Euroscepticism

Euroscepticism has become a general term for opposition to the process of further European integration. It is not, however, a single ideology, and eurosceptics differ on both their vision of Europe and on the manner in which it is perceived to fail: thus some eurosceptics seek a different form of European Union whilst some seek the withdrawal of their own country from the EU and yet others seek the complete dissolution of the EU.

The term Eurosceptic originated in the United Kingdom, and at first referred to those within the Labour Party and Conservative Party who were sceptical of their parties’ official support for UK membership of the then European Economic Community. Since then, the meaning has expanded, to cover general opposition to the European Union, to some or all of its policies, to the introduction of the euro, and to any future pan-European entity in the form of a superstate, a federation, or a confederation. The term entered other European languages as a loan word or calque, for instance Europaskepsis in German.

Eurosceptic issues

An anti-EU t-shirt seen at a press conference in Dortmund, Germany in 2003, protesting against the Euro and the Schengen Agreement, amongst other things.

A poster against the European Constitution, seen in Athens, 2005.

The issues on which eurosceptics focus vary from country to country.

In European countries outside the EU, eurosceptics focus attention on the perceived disadvantages of Union membership; for instance, in the case of Norway, the greatest concern is the effect of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy. In those countries which are already members, but have chosen to retain independent currencies (the United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden), Eurosceptics focus on the disadvantages of euro membership as well as on other aspects of involvement with the EU. Some arguments against the Economic and Monetary Union are built on complaints that the Growth and Stability Pact has been inconsistently applied, and on the recent underperformance of the eurozone when compared with those economies that have chosen to remain outside^{[citation needed]}.

While many eurosceptics take issue with particular characteristics of the EU as it stands, some maintain in principle that the very concept of the EU is an invention of bureaucrats seeking to create a bureaucratic and undemocratic superstate.

Centralisation

Eurosceptics oppose the idea of a centralised European superstate, a United States of Europe akin to the United States of America, which many see as the inevitable outcome of current integrationist trends. This is a perception disputed by some, but by no means all, pro-Europeans.

Compromising sovereignty

Eurosceptics often disagree with current or proposed measures that they see as compromising national sovereignties, including:

the proposed European Rapid Reaction Force
the draft European Constitution
the proposed establishing of a European Public Prosecutor, or the establishing of Eurojust
any extension of Europol to include enforcement powers
harmonising taxation or welfare benefits
reduction to the number of policy areas subject to agreement by unanimity in the European Council, where each country may veto proposed legislation

Eurosceptics often propose either radical modifications to the structure of the EU, including more influence for national parliaments, or the withdrawal of their country from the Union altogether.

Eurosceptics in the European Parliament

In 2004, 37 MEPs from the UK, Poland, Denmark and Sweden founded a new European Parliament group called “Independence and Democracy” from the old Europe of Democracies and Diversities (EDD) group. The main goals of this group are to reject the Treaty establishing a constitution for Europe and to oppose further European integration. Some delegations within the group, notably the United Kingdom Independence Party, advocate the complete withdrawal of their country from the EU.

The group’s leaders are Nigel Farage of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) (10 MEPs) and Jens-Peter Bonde of Denmark.

The right-wing Union for Europe of the Nations Group is also eurosceptic as are some parties within the left-wing Confederal Group of the European United Left—Nordic Green Left and the European Greens - European Free Alliance. The UK’s largely eurosceptic Conservative Party are currently part of the European People's Party–European Democrats grouping in the European Parliament, which has mainly a pro-European agenda. However the party is currently committed to withdrawing from the EPP as soon as a new grouping, to be entitled Movement for European Reform, can recruit enough members to be viable.

Euroscepticism from religious groups

The EU has received strong criticism from members of some religious groups, most notably evangelical Christians with dispensationalist views.^[1] They complain that the EU is rooted too strongly in secular humanism and undermines traditional Christianity with its policies. Some go as far to describe the EU as the beginnings of the one-world empire allegedly foretold in Bible prophecy. According to their interpretation of the Apocalypse, it is believed that such an empire will eventually be led by a single ruler, the Antichrist. Arguments for this view include a perceived occultic significance of EU symbolism,^[2] an allegedly “un-Christian” nature of EU policies,^[3] the refusal to mention the Christian God in official documents^[4] and the effort to encourage the people of Europe to reject their national identity in favour of a European one^{[citation needed]}. Also, conservative Catholics such as the Polish religious group known as the Radio Maryja Family, and led by Father Rydzyk, are strongly opposed the EU, seeing it as denying and attempting to suppress Europe's Christian and Catholic background.

Euroscepticism in the United Kingdom

References

External links

Studies of public opinion

Eurosceptic sites

Euroscepticism rebuttals

[1] 404

[2] ttp://www.thekeffs.freeserve.co.uk/EU_Flag_Page_1b.htm ^{[dead link]}

[3] Response to the European Union's proposes Employment Directive

[4] God and Christianity in the European Union's constitution

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