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Easter Festival 2000

Europa um Millennium - Gemeinsame Zukunft
Summary of Worksheet Results

1. Integration
Q1. Would you prefer / do you think more likely
   1. Institutions for co-ordination of specific sectors, leading to the spread of integration into other areas with consequent shift of loyalties and expectations.
   2. Governments which pool resources in pursuit of their own national interests.
   3. Federalism: the ideal of a united Europe acting in the best interest of all the component states
Q1. Was würden Sie bevorzugen / welche Meinung haben Sie
   1. Die Zusammenarbeit verschiedener Institutionen, die die Integration auch in anderen Bereichen vorantreibt.
   2. Regierungen, die ihre Ressourcen für die Verfolgung ihrer eigenen Staatsinteressen vereinigen.
   3. Föderalismus ist die Grundlage für ein vereintes Europa und die beste Voraussetzung für alle beteiligten Staaten.

A1: Most answers indicated 3 as most likely or preferred. A sizeable minority chose 2. A few selected 1 in addition to 3, or as most likely (with 3 being preferred)

2. Citizenship
Q2: To what level do you see the citizens' political voice bearing weight in your area, your nation, the Community?
Q2: Wie stark ist die politische Einflussnahme der Bevölkerung in Ihrem Gebiet, Ihrer Nation, der Gemeinschaft?

A2: Many people felt that political influence was of moderate effect - voting gave some influence, but many people did not bother to vote. One English answer felt that devolution was giving more influence to the citizens.

3. Europeanisation
Q3: Give some specific examples of the pros and cons of "Europeanisation".
Q3: Geben Sie einige spezifische Beispiele für das Pro und Contra der ". Europäisierung ".

A3: Pros dealt with the opportunities of shared currency and common economic borders, and increased understanding between the citizens of the Community.
Contras worried about loss of regional culture, and about increased bureaucratic control of people's lives (though some felt that this should not be a problem: incorrect development should be changed, not seen as an intrinsic part of the system).

4. European Identity
Q4: a): How many of these (Symbols and Concrete measures) were you already aware of?
b): Do you see them as benefits?
c): What other factors could lead to increased awareness of European identity?
Q4: a): Was war Ihnen bereits bekannt?
b): Sehen Sie darin einen Nutzen?
c): Welche anderen Faktoren führen zu erhöhtem Bewußtsein der europäischen Identität?

A4: Most were aware of most of the "concrete measures", and thought them good. There was a general awareness of the Flag and the Anthem, but not so much of the Day. Some felt symbols did not aid awareness.
Further measures suggested were unification of laws, learning a second Community language from school commencement (not necessarily of a "major" language), a common European business language (English?), single currency, transport harmonisation, more integration of the people in the Community. Some thought no more was needed.

5. A Single Market and a Single Currency
Q5: a): Should the success of the single currency be measured now, or is it a method of achieving future prosperity?
b): Do you foresee local currencies as being of importance in fifty years, or will there be, in practice, "mundos" used world-wide, with most transactions occurring over the Web?
Q5: a): Sollte man bei einer Beurteilung der Währung den jetzigen Wert des Euro oder den voraussichtlichen Wert in der Zukunft zugrunde legen?
b): Erwarten Sie, dass die lokalen Währungen in fünfzig Jahren noch wichtig sind, oder werden "Mundos" (Weltwährung!?) weltweit benutzt, weil dann die meisten Transaktionen über das Web laufen?

A5: About half thought the euro's success should be measured now, half in the future, with many saying that the measuring technique must be correct - one suggestion was that Business Managers should be the ones to do it. One paper pointed out that that the euro was a fact, rather than something that could be changed.

Most felt that the number of currencies world-wide would reduce - perhaps down to only the euro and the dollar, perhaps a "world-wide" currency. Some felt that local currencies might still exist within regions and some thought that it would take longer than 50 years.

6. Regions within Nations within the Community
Q6: a): In what order does a citizen today identify with his/her region, nation, Community?
b): Do you see this order being the same if the question were to be asked in fifty years?
Q6: a): In welcher Reihenfolge identifiziert sich ein Bürger heute mit seiner Region, Nation bzw.
der Gemeinschaft?
b): Glauben Sie, dass diese Reihenfolge in fünfzig Jahren noch gültig ist?

A6: There was a general agreement that people identify with the smaller area, and so on to the largest.
Most people see it remaining the same in 50 years, but a few felt that there would be fewer steps - people would identify with their region, and then with the Community.

7. What makes a Community?
Q7: a): Is it desirable that richer members of the Community should share by contributing to poorer members?
b): Should environmental changes, such as rising sea-levels, be considered as a problem belonging to those areas directly affected, or to the whole of the affected countries, or to the whole Community?
Q7: a): Sollten reichere Länder der Gemeinschaft ärmere Länder unterstützen?
b): Sollten Umweltveränderungen, wie z.B. die Erhöhung des Meeresspiegels, als ein Problem des betroffenen Landes oder als Problem der Gemeinschaft behandelt werden?

A7: a) All felt that help should be given to the poorer members - with a number saying that they should also be helped to help themselves.
b) Environmental problems were seen as Community problems.

8. Growth of the Community
Q8: a): How large do you think the Community should grow / expect the Community to grow?
b): Where might the final boundaries be?
c): Why should / might it not extend beyond that point?
Q8: a): Wie groß sollte Ihrer Ansicht nach die Gemeinschaft wachsen bzw. erwarten Sie, dass die Gemeinschaft weiter wächst?
b): Wo sollten die entgültigen Grenzen verlaufen?
c): Warum sollte sich die Gemeinschaft nicht über diesen Punkt hinaus ausdehnen?

A8: The final boundaries should be Europe (roughly the continent - not including Russia), with opinions varying about Turkey (it is a good link to Asia). The reasons were that if the Community were too big, there would be problems of co-ordination, and major internal divisions might occur. There would also be difficulties if the cultures within the Community were excessively different from each other.

9. Technology
Q9: What level of balance should occur between the increasing use of technology and its products, and the need to moderate the use of resources, while improving the lives of Community citizens?
Q9: Welcher Grad an Ausgewogenheit sollte beim Umgang mit den neuen Technologien und deren Produkten und der Notwendigkeit sparsam mit den vorhandenen Reserven umzugehen, bei gleichzeitiger Verbesserung der Lebenslage der Bürger der Gemeinschaft, erreicht werden?

A9: Most were in favour of technology but felt that ethical values and care for the environment should included in consideration of future development. It was also pointed out that Europeans should aid developing nations, particularly where the relative advance of Europe had been at the cost of other areas such as Africa.

10. Europe over the next century
Q10: Do you envisage it as primarily:
1. a continent?
2. a system of interconnected states?
3. a set of political ideas and practices?
Q10: Sehen Sie es hauptsächlich als:
1. ein Kontinent?
2. ein System von vereinigten Staaten?
3. ein Zusammenschluss von politischen Ideen und Zusammenarbeit?

A10: Many felt that Europe was all three, some emphasising 3, some 2. One answer said 1 and 2. One replied that Europe was none of these - it was a risk!

(This page was last updated 8 May 2000)