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:
500 million people – 28 countries
Member states of the European Union
Candidate and potential candidate
countries
Candidate and potential candidate countries
Wealth
Area
Population
(1000 km²)
(million)
(gross domestic product
per person)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
51
3.8
7 300
Montenegro
13
0.6
10 500
100
0.3
29 500
Kosovo under UN Security
Resolution 1244
11
2.2
:
The former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia
25
2.1
9 200
Albania
27
3.2
7 300
Serbia
77
7.3
8 400
Turkey
770
73.7
13 600
4 290
508
25 700
Iceland
The 28 EU countries
together
How has crossing
country borders in
Europe become
easier?
The euro – a single currency for Europeans
Why the euro?
• No fluctuation risk and foreign exchange
cost
• More choice and stable prices for
consumers
• Closer economic cooperation between EU
countries
Can be used everywhere in
the euro area
• Coins: one side with national symbols,
one side common
• Notes: no national side
EU countries using the euro (Lithuania from 1 January 2015)
EU countries not using the euro
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
4
Controls strengthened at EU external
borders
4
More cooperation between police from
different EU countries
4
You can buy and bring back any goods
for personal use when you travel between
EU countries
© Corbis
4
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
Enlargement: from six to 28 countries
EEC: Common Market (‘58)
Eur. Coal & Steel Community
1952
1990
1973
1995
European Union (’93)
12 original members
1986
1981
2004
2007
2013
Enlargement: from six to 28 countries
1952
1973
1981
1986
1995
2004
2007
2013
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
Economic
Cooperation
What are the
centripetal &
centrifugal Forces?
The euro – a single currency for Europeans
Why the euro?
• No fluctuation risk and foreign exchange
cost
• More choice and stable prices for
consumers
• Closer economic cooperation between EU
countries
Can be used everywhere in
the euro area
• Coins: one side with national symbols,
one side common
• Notes: no national side
EU countries using the euro (Lithuania from 1 January 2015)
EU countries not using the euro
How does the EU spend its money?
2014 EU budget: €142.6 billion
= 1.06% of gross national income
Global Europe:
including development aid
6%
Security and citizenship, justice
2%
Sustainable growth –
natural resources:
agriculture, environment
42%
Other, administration
6%
Smart and inclusive growth:
jobs, competitiveness,
regional development
45%
19.9
4.3
2.9
2.1
Croatia
Lithuania
Slovenia
0.4
4.6
Ireland
Malta
5.4
Slovakia
0.6
5.5
Finland
Luxembourg
5.6
Denmark
0.9
7.3
Bulgaria
Cyprus
8.5
Austria
1.3
9.6
Sweden
Estonia
9.9
Hungary
2
10.4
Portugal
Latvia
10.5
11
11.2
16.8
Czech Republic
Greece
Belgium
Netherlands
Romania
Poland
Spain
38.5
46.5
60.8
64.3
United Kingdom
Italy
65.9
France
Germany
80.8
How many people live in the EU?
Population in millions, 2014
507 million in total
127
126
125
124
Sweden
Ireland
Denmark
Germany
83
80
76
75
75
74
72
68
67
67
Slovenia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Portugal
Greece
Lithuania
Estonia
Poland
Hungary
Latvia
Bulgaria
Romania
47
54
61
86
Cyprus
Croatia
87
Malta
95
Spain
106
United Kingdom
98
108
France
Italy
112
Finland
119
127
Netherlands
Belgium
129
Austria
Luxembourg
264
GDP per inhabitant: the spread of wealth
2013 GDP per inhabitant
Index where the average of the 28 EU countries is 100
How rich is the EU compared to the rest of the world?
Size of economy:
2012 gross domestic product
in trillions of euro
Wealth per person:
2012 gross domestic product
per person
37 100
26 300
25 200
12.89
11.77
5.96
1.33
EU
China
12 000
4.32
India
5 800
1.46
Japan Russia United
States
2 600
EU
China
India
Japan Russia United
States
Political
Cooperation
What are the
centripetal &
centrifugal Forces?
Improving health and the environment
Pollution knows no borders – joint action needed
EU action has helped bring us:
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
© Van Parys Media
4
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)
Three key players
The European Parliament
- voice of the people
Martin Schulz, President of the European
Parliament
The European Council and the Council
- voice of the Member States
Donald Tusk, President of the European
Council
The European Commission
- promoting the common interest
Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the
European Commission
The European Parliament – voice of the people
Decides EU laws and budget together with the Council of Ministers
Democratic supervision of all the EU’s work
Number of members elected in each country
Austria - 18
Germany - 96
Netherlands - 26
Belgium - 21
Greece - 21
Poland - 51
Bulgaria - 17
Hungary - 21
Portugal - 21
Croatia - 11
Ireland - 11
Romania - 32
Cyprus - 6
Italy - 73
Slovakia - 13
Czech Republic - 21
Latvia - 8
Slovenia - 8
Denmark - 13
Lithuania - 11
Spain - 54
Estonia - 6
Luxembourg - 6
Sweden - 20
Finland - 13
Malta - 6
United Kingdom - 73
France - 74
Total - 751
Council of Ministers – voice of the member states
4One minister from each EU country
4Presidency: rotates every six months
4Decides EU laws and budget together
with Parliament
4Manages the Common Foreign and
Security Policy
Council of Ministers – number of votes per country
(Based on population)
Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom
29
Spain and Poland
27
Romania
14
Netherlands
13
Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary and Portugal
12
Austria, Bulgaria and Sweden
10
Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Finland
7
Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg and Slovenia
4
Malta
3
Total:
345
“Qualified majority” needed for many decisions:
255 votes and a majority of member states
The European Commission – promoting
the common interest
27 independent members,
one from each EU country
4Proposes new legislation
4Executive organ
4Guardian of the treaties
4Represents the EU on the international stage
The Court of Justice – upholding the law
27 independent judges,
one from each EU country
4Rules on how to interpret EU law
4Ensures EU laws are used in the same
way in all EU countries
The European Court of Auditors:
getting value for your money
27 independent members
4Checks that EU funds are used
properly
4Can audit any person or organization
dealing with EU funds
Cultural
Cooperation
What are the
centripetal &
centrifugal Forces?
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