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In 2015, E.U. Faced Threats From Outside and Within In 2015, European Union Faced Threats From Outside and Within
(about 17 hours later)
The leaders of the European Union’s 28 member states will gather on Thursday in Brussels for their eighth and final summit meeting of 2015. Issues that dominated their agenda at the start of the year have grown more urgent, threatening to undo decades of progress to foster closer ties, more open borders and tighter economic integration.The leaders of the European Union’s 28 member states will gather on Thursday in Brussels for their eighth and final summit meeting of 2015. Issues that dominated their agenda at the start of the year have grown more urgent, threatening to undo decades of progress to foster closer ties, more open borders and tighter economic integration.
• A refugee crisis four years in the making has deluged the Continent, which was already struggling to pay for services for the residents it had.• A refugee crisis four years in the making has deluged the Continent, which was already struggling to pay for services for the residents it had.
• The prospect of violence that drove many of those asylum seekers to flee the Middle East and other conflict zones has brought terror to the heart of Europe.• The prospect of violence that drove many of those asylum seekers to flee the Middle East and other conflict zones has brought terror to the heart of Europe.
• The bloc’s unity is being challenged from the outside by an increasingly aggressive Russia and from inside its own ranks by a restless Britain.• The bloc’s unity is being challenged from the outside by an increasingly aggressive Russia and from inside its own ranks by a restless Britain.
Those pressures have aggravated long-term fissures in the Continent; if left unresolved, they could irrevocably splinter Europe’s future.Those pressures have aggravated long-term fissures in the Continent; if left unresolved, they could irrevocably splinter Europe’s future.
Here are summaries of the most compelling threats forcing the leaders to find new ways to preserve their union and protect their citizens.Here are summaries of the most compelling threats forcing the leaders to find new ways to preserve their union and protect their citizens.
Refugees in unmanageable numbers have flooded into some of the bloc’s most vulnerable member nations and challenged the ability of the states where migrants most want to settle to absorb hundreds of thousands of newcomers. The influx of more than one million people this year threatens to scuttle one of the union’s signature achievements: the Schengen rules that allow people to move freely across most of Europe’s internal borders.Refugees in unmanageable numbers have flooded into some of the bloc’s most vulnerable member nations and challenged the ability of the states where migrants most want to settle to absorb hundreds of thousands of newcomers. The influx of more than one million people this year threatens to scuttle one of the union’s signature achievements: the Schengen rules that allow people to move freely across most of Europe’s internal borders.
The mounting burden of these asylum seekers from the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere has helped fuel the rise of right-leaning populist politicians who were hostile to the Continental union to begin with.The mounting burden of these asylum seekers from the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere has helped fuel the rise of right-leaning populist politicians who were hostile to the Continental union to begin with.
A recent proposal by officials at the European Commission, the union’s executive branch, to take control of border and coastal security in migrant-swamped countries like Greece and Italy could help shore up confidence in the Schengen rules. But some critics say the plan further degrades national sovereignty, and others lament that the bloc has failed to maintain its open-border policy in the face of overwhelming pressures brought by the migrants.A recent proposal by officials at the European Commission, the union’s executive branch, to take control of border and coastal security in migrant-swamped countries like Greece and Italy could help shore up confidence in the Schengen rules. But some critics say the plan further degrades national sovereignty, and others lament that the bloc has failed to maintain its open-border policy in the face of overwhelming pressures brought by the migrants.
The open-border system has also been identified as a vulnerability after the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris, which were carried out by some assailants who moved freely across Europe as citizens and others who may have hid among the throngs of migrants.The open-border system has also been identified as a vulnerability after the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris, which were carried out by some assailants who moved freely across Europe as citizens and others who may have hid among the throngs of migrants.
But the attacks in Paris last month, which killed 130 people, and the January attacks at the offices of a satirical newspaper and a kosher grocery, also in Paris, exemplified the modern security threats facing the union’s members. The dangers posed 70 years ago by invading armies from abroad have been supplanted by insurgent threats from citizens born and raised in the heart of liberal Europe.But the attacks in Paris last month, which killed 130 people, and the January attacks at the offices of a satirical newspaper and a kosher grocery, also in Paris, exemplified the modern security threats facing the union’s members. The dangers posed 70 years ago by invading armies from abroad have been supplanted by insurgent threats from citizens born and raised in the heart of liberal Europe.
The French-Algerian brothers who stormed the offices of the satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, in January, killing 12 people, did not travel to Syria or Iraq; they were radicalized at home. All of the suspects identified so far in the November attacks held French or Belgian citizenship, and traveled across borders undetected and undeterred.The French-Algerian brothers who stormed the offices of the satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, in January, killing 12 people, did not travel to Syria or Iraq; they were radicalized at home. All of the suspects identified so far in the November attacks held French or Belgian citizenship, and traveled across borders undetected and undeterred.
After the November attacks, France called on its European partners for help, becoming the first member state to invoke the collective security clause of the Treaty of Lisbon. Article 42.7 of the treaty obliges all members to provide “aid and assistance by all the means in their power” to any member facing “armed aggression on its territory.”After the November attacks, France called on its European partners for help, becoming the first member state to invoke the collective security clause of the Treaty of Lisbon. Article 42.7 of the treaty obliges all members to provide “aid and assistance by all the means in their power” to any member facing “armed aggression on its territory.”
Solidarity with France and members’ own security interests appear to coincide right now. Belgium, Britain and Germany have sought to bolster their security and increased raids, arrests and the monitoring of suspected militants.Solidarity with France and members’ own security interests appear to coincide right now. Belgium, Britain and Germany have sought to bolster their security and increased raids, arrests and the monitoring of suspected militants.
After Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and backed separatist rebellions in Ukraine’s eastern provinces, the union imposed economic sanctions against the Russian government and repeatedly stiffened them. But the government maintained its aggressive posture.After Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and backed separatist rebellions in Ukraine’s eastern provinces, the union imposed economic sanctions against the Russian government and repeatedly stiffened them. But the government maintained its aggressive posture.
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia continues to adamantly oppose what he views as European encroachment into his sphere of influence. His government and military have poked and prodded the West in Ukraine and elsewhere along Russia’s frontier with Europe to signal Mr. Putin’s determination to hold fast.President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia continues to adamantly oppose what he views as European encroachment into his sphere of influence. His government and military have poked and prodded the West in Ukraine and elsewhere along Russia’s frontier with Europe to signal Mr. Putin’s determination to hold fast.
Europe’s sanctions are scheduled to expire in January, and the union’s leaders put off a decision to renew them this week when Italy insisted that more discussion was needed. Extending the sanctions requires unanimous approval by the member states; that is likely, but so is a continuation of Russia’s defiant and often bellicose posture.Europe’s sanctions are scheduled to expire in January, and the union’s leaders put off a decision to renew them this week when Italy insisted that more discussion was needed. Extending the sanctions requires unanimous approval by the member states; that is likely, but so is a continuation of Russia’s defiant and often bellicose posture.
Europe’s strength as a cohesive market nearly crumbled over the summer when Greece, unable to repay billions of euros in loans and teetering on the brink of economic collapse, insisted on restructuring its debt.Europe’s strength as a cohesive market nearly crumbled over the summer when Greece, unable to repay billions of euros in loans and teetering on the brink of economic collapse, insisted on restructuring its debt.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his defiant Syriza party refused to bow to the demands of the European Central Bank and Greece’s international creditors, particularly Germany, that it institute austerity measures and economic policies that many Greeks found onerous.Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his defiant Syriza party refused to bow to the demands of the European Central Bank and Greece’s international creditors, particularly Germany, that it institute austerity measures and economic policies that many Greeks found onerous.
Greece eventually agreed to accept most of the measures and received a badly needed injection of billions of euros, though the crisis exposed the precarious underpinnings of the European economy.Greece eventually agreed to accept most of the measures and received a badly needed injection of billions of euros, though the crisis exposed the precarious underpinnings of the European economy.
What would happen if one of the countries using the common euro currency pulled out or was ejected from the monetary union? Could the European common market survive a rupture like that?What would happen if one of the countries using the common euro currency pulled out or was ejected from the monetary union? Could the European common market survive a rupture like that?
Anxiety over the future of the European economy and questions of sovereignty have prompted Britain to make a serious reconsideration of the European experiment.Anxiety over the future of the European economy and questions of sovereignty have prompted Britain to make a serious reconsideration of the European experiment.
Though Britain has not adopted the euro, it has been an essential part of the “ever closer union,” and that is exactly what some Britons regret.Though Britain has not adopted the euro, it has been an essential part of the “ever closer union,” and that is exactly what some Britons regret.
They say the European Union has become a burdensome bureaucracy run by officials in Brussels who encroach on Britain’s sovereignty and want to erase the British way of life. Prime Minister David Cameron indulged these sentiments during the election campaign in May by offering to hold a referendum by the end of 2017 on continued union with Europe. In November, he listed the concessions he says Brussels would have to make in order to insure Britain’s future partnership.They say the European Union has become a burdensome bureaucracy run by officials in Brussels who encroach on Britain’s sovereignty and want to erase the British way of life. Prime Minister David Cameron indulged these sentiments during the election campaign in May by offering to hold a referendum by the end of 2017 on continued union with Europe. In November, he listed the concessions he says Brussels would have to make in order to insure Britain’s future partnership.
At stake are the obligations of member states to one another, and the fair treatment of citizens of all member countries. Negotiations with Britain over the changes it has proposed to the union’s charter will be a sharp test for Germany and France, which have struggled to solidify the bloc.At stake are the obligations of member states to one another, and the fair treatment of citizens of all member countries. Negotiations with Britain over the changes it has proposed to the union’s charter will be a sharp test for Germany and France, which have struggled to solidify the bloc.