Which brings me to the wider issue of Europe vs EU which is somewhat analogous to America vs United States of America (USA).
The "Dream" may be called American but the institutions of the USA are called:
US Supreme Court http://www.supremecourt.gov/
US Senate http://www.senate.gov/
US House of Representatives http://www.house.gov/
US Presidency http://www.whitehouse.gov/
Yet the Official name of the country/polity is United States of America.
But my point is that the US Senate is not called American Senate or the House of Rep., American House of Reps (or American Parliament). Unofficially of course, the US President or Pres of the US of America can be referred to as American President (see eg the film An American President with Michael Douglas (and the "famous" speech)).
Thus IMO the European Parliament should be called EU Parliament (or Parliament of the EU) and the European Commission EU Commission or Commission of the EU. The Council of the EU already exists but that was probably in order to distinguish it from the European Council (it's maybe time for the European Council to seek a new name that includes the EU and not the council, unless maybe EU Supreme Council (!??)).
Of course the US citizens are still referred to as Americans (which in theory describes the citizens of all countries in the Americas (North, Central and South)). I propose the term EUropeans, for lack of any better alternative that comes to mind.
What's in a name? Sometimes a lot. And since the EU does not plan to include all countries that are located in the continent called Europe (and that is another matter of debate), all EU entities should be referred as EU (eg EU Commission) as the least show of courtesy to the non-EU members, countries and Europeans.
May 8, 2011
A EUropean
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