People in EU: how has the unionization of Europe affected your lives? Positively or negatively?

Question

People in EU: how has the unionization of Europe affected your lives? Positively or negatively?

Answer 1

Mostly more buying power because the Euro has been kicking the dollars a*s for years now (after a shaky start).

Answer 2

Very positively

I have access to a 300 million people job market

I can travel freely

I have only one wallet and one currency

The fees for calling or using my Mastercard in other EU countries decreased a lot...

We are leaders in key sectors thanks to European consolidation

Prices decreased on several goods

Studying in other EU countries is so easy...

Answer 3

Positively, it has helped Ireland become a centre for financial, technological and scientific excellence.  

I do believe in the richer states funding the infrastructure of the poorer ones, as this will lead to those states becoming buyers of products and services produced in the richer states, just look at Ireland as an example.

The €'s strength is a poison chalice, but government has to help by leading business and industry to  ride the rough parts of the strength.  Look at fuel prices, these would be soaring if it wasn't for the dollars weakness.

Answer 4

In the Fifties we Germans were glad to see that the French and the BeNeLux- States even talked to us after all the terrible things.

Later US helped us uniting Germany (today 18 years ago).

In 2002 Germans were afraid of changing their strong Deutsche Mark for Euro. But the economy grows...

2004 most western Europeans were afraid of uniting with most states of eastern Europe. But now we are one team working for stability, economy and first of all: peace.

From my German point of view it is the most important thing that there are now only friends around us. And EU gives us the perspectives that even our children can live in a peaceful Europe. If that is not positively I don´t know what could be...

Answer 5

EU dramatically improved as against the US.  The exchange rate of the Euro against the US Dollar will how the advantage of the EU.

Answer 6

Positive, it has made traveling (especially by car) much easier between the states.  The Euro is nice, especially since it is making American goods (or dollar backed goods) much cheaper.  Prices for goods between the states are lowering as tariffs and trade barriers have dissappeared.

Negative, there has been a much greater increase in immigration.  While I am not saying that immigration itself is bad, a large surge can be disruptive to the community.  Also, I dont necessarily agree with using taxes based from major Western metropolitan areas to support more of the poorer, Eastern Europe states.  I do agree that they need help, but why should I have to pay so much for it?

Answer 7

Finally, the decrease in United States dominance on the world financial markets! They will now have to learn to conform to peace and world unification under the Euro example. This will determine the living out of that society.

Perhaps the UN will be moving its headquarters. There are treaties in place that would welcome such.

Now China is investing her monies. Things are looking well in Europa!