Or, should we end it?

還是

Many people feel a strong disconnect with the EU, while others praise its achievements.

我們應該要解散它呢?

Everything considered: Is its existence good or bad for Europeans?

很多人認為他們與歐盟格格不入

Since it looks like the UK is leaving the EU, we'll mostly treat it as if it's no longer part of the club.

但同時也有人對其成就讚譽有加

The European Union, combining its 27 member countries, has a population of about 450 million people,

考慮各個層面

making it the third most populous sort-of country in the world.

歐盟的存在對歐洲人而言究竟是好是壞呢?

It's the world's second largest economy by GDP, and has the biggest single market in the world.

~ ♪片頭音樂 ♪~

But originally, the creation of the European Union was all about one thing: Peace.

因為英國已經確定要逐步脫離歐盟，所以在此部影片不把英國列入歐盟來探討

Europeans are really good at war,

歐盟境內的27個國家，共有四億五千萬的人口

so they were involved in bloody conflicts for basically all their history.

使其成為世界上人口第三多的"國家"

A century-long rivalry between Germany and France

歐盟是GDP世界第二的經濟體

alone, cost millions of lives and ran so deeply

並且有著世界最大的單一市場

that Germans invented their own word for it:

儘管如此，歐盟的創立最初全是為了一件事..."和平"

Erbfeindschaft.

歐洲人很擅長戰爭

After the second World War, Europeans decided

所以幾乎整個歐洲歷史都在血腥的征戰之中

they wanted lasting peace that was not

光是德國和法國之間長達一個世紀的對抗

based on a balance of military power.

就造成了數以百萬計的死傷

Instead, the economies, politics, and peoples of Europe,

並且影響深遠

should become so closely interconnected, that war

而德國人還為此創造了一個單字

would become both impractical and unthinkable.

世仇 (Erbfeindschaft)

The plan worked!

在第二次世界大戰結束之後

Between EU members, we've had over 70 years of peace.

歐洲人想要創造長期的和平

Okay, peace is great and all, but what are the

但不是因為彼此之間軍事力量的制衡

European Union's achievements and problems?

而是要將經濟，政治，全歐洲人緊緊的連結在一塊兒

Today, EU citizens benefit from many individual freedoms.

而使戰爭變得不切實際並且難以想像

EU treaties and regulations

這個計畫非常成功!

ensure easy travel,

歐盟成員國之間已維持了長達七十年的和平

cheap telecommunications,

的確，和平是件好事

a great variety of goods and services, as well as very

但是歐盟究竟有哪些成就，又有那些問題呢?

strong health and safety standards.

今日，歐盟的公民從許多個人自由中獲益

European institutions are not afraid to

歐盟的條約和法規確保了暢行無阻的遷徙，便宜的電信服務

pick a fight with companies such as

許許多多的食品及服務

Microsoft, Apple or Facebook about fair

還有嚴格的健康及安全標準

competition, tax evasion or data protection.

歐盟當局不畏懼與微軟，蘋果，臉書等公司對公平競爭、逃漏稅、資料保護等議題進行抗爭

Through the EU science programs, the European countries

透過歐盟的科學計畫

became a collaborative engine that serves

歐洲國家緊密的合作，並且成為全世界的科學中心

as a hub of science in the wider world.

自由自在的遷徙和可在任何地方工作的權利

Unrestricted travel and the right to

使申請資金，以及讓專家以最好的設備組成國際團隊成為易事

work anywhere makes it easy to apply for

相較而言，歐盟只有世界5%的人口，但卻產出了25%的科學成果，再再證明了其在全球科學研究領域之領導地位

funds, and set up international teams of

但是有許多民眾不信任歐盟

experts with the best equipment.

布魯塞爾(歐盟總部所在)似乎遙不可及、資訊不透明

In turn, the EU became the world leader in terms

而且以技術人員帶起政治社會使人難以理解

of its global share of science

目前，仍因2015起的難民潮，而動盪不安

researchers, and produces more than

要在幫助難民、遣返非法移民、成功整合難民之中取得平衡

twenty-five percent of the world's

依然是歐盟目前最困難也最具爭議性的挑戰

research output, with only five percent

撇開移民問題不談

of its population.

在未來還存在著非常多的挑戰(例如國防)

But many citizens feel distrust toward the EU.

在以往，歐洲國家因北約組織依靠著美國的保護

Brussels seems far away and untransparent, technocratic,

但在現今的政治情況

and difficult to understand.

歐洲應該要捫心自問:他們是否想要依靠美國來維持其國安?

It doesn't help that the EU is terrible at outreach,

若能整合其軍隊

and explaining what it actually does.

現在的歐盟成員國將能組織一股有效率的防禦力量

This disconnect has also led to an ever-shrinking

並且成為世界第三大的軍隊

voter turnout over the decades.

這將會對追求同一目標的27個不同國家的士兵節省龐大的經費、邊境防禦設施及增強文化認知

More transparency and accountability are

那麼經濟方面又如何呢?

desperately needed if the EU

嗯，大家有口皆碑

institutions want the trust of their citizens.

歐盟創造了世界最大單一市場

Currently, the EU is still

在歐盟地區，你可以在免稅的情況下進行邊境貿易

shaken by the refugee crisis of 2015.

加入歐盟的國家可以大幅的促進其經濟發展

Some countries have accepted far greater

甚至在鄰國之間，貿易量增長為五倍

numbers of asylum seekers than others,

並且穩定的創造了工作機會

while the border countries are

研究顯示，大部分加入歐盟的新成員的GDP比未加入時平均增長了12%

overwhelmed and feel left alone.

並且對於經濟落後以及基礎建設不足的地區

Other countries are shocked by the initially

歐盟相關機構每年挹注上億歐元的資金

unregulated mass immigration, and closed

幫助當地的經濟投資、基礎建設以及社會發展

their borders, effectively shutting down

但另一方面，歐盟試著要將經濟、法律(和當地勞工、稅收有關)都有著極大差異的國家結合在一起

the largest route into Europe.

在歐盟，一小時工作的時薪從4歐元到40歐元不等

The EU's wealth and freedom make it an

有些國家有大規模的工業生產並且大量的出口其工業產品

attractive destination, and this is

同時也有些國家將其發展重心放於服務業、旅遊業及自然資源的利用

unlikely to change.

除此之外，歐元在某些地區普遍的流通，但並非所有的國家皆通用

The population is split on how to react to that.

在希臘債務危機出現後，這可以被當作一個災難的處方簽

Some argue that Europe let in too many immigrants,

你無法統一一堆不同經濟體系的貨幣

with a different culture without

但更重要的是，歐盟給予我們和平、安全、還有認同感

strictly demanding integration, while

並且還有我們在這動盪時代中最想要的--安穩的情勢

others argue that immigration is not the

如果我們想要保護我們所引以為傲的價值

problem, but that racism and

一個穩健強壯的歐洲聯盟會是一個確保我們的意見可以被全世界接收到的最佳途徑

discrimination of immigrants is

若是各自為政，我們便很難在世界強權中佔有一席之地

preventing integration.

你認為歐盟未來會如何發展?

To strike a balance between helping refugees,

近年來 由於惡劣的現實狀況，導致政治議題變得極具爭議性

turning illegal immigrants away, and

讓我們不要再這麼做

successfully integrating the ones that stay,

如果你不同意這部影片中的說法，你並非我們的敵人

remains one of the most difficult and

你只不過是抱持著不同的意見，這不打緊

controversial challenges of the Union.

畢竟，我們都在同一條船上

Immigration aside, many more challenges

因此，讓我們以真相為基礎，來討論我們的未來吧!

lie in the future, like defense.

終於結束了

Traditionally, European countries have

relied strongly on the protection of

the US through NATO.

But in the current political climate,

Europe has to ask itself if it really

wants to depend on the United States for its safety.

If combined today, the

militaries of EU members could form an

effective defensive force and be the

third largest military in the world.

That could save a lot of money, safeguard

European borders, and enhance cultural

understanding with soldiers from 27

different countries serving one common purpose.

What about money?

Well, it's complicated.

The EU created the largest

single market in the world.

Inside it, you can trade border and customs free.

Countries that entered it got a massive

boost to their economies. Even between

neighbors, trade increased by up to five

hundred percent, and there was a steady

creation of new jobs.

Research has suggested that joining the EU has left

Most new members with an average of

a twelve percent higher GDP than if

they had remained outside.

And for those regions with weaker economies and poor

infrastructure, EU institutions provide

billions of euros every year helping

economic investment, infrastructure,

and social development.

On the negative side, the EU tries to hold together countries

with vastly different economies and laws

regarding labor, taxes and social security.

The cost of one hour of work in

an EU country ranges from four euros an hour

to forty euros an hour.

Some countries have large industries and strong exports

while others focus on services, tourism, or natural resources.

On top of this, the

euro is the common currency of some but

not all of these countries.

As the Greek crisis shows, this can be a recipe for disaster.

You cannot unify a vastly

different economies under one currency,

but their economic policies separate.

So, should all EU countries

unite under the common currency, or not?

Should the weakest links be thrown out

of the Euro, or should countries be made

to adopt common policies on taxes, health

care, and social security?

It's a question that's been brewing for years, and is

nowhere near a solution.

So, everything briefly considered: Is the

European Union worth it?

Here is our answer:

The EU is very flawed, and still

needs a lot of work. But it's fair to say

that the European Union makes Europeans powerful in the world.

Put together, we

lead in science, are one of the strongest

economic powers, and could have one of

the strongest militaries in the world.

But more importantly, the EU gives us

peace, security, and a sense of shared identity.

And something we all crave

in these turbulent times, stability.

If we want to protect the values we're so

proud of, a strong European Union is the

best way to make sure our voice is heard

in the world.

Alone as small states, we'll

hardly stand a chance in a world of

shifting superpowers.

What do you think about the EU in its future?

In recent years, the discussion about political

topics has become super toxic with sad

real-world consequences.

Let's not do that.

If you don't agree with this video,

you're not our enemy, you just have a

different opinion and that's fine.

We're all in the same boat after all, so let's

have a fact-based discussion about our future.