The ongoing political crisis in the European Union (EU) is being widely blamed on migration and the inability of the EU to control immigration. However, there are many factors that have contributed to this situation. First, there was a failure by the Union governments to set up an effective system to control illegal immigration before the current crisis began. Then, due to the influx of illegal immigrants from Northern Africa, the EU did not successfully implement adequate controls on immigration at the same time it was struggling with its own internal problems.
Changes To EU Policy
In addition, there are many cases of failure to adjust to changes in the immigration policy of the EU when it comes to the free movement of people. For example, many countries in the region have strict laws that bar people from entering their country if they have certain amounts of foreign money in their accounts. Moreover, there are many cases of employers not allowing workers from certain regions to travel to other parts of the EU for employment. In most cases, immigration controls are much more difficult in the EU compared to that of the US or Australia. As a result, there has been an increase in the number of illegal immigrants over the past few years.
Another major part of the issue is the failure of the Union to create effective trade deals with its partners in the Asian and European continents. Negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership (CETA) between the EU and South Korea, for example, collapsed due to strong resistance from the Japanese government. Similarly, the EU failed to conclude trade deals with India and other South Asian countries such as Singapore. These issues have played a significant role in pushing back the politics in the EU, although the Commission is working hard to get these deals finalized.
Further Changes
Furthermore, the lack of trade deals has also prevented the EU from becoming a major exporter of industrial goods, as was expected in the past years. Negotiations for the Association of European Business and Services (ABIS) have also become unsuccessful, which is hindering European companies from expanding their business operations in Asia. For this matter, the Commission has decided to launch another round of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership (CEP) after the current round of CETA collapsed.
There is also a danger that the politics in the EU may impact negatively on the development of the economy. Given the fact that there are many countries in Europe, including some in the east and south, that do not follow the rules of the European Union, there is a risk that the EU will not be able to present a united front when it comes to combating deflation in the country. In addition, a weak Europe will not be able to provide the necessary stimulus for the faltered Japanese economy, which is also posing a problem for the EU.
Conclusion
However, the politics in the EU has also contributed to the slow economic growth in the country. Some European leaders have criticized the slow pace of the growth and said that the reason behind it is the politics in the country. The arguments go that because the Union is dominated by left-leaning parties, the centre cannot gain enough support to push through policy changes that would benefit the common consumers. However, majority of the citizens of the EU feel that the Union should become more powerful so as to protect them and improve their standard of living.
