Transcript The European Union: 493 million people – 27 countries

The European Union
THE EUROPEAN UNION
Some slides taken for Europa: Gateway to the European Union
http://europa.eu
The European Union:
493 million people – 28 countries
How has crossing
country borders in
Europe become
easier?
The euro – a single currency for Europeans
Can be used everywhere in the
euro area
4Coins: one side with national
symbols,
one side common
EU countries using the euro
EU countries not using the euro
4Notes: no national side
The single market: freedom of choice
Since 1993:
4 2.5 million new jobs
4 prices of phone calls
Four freedoms of movement:
and airfares halved
4 goods
4 services
© Getty Images
4 people
4 capital
Free to move
“Schengen”:
No police or customs checks at borders
between most EU countries
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Controls strengthened at EU external
borders
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More cooperation between police from
different EU countries
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You can buy and bring back any goods
for personal use when you travel between
EU countries
© Corbis
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What does supra
mean? In the
context of the EU?
-”above” or “over”
- EU govn’t/laws are above
the individual nation’s
Define Centripetal
& Centrifugal
Forces
-Centripetal: forces that
bring things together
- Centrifugal: forces that
divide things
Who was Robert
Schuman & what
were his
suggestions to
Europe?
Founding fathers
New ideas for lasting peace and prosperity…
Konrad Adenauer
Alcide De Gasperi
Winston Churchill
Robert Schuman
Jean Monnet
Roots of the EU: European Coal & Steel
Community
• Idea that Europe should work together to manage steel
and coal production --> peace to Europe after WW2
• European Coal & Steel Community = set a common market
for all steel & coal products
– made trade free & easy!
– 6 countries: W. Germany, Italy, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, &
Netherlands
European Economic Community (EEC: 1958)
• Removed trade barriers for ALL good through Europe
• 1993: European Union created! :)
– Goals:
• promote peace & prosperity/economic well-being
– What it does
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creates jobs
protect citizens' rights
preserve the environment
create EU programs
Eight enlargements
EEC: Common Market (‘58)
Eur. Coal & Steel Community
1952
1973
1981
1986
1990
1995
2004
2007
European Union (’93)
12 original members
The EU symbols
12 stars = 12 countries in 1993 (EU)
Beethoven’s 9th Symphony
The European anthem
The European flag
Europe Day, 9 May
The motto: United in Diversity
Schuman’s Speech
http://youtu.be/zHtBaVliQ2Y
Improving health and the environment
Pollution knows no borders – joint action needed
EU action has helped bring us:
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© Van Parys Media
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Cleaner bathing water
Much less acid rain
Lead-free petrol
Free and safe disposal of old electronic equipment
Strict rules on food safety from farm to fork
More organic and quality farming
More effective health warnings on cigarettes
Registration and control of all chemicals (REACH)
Economic
Cooperation
What are the
centripetal &
centrifugal Forces?
Centripetal Forces in Economics (brings together)
• How does a common market unite Europe?
– Breaks down tariffs (taxes)  trade between
countries is MUCH easier!!
– Goods are cheaper & easier to buy
– People can travel freely between countries to find work
• How does the creation of an EU trade bloc unite
Europe?
– Trade bloc = group of countries that act together
to increase influence over world trade (want to be
more involved with trading with other countries)
– Trade bloc  outside nations (like USA!) want
to do business with them  BETTER
ECONOMY!!
Centrifugal Forces (pull apart)
How do the differences
between western &
eastern nations divide
the EU?
• What divisions are
created by the use of
the Euro?
• More money is spent on
the poorer countries in the
east, which makes the
West unhappy 
• Fear of outsourcing jobs
from the west to the east
(cheaper labor!)
• Eastern immigrants are
coming to the western
countries  fear of wage
drop in the west
• Not ALL countries use it
(the United Kingdom uses
the British pound)
• New EU countries aren’t
allowed to use it until they
prove to the EU that
they’re strong enough to
handle it
Political
Cooperation
What are the
centripetal &
centrifugal Forces?
Centripetal Forces
• How does the
development of a
supranational level of
government unite
Europe?
• Brings members together to
focus on issues they have in
common
• EU members are EU
citizens….they’re united!!
• How does the
development of a
European citizenship
unite Europe?
• They can live and work
anywhere in the EU
• They can vote in any EU
election
• They have ALL EU rights in
every EU country
• EU Parliament = ONE
GOVERNMENT
Centrifugal Forces
• How does the desire of
European countries to
keep their independence
divide Europe?
• They have to give some
power up when they join the
EU
– They MUST carry out
decisions made by the EU,
even if the individual
countries disagree
• How can the expansion of
EU membership cause
division?
• More people in EU  more
(differing) opinions  harder
for cooperation
Cultural
Cooperation
What are the
centripetal &
centrifugal Forces?
Centripetal Forces
• How has the European
Union united Europe by
promoting a common
culture?
• European flag created  unity
• European national anthem is
in the “universal language of
music”—has no words!
• Europe Day on May 9
• EU Wind Orchestra for young
musicians
• How does increased travel
unite Europe?
• Encourages people to learn
other languages
• GOAL: learn two languages +
your home language
Centrifugal Forces
• How do languages divide
the EU?
• MANY languages  difficult
communication
• All speeches and documents
of the EU must be translated
into 20 different languages!
• What are some other
forces that continue
divisions among European
countries?
• Hard to put personal interests
aside for EU benefit 
competition and conflict
between countries