European Integration Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

European Integration - Research Paper Example The Second World War had ended in 1945 and the effects were devastating. The economies were shattered, there was resentment against the enemies, people died etc. Generally, the outcomes of the war were negative. Therefore, there was a need for reconciliation and this need was able to bring forth the idea of European integration. The national governments saw that the enmity that had taken them to war had to be buried with the end of the war and forge new relations through integration and union. This was a rational choice in deed. The idea of European integration, in turn, led to the formation of the European Council in 1949. The University of Zurich Speech offered by Winston Churchill in 1949 called for the creation of the United States of Europe through the institutionalization of the Council of Europe (Wendell, 1998). This speech called on the European states to make rational choices and integrate their efforts to the formation of the European Council. The Council’s main achi evement was seen in 1950, exactly one year after inception when it held the first European Convention on Human Rights where the European Court of Human Rights was formed and stationed in Strasbourg. This court was to be the major de facto Supreme Court for both the human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the entire Europe. Other institutions that have since been conceived under the European Union have been the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and the European Social Charter which help protect the human right throughout Europe. (Cini, 2007: pp86-89). It is important to note that the European Council holds most of its conventions which are mostly focused on the achievement of legal integration. The legal integration is possible through conventions on legal assistance on issues such as corruption, doping in sports, money laundering and internet crimes among other legal issues. There has also been cultural cooperation under the council. For instance, the 1954 Cultural Convention and other subsequent conventions which focused on issues such as university studies and diplomas as well as the development of minority languages was a clear demonstration of Cultural integration and cooperation. The member state had to cooperate to support this initiative of cultural integration under the umbrella of the European Coun