EU/US Relations

TERRORISM STUFF:
- EU-US agreement on extradition, which aims to reduce the delays in the handling of requests and broadening the range of extraditable offences through an alleviation of legalisation, and
- EU-US agreement on mutual legal assistance allowing EU and US law enforcement authorities access to bank accounts in each others respective jurisdictions and improving practical co-operation by reducing delays in mutual legal assistance.
- Enhanced Security Dialogue (ESD) on transport and border security.

TRADE STUFF:
The EU and the US are each other's main trading partners and account for the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world. They are also the largest players in global trade.

Go to: http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/us/intro/peace2.htm#cou

EU Working Language

EU has a number of languages regarded as "official and working languages", which can be used in communication with EU institutions and translations of regulations etc.

Enlargement of the EU as increased language problems re communication.

Arguments for the introductionof one working language:
- costs associated with employing translators;
- time delay waiting for translations;
- risks of mistakes in translation;
- it does not destroy other languages;
- the Commission appears to already have limited itself to two working languages: English and French;
- gives the EU one voice; bringing them closer together.

Arguments against the introductionof one working language:
- costs is exaggerated; only 0.8% of EU budget is towards language services;
- valuable jobs
- reform of current system can reduce time efficiency problems;
- which language to choose?
- European identity is based in cultural diversity, which is largely language.
- divide people

Summarised from: http://www.debatabase.com/details.asp?topicID=288

EU Budget

EU faces problems in attempting to negotiate and agree on a framework budget for the period 2007-2013.

Arguments re: overall levels of spending; UK's rebate; developmental aid for new member states; timetable for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Read this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4078796.stm

EU Constitution

Text of current proposal includes:

POWERS OF THE EU:
- the EU is a subsidiary to member states
- it can only act where action cannot be taken by member states, but is better suited to come from Union level.
- the Union derives its power from member states.

DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITIES:
- EU has the right to legislate over external trade and customs policy, the internal market, monetary policies, agriculture, fisheries, environment, health, and safety at work.
- Constitution expands this right to include justice policy, immigration, and asylum.

DECISION MAKING:
- voting by qualified majority;
- veto for members in foreign policy, defence and taxation;
- "emergency brake": a country outvoted on an issue can take its case to the European Council;
- the European Parliament will have an equal say on decisions requiring majority voting;

PRESIDENT:
- At the moment, Presidency rotates every 6 months between heads of member states.
- Council will elect a President for a term of 2 and a 1/2 years, renewable once.

PARLIAMENT:
- European Parliament has the power of co-decision; whereby proposal will not pass unless passed by the Parliament.

CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS:
- "rights, freedoms and liberties"

LEGAL SUPREMACY
- EU will have a legal status
- where the EU is allowed to legislate on an area, such a law will override any national policies;

Summarised from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2950276.stm

The Constitution has not yet been adopted. And suggestions claim that it won't be adopted for at least 2-3 years after French and Dutch voters rejected it (by referenda).

The EU must convince citizens of its relevance by: creating jobs; improving security; protecting the environment.

Summarised from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4268094.stm

Essentially, questions are now raised as to what happens next. The Constitution has failed to be ratified, and appears unlikely to be ratified in the near future. EU will continue to operate on the preceding treaties.

Ethics of Face Transplants

Procedure: remove the face and blood vessels from a corpse and graft them onto a patient.

Advantages: new hope for sufferers of facial burns, oral cancer, gunshot wounds and severe facial disfigurement. Restores the ability to make facial expressions; restoring and aesthetically acceptable appearance.

Differences to organ transplants ~ disfigured face is not a life threatening disease. Face transplant is to improve quality of life, not to save life itself.

Many argue that quality of life is important, particularly those suffering disfigured faces, due to the reported high rate of suicide amongst this group.

Concerns
Concerns re psychological trauma from the procedure.
Concerns re society's inability to deal with the abnormal.

Questions have been raised as to the future of this procedure. Will it lead to choice of the very beautiful? Will it succumb to vanity? More pressing however, are the issues and complications that may arise if the transplanted portion is rejected by the patient's body. How will this be rectified?

The face is an integral part of a person's identity. Their self image and social acceptability is at stake.

Risk of misuse of the procedure: eg rich old people making themselves young; criminals might be able to hide their identity.

More stringent need to obtain informed consent.

Summarised from: http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/06/16/edsokol_ed3_.php

Summarised from: http://healthlawblog.blogspot.com/2004/09/ethics-of-face-transplants.html

Citizenship Exams

Definition: a test that immigrants must pass if they are to achieve legal citizenship. Generally includes questions re that countries history, culture and government.

>> note to self: expand later.

Citizen Initiated Referenda

Citizen Initiated Referenda: the idea that citizens of a political system can force a change in a nation’s constitution or to a nation’s laws, through their own initiative eg petitions, as opposed to having to wait for the action of politicians.

FOR:
1. Next step in the devolution of power from political elites to the people.
2. Allows individual to initiate constitutional change.
3. Engages people in political process, and gives true participation in representative democracy.

AGAINST:
1. The process can become hijacked by wealthy interest groups.
2. The process may lead to the introduction of poorly drafted laws.
3. The introduction of CIR would be expensive.

China vs Taiwan

Issue since the end of the Civil War between 1945-1949, where the communists defeated the nationalists through superior strategy.

1949 saw the establishment of two China's: the Republic of China (Taiwan) recognised by 26 countries; and the People's Republic of China (China).

Essentially, two domestic groups - the nationalists and the communists, claimed the leadership of the one country.

US relations: "Taiwan Relations Act" guarantees continued supply of defence materials for self-defence purposes, and that the US would view any attempt by China to solve the dispute by force, as a threat on the entire region.

Taiwan does not exist formally as a state; it does not have "formal recognition". However, it is treated in effect, as if it were a state. It has: separate economic identity; trade; foreign direct investment; airlines.

1995-1996 witnessed the "Taiwan Straits Crisis". Missiles were sent from China to Taiwan in response to the first democratic election in Taiwan.

1996 saw Taiwan seriously consider independence via a "unilateral declaration of independence"; though there remains the issue of provoking China.

Responses:
- issue creates regional instability because of the uncertainty of a Chinese response.
- the US policy focus on democratization substantially limits any possible response from the US.
- all parties want to avoid conflict.
- ASEAN: see Taiwan as a Chinese problem.

Future prospects:
-short to mid-term minimal risk of conflict.
-however, quasi status is not sustainable in the long term.

BAN HUNTING eg fox hunting in UK

Background: between 21,000 and 25,000 foxes killed every year.

Impact:

• economic: 6,000 - 8,000 jobs dependent on fox hunting; argued that any immediate economic benefits could be offset within 10 years by financial investment in other rural activities.
• social and cultural: hunting acts as a significant cohesive force, encouraging a system of mutual support;
• population control: 217,000 foxes in UK; most farmers believe population needs to be controlled to protect livestock; hunting responsible for only a small number of foxes killed each year;
• animal welfare (hunting with hounds):death not necessarily occurs on first bite; arguably better than killing by shotgun.
• practical concerns: cases of trespass, disturbance and disruption;

Proposals:

• independent monitor;
• defined hunting seasons;
• only permitting hunting where there is a clear need to control population.

The ban:

• fox hunting with hounds banned; but foxes killed during a hunt "accidentally" and "unintentionally" is fine;
• intention is the central focus of the law;
• legal to have hunts as: trail hunting; exercising hounds; rabbit or rat hunting; using no more than two dogs.
• no obligation to allow police onto private land to investigate the possibility of a hunt.

POI: Kyoto Protocol

There are only 34 signatories to which the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions apply.

Resource Exploitation

• Increasing demand for oil and gas.
• Many companies have ignored their corporate and social responsibilities in order to maximise profits.

eg: Russia's far east: Royal Dutch/Shell Sakhalin Island.

Oil pipeline will cross over 1,000 wild rivers and tributaries - likely to cause irreversible environmental damage.

Shell has ignored findings of distinguished scientists.

Project relies on financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development that is founded on the mandate of "environmentally sound and sustainable development".

"Taking precautionary measures to avoid irreversible environmental destruction is not only socially responsible, but equally important to long-term profits and a company's reputation."

Summarised from: http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/01/opinion/edmartin.php

Gay Marriage

South Africa's highest court has ruled that same-sex marriage enjoys the same legal status as a marriage between man and woman.

One of only five countries world wide to legalise same-sex marriage.

Summarised from: http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/01/news/saf.php

Iran and Nuclear Weapons

THE IDEA

Mao Zedong "Fight fight talk talk" : even whilst fighting military battles, countries should uphold a negotiating front. Even though there is no intention to resolve peacefully, the fact that the country is at the negotiating table prevents a 'great power' invasion.

STATE OF AFFAIRS

Iran has announced that they are resuming uranium conversion.

Iran has a legal right under the "Nuclear non-proliferation treaty" to produce nuclear fuel for civilian purposes.

International Atomic Energy Agency: international consensus there is a need to prevent Iran from obtaining Nuclear Weapons.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Unprecedented shared voice between E.U. and U.S. on the way to deal with the issue.

"Russian Ideas": US and EU-3 seek to persuade the Iranians of the next step in the nuclear fuel cycle. This being the enrichment of uranium into a form that can be used only in a power plant. The idea being that this would be handled in Russia, and the product created re-exported to Iran, so Iran would gain no independent enrichment capability of its own.

• Security Council weak alternative.
• No military possibility: due to US forced being bogged down in Iraq.
• European sanction haven't worked. (Economic sanctions were in place to try and dissuade Iran from re-establishing their uranium conversion (evidently this has since happened)).
  

"if there is no alternative to diplomatic solution, then diplomacy is much less likely to work".

Summarised from: http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/01/news/europa.php