I thought the same thing. Come on Phoenix!
I think the EU means different things to different people and in that lies the truth. From our understanding here it was done to simplify things, pool money and resources and become a united force and get rid of some of the bureaucracy between nations...but like all things that's a bit idealistic.
The fact is that while it has simplified things for some people and cultures, the very same things have exacerbated problems in another. What's good for Poland may not be good for Italy and vice versa. For example, the lira before the Euro was worth twice what the euro is today. A pizza was once 10,000 lire (5 euros), so they just said "Ok let's keep the numbers the same"...and so now a pizza is 10 euros instead of 5, which in reality would be 20,000 lire instead of 10,000. However, countries like Poland and Slovenia have benefitted enormously and have burgeoning economies. Italy's economy was in shambles before the EU came about, but the Euro didn't help things. So for us the EU is more of a convenience thing rather than tangible help.
However, it does have its advantages, which is evident with the problems Berlusconi is having with the EU now since they've declared that no PM can control a media empire while in office and they're pursuing him with legal action...and there's nothing he can do about it. So in that regard it's nice to see that even the leaders of these nations are accountable to another governing body.
Traveling has been made as easy as traveling from state to state in the US. No more border crossings, no more passport checks, etc. Wanna take a trip to the Netherlands? Get on a plane for 20 euros and you can be there in about an hour without having to do a full body cavity search like in the US with customs.
It's still in its inception, however, and it's constantly being changed and worked on. The EU is relatively new and an ever-changing and evolving entity.
