it teaches graduate students
about Europe. And there's a fifth, according to Sara
Friedrichsmeyer, head of Germanic languages and literatures.
"Understanding Europe, its past and its present, is of increasing
importance to business and cultural leaders throughout our
country, and UC students must therefore be given the opportunity
to gain expertise in these issues," she said. This year is the
first in a new four-year program that will lead to collaborative
efforts within three departments --Germanic languages and
literatures, Romance languages and literatures, and history.
Associate professor of history Maura O'Connor is directing the
first phase of the program, and about a dozen UC faculty members
are working to create new courses for the program.
contacts: Friedrichsmeyer, 513-556-2752; O'Connor, 513-556-2198
B. RESEARCHERS REACH OUT TO EUROPE
Work by UC researchers may help local authorities in Crete win
funding from EU development programs to overcome environmental
and economic problems associated with mass tourism. The city of
Hersonissos, where planning for development has been virtually
non-existent until the UC team began working there in 1999, has
submitted a six-pronged proposal totaling 4.5 billion drachmas to
the European Union's InterReg III program, much of it based on UC
research. According to Michael Romanos, nearly all of the
proposals are taken directly from UC's work in 1999 and 2000,
including: a Heritage Corridor to identify and designate
historically significant points of interest for preservation as
well as natural areas to be protected and a business incubator
and center to encourage the growth of micro-enterprises;
redevelopment of the coastal area to reduce vehicular traffic
along the seafront in Hersonissos; zoning and land use regulation
and development. Hersonissos Mayor Zacharias Doxastakis says his
city will be well-positioned to qualify for some of these funds
because of UC. "The majority of the municipalities in Greece
don't have development proposals or policies," the mayor said.
Now Hersonissos does.
contact: Marianne Kunnen-Jones, UC public relations, 513-556-
1826
V. BACKGROUND AND WEB SITES
There are 15 nations in the EU: Australia, Belgium, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.
Currently, all but four are in the euro-zone for currency. Those
who have not yet opted for the euro are Denmark, Sweden, United
Kingdom and Greece, although Greece is scheduled to come aboard
soon. Euro notes and coins will not appear until Jan. 1, 2002,
but their non-cash form can be used by consumers, companies,
retailers and public authorities.
