The European Union was first conceived under a notion of fostering peace and economic prosperity through a cooperative mechanism. Through years of development and expansion, it has finally hit a critical mass.
Though there have always been Euro-skeptics and nationalists, the temperature that has been reached in the current debate over immigration and labor policies is appalling. The Union seems to have become so confused in expanding and solidifying a technocratic jumble of functionaries and legislation that it has missed the point.
When the founding fathers of Europe gathered around Robert Schumann's ideals, it was the beginning of a sustained period of prosperity. The free-trade ideals embodied in the European Coal and Steel Community seemed to be the perfect complement to a post war boom.
The Union continued to expand. But now, after two full years of an enlarged community, the political structure has created legislation that contradicts and hampers the principles and supposed goal of Europe. If the interest of these modern European countries is to reap the benefits which open markets and fair standards bring, recent discussion is senseless.
The so-called "Polish Plumber" problem is only a manifestation of the confusion and bureaucracy that hamper progress. The old guard of Western Europe is so downtrodden with unemployment and poor GDP growth that it brings no vitality to the union.
One of the great questions in creating a modern Europe is the development of an identity. It is to this end that the Union has worked hard to identify transnational themes, anthems, and symbols, as well as monetary devices. This identity has also been strengthened by the creation of a European citizenship, which allows members to work and travel freely throughout all the member countries.
When this is undermined and infringed upon by restrictions allowing workers from the 2004 member countries to only work for seven years abroad, the integrity of the Union is damaged. Countries like France and Germany, which are obstinate in their opposition to foreign workers, are responding to the problem in the wrong fashion.
The core of the debate, which Vladimir Spidla brought out in his report to the European Commission, concerns job growth in the countries that welcome immigrants. While governments in these countries are anxious that new workers will take away jobs from nationals, these immigrants actually help develop the labor market.
Often immigrants take lower-paying jobs that many French or German nationals would be unwilling to provide. Though the risk of temporarily depressing wages exists, ultimately creating a more dynamic labor market will allow for an overall boost to the economy. The existence of more workers allows for the growth of small business, as well as increased spending.
Many concerns over the opening of labor markets center on the idea that money will flow out of host countries. This fallacious logic only looks at one side of the equation. Studies show that there is a great deal of consumption in the host countries, and any money that goes back towards Eastern Europe ultimately returns in the form of imported goods and investments.
For long-time members of the European Union to resist measures that will ultimately help bring them out of economic stagnation is ridiculous. The community must be clairvoyant and abide by its principles to create economic prosperity.
