s expected that the EU will see 13 new members arriving in the next several years. I feel the EU needs to be cautious of being over ambitious. Allowing all these prospect nations to join too soon could be a logistical nightmare and an overwhelming financial burden.WELFARE REFORM AND SOCIAL POLICIESThe social policies of the European Union have been a central area of much recent concern and debate. This mostly has to do with the vast amounts of the EUs funding being spent on the programs already and the additional amounts that will need to be spent in the case of new members joining. How can the European Union afford to train these nations when it is lacking its own skilled labor? Europe has not been able to effectively train its current unemployed labor segments to fill the employment positions that are now available. This primarily has to do with older work forces that have been doing the same jobs their whole life and are now having difficulty grasping new skills. With deregulation and the elimination of government monopolies the EU will encounter a lot more of this in new member states. Another reason, I may add, to take the enlargement processes a bit slower. Naturally the member candidates are anxious to join with all of the social subsidies that will be available with their belonging. Current improvements and new social policies, in collaboration with time, will be necessary in order to overcome this vast cost and potential misuse of the programs.WORKING FOR SOCIAL CONVERGENCEThe social convergence of European countries is an issue that I find most interesting and most important. And why not, how can a community expect to gain economic ground when its citizens cannot live in harmony? I feel it is for this reason that the EUs ten-year goal for economic supremacy is a bit far fetched. In fact I predict it will take ten times that long. Even though political leaders and governments may be able to work out some vital differences in th...
