Egalian Union
| Egalian Union | |
|---|---|
| Motto: "Uniti aedificamus" United we build | |
| Intragovernmental organization | |
| Members | 7 |
Governance | |
| • Secretary-general | Liidia Väaino |
| • Secretary of Business Council | Matjaž Zolc |
| • Speaker of the Assembly | Dušan Bojanić |
| Legislative body | Parliamentary Assembly |
| Population | |
| • Estimate (2021) | 43,516,000 |
Economic information | |
| HDI (2022) | {{{HDI_change}}} 0.862 very high |
| Currency | various |
| Timezone | WUT +5, +6 |
| Website | egu.eg |
The Egalian Union, abbreviated EgU, EU or E7, is a political and economic union in Central Uletha, mainly composed of nations in the region of Egalia. It was founded in 1982 by Drabantia, Mallyore, and Zalivnia, and since then has expanded to four more members. The union is governing common economic, social, and security policies, as well as improving the same with other countries around the world.
The E7 was created by the Treaty of Teplice, which entered into force on September 1, 1982. The treaty was designed to enhance Egalian political and economic integration by creating a single internal market, and a unified foreign and security policy, by advancing cooperation in the areas of immigration, asylum, and judicial affairs.
The highest political body of the union, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Egalian Union, is located in Nikolovac, Mallyore.
History
The Egalian Union represents the conclusion of a series of efforts to integrate Egalian countries after the Great War. After the fall of various authoritarian regimes in the 1960s and early 1970s, new democratic governments in the region sought closer economic, social, and political ties to achieve economic growth and military security. In 1976, the latter caused the signature of the Treaty of Skroj by Drabantia, Mallyore and Zalivnia, which would later be known as the East Egalian Defense Pact (EEDP).
Today, EEDP is considered to be the forerunner and the basis for the Treaty of Teplice, signed on August 14, 1982, preceded by national referendums in member states on joining a more cohesive political and economic union. After the positive referendum outcome in all three countries, and the presidential meeting in Teplice na Jezeře in Drabantia, the Treaty came into power on September 1, 1982, while EEDP officially changed its name to the Egalian Union.
Having signed this act, Drabantia, Mallyore and Zalivnia agreed on a common market that featured the elimination of most barriers to the movement of goods, services, capital, and labour, and a common external trade policy. The large economic boom, cooperation and stability in 1980s (a period popularly called Pax Egaliana) led to thinking on better integrity of member states, regarding not their markets only, but common diplomacy and external foreign policies. Following the country's independence, the government of Banuvia under Željko Štefanjec started to discuss accession to the Egalian Union. The Nikolovac Meeting in 1986 brought two significant changes to the union: firstly, Banuvia was accepted as a full member, becoming the first country to join after the initial agreement; and secondly, the creation of the Parliamentary Assembly, as a first common political body, was arranged.
The territorial coherency, achieved through the Banuvian accession to the Union, made abolishing mutual border control possible. Effective January 1, 1992, passport and all other types of border control were discontinued. Thanks to this, up to this day the Egalian Union area mostly functions as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy.
In 1993, after long negotiations, another major momentum was gained when Escadia joined, more than doubling the area and the population of the Union.
In the following years, further integration was attained, mostly through establishing various shared institutions, with the Egalian Trade and Development Bank being the most momentous one. The talks with other two Egalian nations, Beldonia and Podolia, to join the union, started in 1999. Having aligned some laws and trade policies, they finished the accession process on May 1, 2003, making the third enlargement of the Egalian Union.
With $1.6 trillion gross domestic product (PPP) in 2021, the Egalian area accomplished the great economic success, compared to GDP of $140 million in 1985. Although the increased political consolidation between the member states contributed to the rise of Egalosceptic parties in some countries, the support for Egalian unity and further integration remains high in all member states.
Member states
The current member states include:
| Country | Enlargement | Joining date | Referendum approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banuvia | first | July 1, 1986 | 81.8% |
| Beldonia | third | May 1, 2003 | 82.0% |
| Drabantia | founding member | September 1, 1982 | 66.9% |
| Escadia | second | July 1, 1993 | 59.1% |
| Mallyore | founding member | September 1, 1982 | 73.4% |
| Podolia | third | May 1, 2003 | 62.5% |
| Zalivnia | founding member | September 1, 1982 | 70.2% |
Institutions
Primary institutions
| Official Name | Location | Country | Founding year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Council (EBC) | Ulinje |  Zalivnia
|
1987[1] | International, non-governmental and non-profit organization to strengthen the improvement of the business environment within the Egalian region. It represents the business communities of member states. The International Secretariat of the Business Council is based in Ulinje. Working members of the Business Council encourage the governments of their respective states to ease the tax burden, maintain common free market zone and guarantee the free movement of people and goods across Egalia. |
| Council of Defense & Security (ECDS) | 1982 | |||
| Educational & Vocational Agency (EEVA) | 1988 | |||
| Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIIT) | Odrava |  Drabantia
|
2007 | International institute located in Odrava, Drabantia. Its task is to emphasize and support technology and research in the E6, to develop innovative products and services, help starting new companies, to form multi-country partnerships and to help and assure that businesses, educational and research bodies work together to create and environment conducive for innovation and entrepreneurship in E6. It is closely related to the Egalian Business Council. |
| Parliamentary Assembly (EPA) | Nikolovac |  Mallyore
|
1992 | Inter-parliamentary consultative institution of the organization formed in 1992. The Assembly and MPs provide a legal basis for social, economic, cultural, commercial and political cooperation among the member states; provide support to the national parliaments to reinforce the parliamentary democracy; pass the legislation required for the implementation of the decisions adopted by the Heads of States or by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs. Current Speaker of the Assembly is TBD.[2] |
| Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) | Rilg | Escadia | 2003 | International financial institution that supports economic development and regional cooperation by providing trade and project financing, guarantees and equity for development projects supporting both public and private enterprises in its member countries. Objectives of the bank include promoting regional trade links, cross country projects, foreign direct investment and supporting activities that contribute to sustainable development. National Ministers of Finances comprise the Trade Council of the Bank. |
| Transportation Agency (ETA) | Ružinov |  Banuvia
|
1999 |
Secondary institutions
| Official Name | Location | Country | Founding year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egalstat | Skroj | Zalivnia
|
1992 | |
| Fishing Rights & Control Agency (FRCA) | 1990 | |||
| Cultural Safeguard Agency (ECSA) | 1997 | |||
| Migration and Asylum Management Agency (EMAMA) | 2014 | |||
| Natural Disaster Prevention and Management Agency (ENDA) | 2009 | |||
| Agency for Environmental Protection & Socio-ecological Innovativeness (EAEPSI) | 2012 | |||
| Information Technology & Robotics Development Forum (ITRDF) | Odrava | Drabantia
|
2020 | Agency within the Institute of Innovation and Technology. |
| Agency for the Development of Rural Areas (ADRA) | 2005 | |||
| Maritime and Aviation Safety Agency (EMASA) | Ružinov | Banuvia
|
2000 | Agency within the Transportation Agency. |
| Terrestrial Transportation Agency (ETTA) | Ružinov | Banuvia
|
1999 | Agency within the Transportation Agency. |
Common projects
MEUSS Programme
The MEUSS Programme (Mobility of Egalian University Students and Scientists) is an Egalian Union student and research exchange programme established in 1997. The programme has promoted the mobility of more than 750,000 students and scientists within the Union so far. More than 340 academic institutions were participating in the project in 2019. Since 2007, MEUSS is connected to other international student exchange programmes, notably ASUN University Network, encouraging cooperation in academic research and student mobility.
The Programme recognizes three different types of exchange: MEUSS Minor, MEUSS Major and MEUSS Internship. The students are eligible to participate once in Major and Internship Programme, and once per academic year in Minor Programme.
MEUSS Major is a long-term exchange which lasts three to six months. Participants attend academic institution in the host country, without extra tuition fees to the institution that they visit. The progress they make abroad is validated and recognized at home country. Eligibility for Internship Programme, which follows the same rules, is achieved after the graduation at your home university. The curriculum is usually offered in Ingerish language, with learning the national language of the country being possible as an additional activity.
MEUSS Minor is a short-term exchange which lasts two to four weeks. University students and academic staff can apply for the programmes through various government or non-governmental organizations. The Minor Programme has a focus on homestays, language skills, community service, or cultural exchange activities. The participants are exposed to an intensive programme that increases their understanding of other Egalian cultures, communities, and languages.
A survey conducted from 2014 to 2018 showed that 76.2% of Egalian students have participated in MEUSS Minor Programme at least once, 65.1% of them have applied for MEUSS Major Programme, or have expressed a wish to do so, while 41.9% of post-graduate students have taken MEUSS Internship after their graduation.[3]
Demographics
The total population of the union is 43,516,000. Most of the population lives in Escadia, as it is by far the largest country. Most people are Escadian by nationality, about 42.6%.
Language
Each member brings its own language as an official language into the union, therefore there are 7 official languages. Ingerish is included for international reasons, raising the number to 8 official languages.
| Language | Status | Union name in given language |
|---|---|---|
| Banuvian | Official | Egalska unija |
| Beldonian | Official | Egalska unija |
| Drabantian | Official | Helská unie |
| Escadian | Official | Heelu jett |
| Ingerish | Official | Egalian Union |
| Mallyorian | Official | Egalska unija |
| Podolian | Official | Ehalьski Souz |
| Livnian | Official | Егалска yнија (Romanized: Egalska unija) |
Politics
Economy
In 2019, it is estimated that the E7 had a combined GDP (PPP) of $1.5 trillion. The single market involves the free circulation of goods, capital and services within the E7.