Internal and International Impact of the Magnifying of the European Union

Abstract

The accession of ten new Member States to the European Union is not only relevant for internal purposes within the integration process in the E.U. but is also relevant for third States, such as Brazil and the Mercosur; the process of regional integration in Europe reaches a new level of achievement and can be an unique opportunity to overrule the legacy of Cold War years, dating back to a cultural division of ‘Western’ and ‘Eastern’ Europe dating back to the XVIIIth. century / the new Europe is more extended than it has ever existed since the largest extension of the Roman Empire in early Ind. century A.D. / substantial work and strong commitment from an entire generation will be needed to consolidate an integrated Europe, but it should not be neglected that, besides and beyond the internal impact of integration, an integrated Europe can be more assertive in matters of international relations and can grow united enough to be a counterweight to the isolated hubris of United States foreign policy & violations of international law, be it in itself or in bilateral agreements with Russia, China, India, Brazil & Mercosur. / the external impact of integration in Europe remains yet to be assessed / the lesson to be drawn is the international law rules may have limited impact on reality but are the best tool for regulation of international relations so far achieved by mankind.