Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

`European Union is an attempt to strengthen regional cooperation'

Staff Correspondent

`In the globalised set-up, poorer nations are being exploited' In the globalised set-up, poorer nations are exploited. Multi-national companies are ruling small nations, forcing them to change their native ways, says assistant professor

HUBLI: The European Union is an ambitious effort to strengthen regional cooperation in an era of World Trade Organisation, Jacques Tenier, Assistant Professor from Rennes University, France, has said.

He was delivering two special lectures on "European Union" and on "Globalisation", under the Indo-French Exchange Programme in the Department of Political Science, Karnatak University, Dharwad, on Wednesday.

No smooth transition

Tracing the history of the European Union, he said, it was not a smooth transition as there were cultural and economic divides among the nations that posed threat to the union.

While Dutch felt the union was more "French", the British disagreed with the idea of an economic union. Despite the odds, the European Union is moving ahead, trying to establish a balance of equations between Europe and the United States, he said.

In the lecture on globalisation, he said about 40 per cent of the wealth is concentrated among the one per cent of the rich, which consequently has widened the gulf between haves and have-nots among the nations.

Two worlds

Prof. Tenier said, ultimately, the differences have led to the existence of two kinds of third world. There are developing countries like India and China, and others such as Bangladesh and Nepal which are yet to take off with regard to economic issues.

There are only two options that globalisation offers to nations: either you have to join the process and contribute or perish.

As a result, the poorer nations are being exploited. Multi-national companies are ruling small nations forcing them to change their native ways, he said.

Constraints

Presiding over the programme, Professor S.S. Patagudi felt that European Union and similar regional organisations need adequate attention in academics.

Because of socio-economic and cultural constraints, the European Union has not been able to achieve its objectives, he said.

An interaction session with Prof. Tenier was also held.

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