DISINFO: European Union is merely a market, aimed to destroy nation-states and abandon European values
SUMMARY
Ever since the 1990s Europeans see the EU merely as a great market. The EU is based on neo-liberal theories that posit the primacy of economics over politics, and the domination of financial capital. As a result, we have built an EU which is only a market and that aims to destroy nation-states. The EU has thus abandoned genuine European values and has elevated the Euro to be its only value.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that seeks to discredit the EU, claiming that the EU has abandoned genuine European values and traditions and is built on the worship of money and of free-markets. This narrative is consistent with the pro-Kremlin propaganda theme about decadent values and moral decay in contemporary Western societies.
The article also repeats the recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that claims the EU seeks to rob European nations of their sovereignty and identity.
It is not true that the EU is merely a “market”, nor that it has abandoned European values and aims to destroy national sovereignty. The European Union is a unique economic and political union between 27 EU countries that together cover much of the continent.
The predecessor of the EU was created in the aftermath of the Second World War. The first steps were to foster economic cooperation: the idea being that countries that trade with one another become economically interdependent and therefore are more likely to avoid conflict. The result was the European Economic Community (EEC), created in 1958, and initially increasing economic cooperation between six countries: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Since then, 22 other members joined and a huge single market (also known as the 'internal' market) has been created and continues to develop towards its full potential.
What began as a purely economic union has evolved into an organization spanning different policy areas, from climate, environment and health to external relations and security, justice and migration. EU values are common to EU countries in a society in which inclusion, tolerance, justice, solidarity and non-discrimination prevail. These values (Human dignity, Freedom, Democracy, Equality, Rule of law, Human rights) are an integral part of the European way of life.
The European Parliament’s Spring 2019 Eurobarometer, measuring public attitudes to the EU three months ahead of the European elections, reveals that despite the various internal and external challenges to the EU of the past years, the European sense of togetherness does not seem to have weakened. Continued support for EU membership goes with a strong belief (68%) that EU countries overall have benefited from being part of the EU - equalling the highest level recorded since 1983. In addition, 61% of respondents say their country’s EU membership is a good thing.
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