Английский язык для специальных и академических целей: Международные отношения и зарубежное регионоведение. Часть 1 - [49]

8. fragmentation of the EU into formal and informal alliances

9. a coalition with shared interests

10. the break-up of the EU

11. to meet the membership / convergence criteria

12. under the provisions for

13. fall within the scope of the existing treaties

14. a ... Europe of variable geometry

15. to strike a balance between austerity and budget transfers, liberalisation and social protection

B. Answer the questions on the text.

1. What lies behind the concept of a two-speed Europe?

2. What does the paradox of the idea of a “euro-core” consist in?

3. Why does the concept of a two-speed Europe pose a danger to the EU both institutionally and politically?

4. What might be the effect of an agreement between the “core” countries on the common judicial space, common foreign policy, and economic issues?

5. How feasible is the danger of the EU fragmentation into a number of alliances?

6. What measures should be taken to prevent the break-up of the European Union?

7. What kind of new agreement is necessary between the surplus and the deficit countries?

8. What might be a positive implication of a two-speed Europe?

Speak Up

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. From what you read, do you think the implementation of a two-speed Europe model would imperil or benefit the EU?

2. What do you make of the one positive implication of a ‘messier' Europe mentioned in the text?

FOLLOW-UP

A. Make a three-minute statement on

a) the current political and/or economic situation in the EU

b) the relations between the “euro-core” and the other members of the EU

c) the prospects of further EU enlargement

Use texts from the Reader or readings that you find yourself.

B. Compile a list of Topical Vocabulary necessary to speak on the issue (to be shared in class).

VOCABULARY PRACTICE 1

Unit III. EU at the Crossroads

Ex. 1. Find words/phrases in Comprehension Assignments (A) to match the following definitions. Use the words in sentences of your own; make sure they relate to the topic of discussion.

1. the amount of money that a country or company has left after it has paid for all the things it needs

2. to remove from the centre of activity or attention; place in a less influential position

3. difficult economic conditions created by government measures to reduce public expenditure

4. a condition or requirement in a legal document

5. to choose a moderate course or compromise

6. a coming together of two or more distinct entities or phenomena

7. (of an agreement or promise) involving an obligation that cannot be broken

8. to belong to the area of effectiveness, operation

9. to express the same opinion

10. disintegration, collapse, or breakdown

11. (of an economic system) allowing one sector to grow at a faster rate than another

12. rules for exports and imports, export credit insurance, and the administration of anti-dumping and countervailing duties1 shared by a number of countries

Ex. 2. Fill in the gaps with the words/phrases from Comprehension (A) and Ex. 1.

1. ___________________________ of the Maastricht Treaty and the European stability and

growth pact, 27 EU countries, including Britain, are expected to conform to limits on borrowing.

2. A treaty is a ______________________________between two or more sovereign states.

3. Africa will ___________________________ at the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable

Development.

4. US-Britain while launching their murderous attack on Iraq totally ________________ the

Security Council and the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, who pulled out his observers from Iraq.

5. ‘'We are building alliances with ___________________,'' said civil rights leader Jesse Jackson

who convened a strategy session in Chicago last week.

6. For each state to adopt the new currency on 1 January 2002, they had to meet the _________________________ set out by the Maastricht Treaty.

7. The external borrowing needs of a country depend in part on the size of the balance of

payments on current accounts and whether it is in ________________ o r_________________.

¹ Countervailing duty — компенсационная пошлина

8. How is Taiwan going to _________________________ between liberalisation and protection

for its people and markets?

9. All the variants of the worst scenario involve some combination of the collapse of Iraqi

institution and the __________________ of the country into sections that, at least in the

south and west, are ungoverned or without clear authorities.

10. Euro proponents seem to fear that the ___________________ of the eurozone is some kind

of Armageddon.

Unit III. EU at the Crossroads

11. The prohibition on providing technical and financial assistance related to military activities _______________________ of the Treaty.

12. Newcomers outside the euro zone, like Hungary or Latvia, have had to endure horrible ___________________ programmes in the last two years under IMF supervision, while countries inside the euro zone are to be spared IMF programmes.

13. Nicolas Sarkozy made no secret of wanting to increase the power of the heads of state and

government from the 16 euro zone countries, turning them into an ______________________