The Divergence about Social of the UK in EU - Essay Example

Indicate the divergence about social of UK in EU Introduction The European Union or the EU as it is properly known is observed to be a conglomeration of several European countries. These countries jointly function within the said organization to promote social and economic prosperity among them while operating in the common sphere. European Union acts as an administering body which supervises the acts of its member countries pertaining to various areas like generation of trade and employment, promoting a safer environment and efficient transport operations. The European Union started its expansion program from 1st May 2004 by incorporating ten new countries which were under the regime of Soviet invasion. However, it was observed that the European Union failed to create effective constitutional machinery which affected the proper administration of its member countries. The making of the Lisbon Treaty in December 2009 created a change in the above situation. Further expansion programs helped in the creation of a faction known as the European Communities which came into effect from 1967. It was observed that the European Community was formed by the joint collaboration of three communities which rendered its focus mainly on strengthening the economic and cultural base. The other three countries which joined the European Commission in 1973 were observed to be Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The administrative power of the European Union was given a further impetus with the enactment of the Maastricht Treaty which came into effect in 1991. People residing within the member countries of the European Union were conferred the European citizenship which helped them commute within the member states. However, United Kingdom showed a steady divergence to the social policy measures of the European Union which highlighted on labor and other social issues. United Kingdom was found to ‘opt-out’ from the Social Chapter of the Maastricht Treaty. (Profile: The European Union, 2010). United Kingdom in European Union The United Kingdom holds a prominent position amongst the European countries constituting the European Union. United Kingdom has held its permanent representation to the body of the European Union as UKRep. It is observed that the making of the UKRep helped in further enhancing the ties of United Kingdom to the European Union. The UKRep constituted helps United Kingdom to potentially represent itself in the body of European Union through the acts of its various representatives. The representatives of United Kingdom through UKRep help in the focusing of issues pertaining to the country by attracting the attention of factions like the European Commission and the European Parliament. The UKRep is administered by a three member team which is comprised of people working in the ambassadorial rank. In addition to the formal framework of the UKRep mentioned the organization has a much wider coverage in being able to constitute different teams which takes care of different regions of the British Isles. (UK Representation to the EU, 2010). The above discussion centers on the role played by the political system of United Kingdom in strengthening its relationship with the European Union. However, further observation made in detail reflects that the common man in United Kingdom have less knowledge of the institutional parameters of the European Union. It is observed that around 29 percent of the population dwelling in United Kingdom showed that they have perfectly no knowledge of European Union as a world body. However, 58 percent of the population living in United Kingdom agreed that they have at least some working knowledge about the European Union. It was only a small fraction of 12 percent people who literally agreed on the existence of European Union and their country in being a part of it. Moreover, it was observed that the knowledge of the European Union was conferred to the people of the United Kingdom through the use of television and newspapers while knowledge commuted through the use of pamphlets and brochures constituted a small part. Further, the observation conducted showed that around 42 percent of the total population of United Kingdom observes that the inclusion of their country in to the world body has proved beneficial for the region. On the contrary, 58 percent of the population of United Kingdom observes that such inclusion would lead to detrimental effects on the country. The above differences in the outlook of the British population in regards to European Union holds ground for where the people of North Ireland vote in favor the people dwelling in South of England hold the opposite. To this end, it is observed that that European Union failed to generate the required level of trust in the minds of conservative factions of the British society. The traditional political systems of the United Kingdom like the House of Commons and the Broadcasting Media were found to have less of trust in regards to the beneficial image of the European Union. (The UK and the European Union, 2002). The Influence of the European Union in shaping the Social Policy Structure of the United Kingdom The relationship between the European Union with United Kingdom in the matter of taking social policy initiatives shows much lesser strength. However, the European Union is found to have carried on a continuous endeavor to influence the social policy measures of the United Kingdom. In fact, it is observed that the common law of the country is framed under the influence of the policy initiatives of the European Union. Further observation shows that that the parliament of United Kingdom share limited sovereignty in implementing the policy legislations of the European Union. The legislative system of United Kingdom also is found to be highly influenced by the rulings passed by the European Courts of Justice in regards to social and political issues. However, the rise of the labor party in United Kingdom created a rift on the influential parameters of the European Union on the country. United Kingdom was observed to have declined from agreeing to the policy initiatives rendered in the Social Chapter of the Maastricht Treaty. However, at a later stage during the 1997 period that labor party finally agreed to the policy initiatives of the Social chapter and put its ascent to it. The agreeing to the policy initiatives of the Social chapter made the work and employment policies of the country to fall under the regime of the European Union. The effect of the labor policies of the country being governed by the European Union led to the big and small trade unions in United Kingdom oblige to the labor policies of the world body. It was further observed that larger trade union organizations employed a specialist officer who was entrusted the responsibility in aligning the trade union’s actions to the policy directions of the European Union. It is also observed that the policy directives of the European Union in regards to employment initiatives are more keenly followed by the elite organizations being in close touch with the elite social base. European Union is also found to have carried on some developmental activities in the region of United Kingdom while cultivating its influence upon the country. It is observed that the European Union generated huge amount of funds to cater for the development of the small regions of United Kingdom. Such policy initiatives helped to bridge the gap between regional, national and political interests of the European Union. (Geyer, Mackintosh & Lehmann, 2005. pp. 7-18; Shaw, 2000. p.4). United Kingdom-Divergence on Social Front with European Union The European Union’s social policy initiatives, which in turn administered the social practices of the membership countries, were rendered a further impetus by the enactment of the Maastricht Treaty which was signed in 1992. It was found that the passing of the treaty helped European Union to initiate policy measures covering a large number of areas ranging from promotion of better health standards, eradication of gender bias to enhancing the system of social security in the country. Moreover, the policy measures taken by the European Union also encouraged the growth of trade union practices in the industries through induction of the system of collective bargaining. However, to this end, it is observed that the policy measures taken by the European Union endeavored to supersede the legal atmosphere of the United Kingdom. This aggressive approach of the European Union was found to be heavily contested by the then British government composed of the conservative parties. The government felt that such acts of the European Union needs to be thwarted at its very approach or otherwise the legal system of the country would be reduced to a dummy in their hands. (Social Europe, 2010). To this end, it can be observed that the Maastricht Treaty, which was implemented in the period of 1992, supported the creation of policies, which would administer the employment, and other social policies of the member countries. Further, the enactment of the Maastricht Treaty was carried out to implement a regime of uniform social policies throughout the member countries of the European Union. The British government operating during that period was under the conservative rule of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher which strongly opposed to the creation of the ‘Community Charter of Fundamental Social Rights’ which was ratified by 11 member countries. (Social Chapter, 2010) The ratification of the Social Chapter by the labor government headed by Tony Blair was severely protested by other political leaders of United Kingdom. The protests ranged by the other political leaders stated that admission to the social policy guidelines would tend to affect the economic and industrial structure of the United Kingdom. It was further observed that the decision of ‘opting-out’ by United Kingdom from ratifying the charter on social policy practices of the European Union helped in creating a strong position for the country. The political leader belonging to the conservative party viewed the decision of ‘opting-out’ to signify a distinct competitive advantage for the country. It was observed that the Labor Party’s ratification to the European Union’s social charter would eventually make United Kingdom to follow the unanimous rule of the European member nations and would have to forego its distinct image. Furthermore, the anti-labor political moves taken by the other political leaders stated that giving way to the social principles of the European Union would also amount to the creation of a homogeneous monetary regime. It was observed that the United Kingdom in a future period may have to forego its national currency and would fall in the regime of Euro. (Wallace, 1996) Further observation made suggests that the European Union through the system of social policies aspired to carry out the system of ‘social integration’ of its member countries. The rationalists observe that the social policy practices of the European Union focused on the imposition of additional costs upon the employers. It is because the employers operating the industries in the member countries were made bound by the social policies to generate further employment in the developing regions. Moreover, it was observed that compliance to the social policies of the European Union would result in augmenting the social and economic costs of the region. It is because such policy practice would mainly focus on augmenting the power of the trade unions. It is observed that such increase of trade union power would result to an increase in the unemployment level of the country for increased job cuts. The policy practices of the European Union were also observed to enhance the regulatory regime of the country, which would create a further burden on the political atmosphere of the country. (Social Chapter, 1999) The Controversial Maastricht Treaty The Maastricht Treaty of 1992 is observed to bear a strong linkage to the construction of the European Union. The European Union treaty is observed to have countered serious controversies owing to factors like having a complex set of terminologies which made its understanding difficult for the members of the European Union. Adding to the controversial character of the Maastricht Treaty was the non-ratification approach taken by some member countries. The controversial Maastricht Treaty is observed to be composed of seven titles and a host of protocols. It is found that one of the protocols of the Maastricht Treaty contained the “Social Chapter” which made the treaty all the more controversial to be ratified unanimously. The “Social Chapter” of the Maastricht Treaty is contained in Protocol number fourteen. (Maastricht Treaty, 2001; European Nation, Global Future, 2007; Basic Position, 1999; Social Policy Protocol, 2007). It is observed that the “Social Chapter” of the Maastricht Treaty worked mainly on two points. Firstly, it enabled the Maastricht Treaty to promote the factors of health and safety standards for the employees working in the industries. Secondly, the “Social Chapter” of the Maastricht Treaty also created a social direction to reduce wage discrimination based on gender or other bias factors. It was observed that leaving the United Kingdom eleven-member states ratified the “Social Chapter” of the Maastricht Treaty, which led to the formation of the ‘Social Charter’. The region of United Kingdom abstained from ratification of the “Social Chapter” of the Maastricht Treaty for it stated that such social policies aimed at augmenting the strength of the labor force and labor unions. United Kingdom observed that such activity would thereby lead to forceful representations by the Trade Unions to increase the level of wage for the company. Hence, the country observed that it would augment the cost of the company and thereby of the economy. However, to this end, it can be observed that the ‘’Social Chapter” of the Maastricht Treaty mainly aimed at development of the working and health standards of the poor labor force. The conservative government long ago to render humanitarian measures to the labor force of the country should have aptly ratified this aim of the Maastricht Treaty. Further, the Maastricht Treaty also focused on proper investment patterns, which would help in economic prosperity of the country. (Brown, 1993; Falkner, 1998. p.1) Conclusion United Kingdom under the governance of the conservative party system abstained from ratification of the “Social Chapter” of the Maastricht Treaty. However, it is observed that such practice of restraining from ratifying the Maastricht Treaty signifies the government’s anti-labor welfare policy. It is because the “Social Chapter” of the Maastricht Treaty gave special focus to the development of the work, health and economic condition of the poor labor force. The conservative government of the United Kingdom operating under Margaret Thatcher observed on the contrary that such ratification would increase the cost of the industries. Such observation was based on the fact that the Maastricht Treaty would help in the strengthening of the labor unions. The labor unions being overpowered would render further influence in increasing the wage structure of the industries, which in turn would render in increasing the company’s social cost. However, with the rise of the Labor party the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty was made a grand possibility. The labor party headed by Tony Blair focused mainly on the poor and weaker sections of the society for which it carried out the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty. References 1. “Profile: The European Union”, (2010). bbc.co.uk. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/3498746.stm (accessed on December 9, 2010) 2. “UK Representation to the EU”, (2010). ukeu.fco.gov.uk. 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Brown, C. (1993). Workers rights at centre of Social Chapter debate: Colin Brown explains the aims of the Maastricht treatys Social Chapter, which Britain did not sign. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/workers-rights-at-centre-of-social-chapter-debate-colin-brown-explains-the-aims-of-the-maastricht-treatys-social-chapter-which-britain-did-not-sign-1472445.html (accessed on December 9, 2010) 15. Falkner, G. (1998). EU social policy in the 1990s: towards a corporatist policy community. London: Routledge. Read More