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Mon, Dec 28th 2009, 06:35

Member deleted

I have been pondering about the long term implications of the Lisbon Agreement and have come to assume that there is likely to come abou a fundamental shift in the ultimate goals of the EU community.

The EU's earlier goal had been stressed to be reaching ultimately to a completely unified Europe. But after Lisbon it seems that the Europeans are willing to settle for much less than that: For instance it seems that some leaders are inclined to welcome -in the back of their minds at least- concepts like some kind of a free trade association backed by the EU umbrella.

The political moves having been undertaken by EU so far to make free trade agreements with other countries, in my view point, strengthens my loosely defined assumption. In any case I think such a mjor shift in the ultimate goals of the EU may lead to a more sensible union to come into being. This would also free the EU organization from criticisms especially with terms like "Frankenstein Monster", etc.

This kind of a basic political revision is likely to be reflected in EU's approach to enlargement in her geography and to result eventually in EU community being the greatest economic power in the World.

If this is accomlished in practice as well, the entire community would end up with much greater success than even the founders of the Common Market envisged at the time. This is so because the advantages in factors like 'economies of scales' would allow easier growth of the production units under such a giant liberal economical umbrella...

Then again: "Nobody knows what future has in store except Allah." as we put it here.

Good luck to all.....

Wed, Jan 6th 2010, 05:30

Member deleted

One agrees with Mr. Barroso over the need for revisiting the global governance structures. One would however also need to point out that when one refers to the global governance structures, one is also referring to the actors therein and institutional transparency.
This would mean the need to encourage a socialization that 1. comprehends 2. appreciates 3. encourages the meaning of democratic governance structures that lessens the chasm that is often imagined in the state-civil society roles. An emphasis on basic education over civic life and the correct role of the state and the citizens needs to be encouraged - for the state is by itself an imagination of and by the citizens and who do occupy its various offices and give shape to the experiences one has about being a part of the state, being an ordinary citizen who is not a part of the state (the civil society) and their interactions while dealing with the complexities of a global world. Talks of global governance means the expansion of this imagination at a global level, while expanding the arena over the basic education over civic life and democracy. The notion of global governance would also need to take care of the diversities of a global existence and reach and not limit itself to the imagination of the global to merely the European Union and/or NATO or the former Cold War blocs.
The notion of global governance and its structures immediately does conjure up the necessity to begin with institutional arrangements that also ensure a certain education and values that are necessary - for the survival of all. More importantly, the beginning necessarily has to be made with the basic education about Human Rights, Human-Environment interactions (includes the notion of the relationship between human and non-human life-forms) and the meaning of differences and their co-existences. Quite simply, having the goal that speaks of and about negative freedom and positive peace as the intrinsic right of all life form and its realization - at an emotive and cognitive level or what one terms as internalization would be the first requirement. Having enough education to allow the various interpretations of such an intrinsic right that do justice to this basic right (in letter and spirit) to co-exist and interct with other interpretations would be the later challenges. But in the long term and when one speaks of a global sustainability: one would realize how crucial they would prove to be. Conceptualizing, Encouraging and Engaging structures that arise from such a realization holds more salience and durability. For the European Union as well as for the world at large - of which the EU is a part of.