LAHORE, MAY 06 (DNA) – Dean of Europe Emilian ION Ambassador of Romania has said European Union IS an excellent example of unity in diversity and it not less than a miracle to put together 28 nations under one flag.
The Romanian ambassador was speaking on the occasion of a seminar at South Asia University, Lahore, as chief guest. The Romanian ambassador delivered lecture on emerging EU and Pakistan European Union relations.
The ambassador further said, the European Union (EU) comprises 28 member states. Each member state is party to the founding treaties of the union and thereby subject to the privileges and obligations of membership. Unlike members of most international organisations, the member states of the EU are subjected to binding laws in exchange for representation within the common legislative and judicial institutions.
Member states must agree unanimously for the EU to adopt policies concerning defence and foreign affairs.[4] Subsidiarity is a founding principle of the EU he added.
In 1957 six core states founded the EU’s predecessor, the European Economic Community. The remaining states have acceded in subsequent enlargements. On 1 July 2013 Croatia became the newest member state of the EU.
In order to accede, a state must fulfill the economic and political requirements known as the Copenhagen criteria, which require a candidate to have a democratic, free market government together with the corresponding freedoms and institutions, and respect for the rule of law.
Enlargement of the Union is also contingent upon the consent of all existing members and the candidate’s adoption of the existing body of EU law, known as the Acquis communautaire.
Ambassador Emilian further said Pakistan’s relations with the European Union have always been cordial and being a key member country of EU, Romania has always tried to promote and protect these relations.
He added, Pakistan is greatly benefiting from the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) Plus whereby Pakistani businessmen have the opportunity to trade with the EU countries in 80 difference areas.
He said the EU focuses much on education that is why all EU ambassadors have taken upon themselves onus of reaching out to various educational institutions of Pakistan in order to tell students what opportunities they had to study in EU institutions.
Mian Imran Masood Rector of South Asia University also spoke on the occasion and lauded the efforts of the EU missions for cementing educational links between Pakistan and the EU members states.=DNA