Introduction: France and the European Union
The European Union (EU) is an organization that was established in 1958 as the means of cementing the peaceful relationships between 28 states of Europe and promoting further international cooperation (Hartley 3). France, being one of its members, has been facing certain issues while trying to remain a part of the EU. The identified issues can be explained by autonomy and exceptionalism of the French culture (Hancock et al. 204).
France and the EU Deficit Target
The process of integrating into the EU is fraught with numerous challenges, and meeting the set deficit levels is one of them. According to a recent article published at Euractiv.com, while seemingly being an attempt to meet the high standards of the EU the identified step implies that France is not quite comfortable with the current demands. Indeed, a closer look at the discussion of the problem will reveal that France was practically pressured into making the said decision: “It was seen as a warning to new President Emmanuel Macron, who will produce his first budget in the autumn” (“France Pledges to Meet EU Deficit Target, Despite Strong Headwinds”). Therefore, Macron’s endeavor at complying with the rigid standards that the EU sets can be viewed as not purely voluntary but, instead, dictated by the necessity to align with the policies that the EU sets. The identified decision seems to reflect the skeptical attitude of France to the concept of the new Europe. As the authors of the article stress, there has been a significant concern about France not meeting the standards set by the EU for the deficit levels.
France and Germany Developing a New Fighter Jet
It is quite remarkable that, while having been a part of the EU for quite a while, France has been maintaining impressive integrity as far as its own development is concerned. The identified phenomenon can be attributed to the propensity among French citizens and, therefore, the members of the French government, to maintain their national integrity and choose their own track in political, economic, and technological development. In fact, the latter can be traced easily in the recent attempt by the French government to take the initiative and join forces with Germany to produce an innovative fighter jet (Hepher and Thomas).
The authors of the article point quite clearly to the fact that, with the United Kingdom leaving the EU, France is willing to safeguard its position in the global community and promote stronger partnership: “The move also reflects efforts to give fresh impetus to Franco-German relations in the aftermath of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union and was described by defense experts as a snub to Europe’s leading military power” (“France and Germany to Develop New European Fighter Jet”). Therefore, the article points to the fact that, while showing the propensity to develop independence, France also tends to secure its bond with the EU as the foundation for its further economic growth and political support (Stefanova 127).
Maintaining the Connection with the EU
Despite the fact that France has been a part of the EU for quite some time, it needs to adjust to the new standards set by the organization. Furthermore, the French government will need to make sure that the EU demands should not conflict with the French traditions and national identity. Therefore, there is the need to support France in its endeavor at building a connection with the EU and determine the common ground on which these relationships will be designed.
Works Cited
“France and Germany to Develop New European Fighter Jet.” Euracdtiv. 2017. Web.
“France Pledges to Meet EU Deficit Target, Despite Strong Headwinds.” Euracdtiv. 2017. Web.
Hancock, Donald M. et al. Politics in Europe. CQ Press, 2014.
Hartley, Trevor C. The Foundations of European Union Law: An Introduction to the Constitutional and Administrative Law of the European Union. Oxford University Press, 2014.
Hepher, Tim, and Leigh Thomas. “France and Germany to Develop New European Fighter Jet.” Reuters. 2017. Web.
Stefanova, Boyka M. The European Union beyond the Crisis: Evolving Governance, Contested Policies, and Disenchanted Publics. Lexington Books. 2014.