ESSCA

The screeching sound of rails echoed through my ears, as the overcrowded and stuffy metro train halted to a stop. The endless French murmurs, noticeable American tourists and elegantly attired business people surrounded me as I, sandwiched alongside Elliot, Matt, and Poom, was whacked constantly with the elbows of impatient commuters. Nevertheless, c’est la vie in the ultra chic and charming city of Paris. We are now exiting La Defense Grande Arche to the University Pole Leonard De Vinci.

Upon arrival, we are greeted by Mr. Albrecht Sonntag, professor of Int’l Business at ESSCA, who has graciously offered to discuss issues concerning the European Union. Daunting as the topic may seem, I prepared myself (diet coke in hand) to focus on the presentation in progress. Mr. Sonntag’s strong grasp of the subject, perfect English and excellent presentation skills kept us intrigued and alert.

We discussed topics such as the effects of cultural integration, the impact of the crisis, the future of the EU, the role of leadership, federalism, the Lisbon Treaty and shared sovereignty, to name a few. I was amazed to learn about how Europe’s history and collective desire to band together evolved to what we now know as the European Union. This unique structure and entity differs from any other type of governing body in the world and continues to change and progress. Professor Brunel’s passion and advocacy for the Commission sparked a lively debate regarding the validity of elected and appointed officials as well as the public’s role in shaping the union. We concluded that due to human nature, the public generally supports the “idea” of the EU, but not the actual “realization” of what full integration entails.

The million-dollar question of the day was “Is Europe in a crisis?” Contrary to what we all may have assumed, Mr. Sonntag responds with a resounding, “YES, Europe has been in a continuous and permanent crisis because they have come to no resolution as of this day. Europe’s direction demonstrates a strong step towards federalism, as proven by the euro, but also a strong opposition to coordination on fiscal and economic policy.” Although this hybrid entity has proven successful in the past, the impact of the economic crisis and any other future catastrophes leads us to question the EU’s future sustainability.

The future of the European Union is still unknown. Perhaps we will see increased control over the Euro budget, amplified pressure by nation states on tighter economic governance, or the withdrawal of certain nation states. We will have to wait and see...

On a side note: It is the 10th anniversary of the European Field Seminar and we should all congratulate Prof. Brunel for giving us this unique and exciting experience! Santé!!!