The Maastricht Treaty, which entered into force on November 1, 1993, laid the foundations for the European Union as we know it today. The treaty was designed to improve European political and economic integration by creating a single currency (the euro), a unified foreign and security policy to safeguard the common values, fundamental interests and independence of the Union, common citizenship rights and by advancing cooperation in the areas of immigration, asylum, and judicial affairs to ensure the safety and security of European citizens.
The Treaty on European Union as it is often referred to as a giant leap forward for European Integration. Increased cooperation between European countries led to the creation of European Citizenship, which established critical rights for us as Europeans. As a matter of fact, every EU citizen has the right to reside in and move freely between member states; vote and stand as a candidate in both local and European elections in the EU country they live in; petition the European Parliament to address either a personal need or grievance, or on a matter of public interest; and every EU citizen is entitled to consular protection from the embassy or consulate of any other EU country. These rights are nothing short of amazing. Nevertheless, we all take them for granted as they are intrinsically present in our everyday lives. Therefore, next time you “get in touch” with anything related to this list, think they were made possible thanks to the Maastricht Treaty.
Now I have a question for you. What was created through this treaty that we use on a daily basis? Yes,… it’s very close to you… One more clue? It’s probably in the pocket of your trousers…! Of course, it’s the Euro!! Now I seemed Dora the Explorer, seriously, haha!
Anyway, the Euro has undoubtedly huge benefits for all Europeans. And you know what?? The trust in the Euro is at an all time high, since more than 3 in every 4 Europeans support the currency.
Moreover, the Euro, which is the second largest currency on the Planet, is controlled by the European Central Bank. The main goal of the ECB is to maintain the price stability, which is the best contribution to improve individual welfare. And that’s simple, because if we prevent inflation and deflation we can keep safe jobs and safe growth for businesses, which is awesome.
All in all, we could stay here and talk about this for weeks, but I suggest that you search for more data on your own and I guarantee you are going to be amazed. The Maastricht Treaty surrounds us in every way we could imagine, and one thing is for sure, it changed the way Europeans live, forever. I for one am conscious of this fact every single day!
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