In a time when a cloud of uncertainty lies over the direction of its future, it was a reassuring breath of fresh air to see that Irish people are 92% in favour of remaining in the EU. In the last couple of years we have become a net contributor to the EU budget (when our payments are greater than the money we receive) and this amount is planned to be increased by 50% over the coming years. But what exactly does it mean to be European? It can be difficult to perceive how our identity as a member of this supranational union unites us with the people of different cultures over 2,500 kilometres away. Somehow this miracle of modern history manages to do just that.
The EU was set up in 1951 under the Treaty of Paris as the European Coal and Steel Community. The original idea was that the 6 member states (Benelux, West Germany, France and Italy) would become interdependent on each other for materials and so be less likely to go to war with each other. This founding principle of peace is what the Union of 28 member states is now built on. We see this everyday in the cooperation between member states and the amount of peacekeeping missions that the EU uptake across the globe. This idea of peace is one of the few things that truly does manage to drip from the top all the way down to individuals. There are little to no hostilities amongst both the member states themselves and the citizens of them countries. This trait is what often characterizes the union and that in no way can be considered a bad thing.
ERASMUS is one of those buzzwords that floats around in every teen and twenty-somethings mind. If there ever was such a thing as the best idea the EU has ever come up with, it would certainly be a strong contender for that title. The student exchange programme has been a key player in building the foundations of a pan-European identity. The time studying abroad allows students to immerse themselves in a different culture while also socialising and building up a continental friend network. The political scientist Stefan Wolff, for example, has argued that "Give it 15, 20 or 25 years, and Europe will be run by leaders with a completely different socialisation from those of today". This so-called ‘ERASMUS generation’ will be far more diverse in their outlooks than any other generation that preceded them.
To be European means to be part of a supranational union that covers most of the continent. Thanks to a group of regulations travel between member states is open requiring no visas. The Schengen Agreement eliminates borders between countries on the continent and allows for things like Interrail, Schengen areas between airports and the free movement of goods and raw materials over land. The economic, social and political benefits of this agreement cannot be understated. It allows for diverse cultures to develop in each individual country and contribute to a positive “salad bowl” where cultures are not forced to take on that of the host country. This again plays a part in reinforcing the idea of a common European identity that is not defined by one single culture or ethnicity.
Europe has been good to Ireland. We have become the model of how the EU can take a country from near third world status to one of the fastest growing economies in the world. For a small island on the edge of the Atlantic, the EU has helped to give ourselves a stronger voice at the world table. On an individual level, to be European means to be part of a union that celebrates openness, diversity and peace. These traits are present in every citizen of the union and it is up to us to ensure that they see their potential.
-Dylan Carrig, lead writer
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