European Union Topics of Discussion

1.Euro-skepticism is something that has been around since the beginning of the EU. The Maastricht Treaty of 1992 was a beginning to include citizens' rights in the institutions of the EU. However, the Maastricht Treaty left many holes and many citizens were not approving of the new rights and involvement they were given. Most felt that this treaty simply did not go far enough. Many of the early treaties gave citizens a range of individual rights based mainly on the movement between Member States. Later, the Treaty of Maastricht gave citizens the right to vote and to be a candidate in European as well as local elections. However, these early treaties overlooked many fundamental rights. Skepticism began and the citizens wanted more rights and more assurances.

The EU responded with the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1999 after five years of collaboration on this treaty. The Treaty of Amsterdam included several measures to accommodate citizens and to attempt to satisfy the citizens. The EU focused on three main areas in this treaty. First, the EU obligated itself to observe fundamental rights, mainly those brought forth in European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom in 1950. The treaty also listed severe penalties for member countries who do not observe these rights. Second, the treaty acknowledged the EU right to put an end to any form of discrimination whether it is based on sex, race, religion, age, etc... Finally, the treaty obligated the EU to promote equal opportunities for men and women in all of its policies, and mainly in regards to employment in which positive discrimination is to be allowed if necessary.