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New England - EU Relations
The European Union is the closest large ally of New England. The European Union is the closest large ally of New England. The two nations have formed a close working relationship over the last forty years, with New England protected by the economic and military strength of the European Union and in return the union having a stable and democratic ally in the region serving as a base for investors and also as a carbon sink. Since 2032, the presence of European military forces in New England has been a fact of life. The relationship has allowed the New Englanders to fend off aggression from Australia and the United States and to set their own domestic policies without fear of interference from abroad.
It is obvious to most that New England is dependent on European support for its survival, but the relationship has not been one of a master and servant. The two states have often had strong disagreements over agricultural policy, economic investment in south-east Asia, and the presence of military forces in the Pacific. These arguments often awake fears of a souring of the relationship between the two nations, but this has been unfounded. Since its inception, both states have benefited from the relationship and the future of the alliance is assured.
The EU Today
The original European Union was founded in 1957 by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany. It was expended over the next fifty years to include the British Isles, many Mediterranean states, and a portion of Eastern Europe. The future of the union seemed assured until 2004, when the proposed constitution of the union failed to be ratified. This led to several years of disorganisation, which culminated in the dissolution of the first union in 2012. A new union was established in the same year, which featured many of the proposals that have been put forward in the 2004 Constitution. The second union, as it has come to be known, continue to consolidate itself and centralise its authority until 2026, when most states of the union formally acceded to the Treaty of Bordeaux, which created a centralised foreign policy and military force. With the collapse of NATO in 2024, this gave the union a significant amount of clout and virtually created a superpower overnight.
Today the union comprises of 38 states, all of whom retain a high degree of autonomy and power, but who have referred a significant amount of their sovereignty to the central union. The structure of the union is far more democratic than its predecessor, with an elected president holding ceremonial powers. While the president wields little actual power, true executive authority chiefly lies with the office of the Prime Minister who is a member of, and is elected by, the European Parliament after each election. The Parliament comprises of two chambers, an assembly comprising of 750 members, and a 152 seat Senate with equal representation for all member states. The constitution of the union mandates that each state is entitled to at least five members in the assembly, with the total number of seats determined by population. Elections are held every four years.
Outside the union, a series of treaties exist between other states and similar unions creating the so-called "super union". These are the unions are known as Client and Allied States, and treaties between them have established a single economic and military bloc that allows the EU to match the power of the United States and China across the globe. At present, the EU maintains treaties with the following states and unions:
Bilateral treaties
- Canada
- Morocco
- Oman
- Russia
- Somaliland
- Switzerland
- Turkey
Union treaties
- Caribbean Economic Community
- East African Community
- Pacific Union
- Southern African Union of States
- West African Community
Current Relations
Military Presence
The EU continues to maintain a strong military presence in the Pacific, with a particular focus given to the border between New England and Australia. These forces, known as European Union Forces New England or EUFNE, are an essential component in the defence of New England and the rest of the Pacific against aggression from United States and Australia. In particular the forces have acted as an effective repellent for the US Ninth Army which is based in the Philippines. In the East of the Pacific, the union maintains another set of forces, known as European Union Forces Tahiti. These forces protect many of the Pacific Islands, and allow for rapid deployment across the Pacific in times of emergency.
