The European Union

1
The European Union
2
OVERVIEW

• Europe is a continent with many different
  traditions and languages, but also with shared
  values such as democracy, freedom and social
  justice.
• The EU defends these values

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DEFINITION

• The European Union (EU) is a family of democratic
  European countries, committed to working together
  for peace and prosperity.
•  

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What is the European Union

• The European Union is more than just a group of
  countries, but it is not a State.
• It is, in fact, something entirely new and
  historically unique.
• Its political system has been constantly evolving
  over the past 50 years and it is founded on a
  series of treaties
• Member States have set up common institutions to
  which they give some of their power to so that
  decisions on specific matters of joint interest
  can be made democratically

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HISTORY OF EU

• The historical roots of the European Union lie in
  the Second World War
• The idea of European Unity was created to prevent
  such killing and destruction from ever happening
  again.
• 9 May 1950. This date, the "birthday" of what is
  now the EU, is celebrated annually as Europe
  Day. 
• It began as the European Coal and Steel
  Commission (ECSC) to make trade easier. 

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TRADE AND TRAVEL

• You can travel across most of the EU without
  carrying a passport and without being stopped for
  checks at the borders.
• You can shop in another country where goods are
  cheaper without paying any additional taxes so
  long as what you buy is for your own use.
• The single currency, the Euro, allows shoppers to
  compare prices directly in the 15 countries that
  use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers
  have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high
  prices.
• Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one
  Euro country to another is cheaper because no
  money needs to be changed

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A Border Crossing
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Euros in your pocket

• The Euro is probably the EU's most
• tangible achievement.
• It is the single currency,
• shared by 15 countries,
• representing two thirds of the EU population.
• All Euro notes and coins
• can be used in all countries
• where the Euro is accepted.

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There are five EU institutions, each playing a
specific role

• European Parliament (elected by the peoples of
  the Member States)
• Council of the European Union (representing the
  governments of the Member States)
• European Commission (driving force and executive
  body)
• Court of Justice (ensuring compliance with the
  law)
• Court of Auditors (controlling sound and lawful
  management of the EU budget).

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Major Institutions of the EU
Council of Ministers, BrusselsMinisters of the
member states
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Major Institutions of the EU
European Commission, Brusselsin between a
Secretariat and an Executive20 commissioners and
16,000 officials
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Major Institutions of the EU
European Parliament, Strasbourg732 elected
members
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Major Institutions of the EU
European Parliament, Strasbourgdirect elections
since 1979
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Major Institutions of the EU
European Court of Justice, Luxembourg
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The rule of law is important to the European
Union.

• All EU decisions and procedures are based on the
  Treaties, which are agreed to by all the EU
  countries

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In the beginning

• The group consisted of just six countries
• Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and
  the Netherlands.
• The name has changed a few times over the years
• 1993 The Treaty of Maastricht formed what is now
  the European Union

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Growth and Change

• Denmark, Ireland
• United Kingdom joined in 1973
• Greece in 1981
• Spain and Portugal in 1986
• Austria, Finland and Sweden in 1995

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Ten new countries joined the EU on May 1, 2004,
and two more in 2007, raising the total to 27
countries
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• PURPOSE OF EU
• In the early years, much of the co-operation
  between EU countries was about trade and the
  economy,
• The EU also deals with many other subjects of
  direct importance for our everyday life, such as
  citizens' rights
• ensuring freedom, security and justice job
  creation regional development and environmental
  protection

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The EU has made war unthinkable among countries
which warred against each other for
centuries. Sure, the E.U. matters, said Thomas
Leicht, a doctor from MunichYou can see the
terrible history of Europe in this city (Berlin).
The E.U. is the reason it will never happen
again. New York Times article on the EUs 50th
anniversary (Mar. 25, 2007)
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Current EU members
Belgium Malta France
Poland Germany Slovakia Italy
Slovenia Luxembourg
Lithuania Netherlands Latvia Denmark
Hungary Ireland Estonia United
Kingdom Cyprus Greece Sweden Portugal
Finland Spain Austria Czech Republic
Bulgaria Romania