Democratic values in The European Union

1. The European Union 1.1 What is the European Union? 1.1.1 Countries in the European Union 1.1.2 Symbols of the EU 1.1.3 Aspects that the European Union countries have in common 1.2 Why and how was it created? 1.3 Most important institutions of the EU2. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights 2.1 Human Rights in the EU 2.1.1 European Union Convention on Human Rights 2.1.2 European Court of Human Rights3. The democratic values 3.1 What do they mean? 3.2 The diversity of values 3.3 The democratic values in the EU 3.3.1 What values does the EU promote? 3.3.2 How does the EU promote the democratic values and the diversity of values?4. Comparision of the rules of Josefina Aldecoa highschool with the EU 4.1 The different common aspects that Josefina Aldecoa and EU share 4.2 Common denominator of the internal regime of democratic connector

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1. The European UnionThe European Union is an economical and political organization which was founded after the ending of the Second World War by six European countries. At the beginning it was called European Economic Community and its aim was the economical colaboration of the before named countries establishing other two suborganizations: the EURATOM and the European Coal and Steel Comunity. Nowadays the EU is a really important organization and the richest economical potency in the world, highlighting that its principal aim is to promote the human rights all over the world.

1.1 What is the European Union?

1.1.1 Countries in the European Union

Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic

Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden United Kingdom

1.1.2 Symbols of the EU1.1.3 Aspects that the European Union countries have in common

Regarding to economics, the European Union countries have the same rules in agriculture, transport, industry... Regarding to politics all citizens have the right to study, live or work in other countries which belong to the European Union. Also, the different countries have taken measures to protect the environment, fight against crime and respect all democratic values

1.2 Why and how was it created? In 1945 after the Second World War ended, some European countries decided to cooperate with each other to prevent more wars and to improve the development of the European economy. In 1957, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France signed the Treat of Rome and created the European Economic Community. Some years later, in 1992, the members of the European Economic Community signed the Treat of Mastritch, with this the European Community changed it's name to the European Union. From that moment and on, more countries have joined the European Union until reaching the formation of a Union of 28 countries as we know of today.

1.3 Most important institutions of the EUI. The European ParlamentThe European Parliament is one of the main institutions of the European Union. It's formed by

the Euro Mps and the president. The Parliament is in charge of taking the most important decisions, like aproving laws and the budgets.

II. The European Union CouncilThis is where the ministers of each country from the European Union meet to take care of the

most important decisiones like aproving laws with the Parliament, coordinating economic laws and controlling exterior politics.

III. The European ComitteIs the European Union's government. They are in charge of proposing laws to the Parliament and

the European Council.

IV. The Court of JusticeThe Court of Justice is in charge of guaranteeing that the laws are respected and aplaid equally

too all the European members. It also solves legal conflicts between the governments and institutions of the EU.

2. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Is a declaration adopted by the United Nations Assembly on 10th December 1948 at the Palais de Chaillot, in Paris. The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War, which vastly knocked down the people rights, only leaving destruction, chaos, and millions of deaths. It represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled and this is an important fact, because all the countries which are members of the United Nations, have to commit this Declaration and doing that is a global way of promoting this rights. The Declaration consist of thirty articles.

2.1 The Human Rights in the EUThe European Convention on Human Rights was established on the 4th of November of 1950 by the European Council. It established a system of international proteccion of the Human Rights, where people acquired the benefit of judicial control over their rights. The Convention, ratified by all the members of the Union, established different control systems situated in Strasbourg:The Commission, in charge of studying the demands of the States, or sometimes individual people.The European Court of Human Rights, where, in the case of judicial solution, turn to the Commission.The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, that are in charge of guarding the European Court of Human Rights and their intervention is needed to obtain a solution when the case hasn't been sent to the Court.Each time there were more problems so there was a reformation in the Court, on the 1st of November og 1998 all these organizations formed the European Court of Human Rights.

2.1.1 European Union Convention on Human Rights 2.1.2 European Court of Human Rights The European Court of Human Rights is the highest judicial authority for the human rights and freedom Europe. It consists of an international court where everyone who has had their rights violated is recognized by the Convention for the protection of his or her rights. This Convention is a treaty where the 47 states of the Council of Europe have promised to protect all human rights and freedoms.Human freedom and rights established in the Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights from the UN and in the European Convention of Human Rights are basically the same.

3. The democratic valuesThe democratic values are the characteristics, the qualities, the ideas and beliefs which are accepted in a society, in order to guide it to a democratic progress which can finally become stable. They are a set of principles that allow any society to be able to apply a democratic system. These etic values make democracy exist and justify it as the best political system. Values such as freedom, justice, pluralism, equality are the basis to build a democratic society.

3.1 What do they mean?

3.2 The diversity of values The diversity of values is a phenomenon given in our actual multicultural society. This diversity makes citizens learn that there is a large variety of values depending on the ideals and the opinions from each person. The diversity of values, as a multicultural fact, reinforces the cohabitation in the society nowadays and helps to learn to be tolerant and respect other values, and not only that, but all the different ideologies that humans have, such as religious beliefs, traditions…

3.3 Democratic values in the EUThe values operate as principles, from which the behaviours are regulated and serve as a guide for individuals and the society. These values arise from the Second World War and they are the result of the evolution of modern societies, and can and should be rationally justified, showing why and how they are preferable done institutionally.

3.3.1 What values does the EU promote?The most important values the EU promotes are:•Freedom•Equality•Justice•Respect•DemocracyAll of them based on the human dignity and the Human Rights aplied to all human beings. Having in mind these values, the European Union tries to achieve a set of objectives.

3.3.2 How does the EU promote the democratic values and the diversity of values?

The EU promotes the diversity of values by the intercultural dialogue, which is really important to manage the membership of multiple cultures in a multicultural environment. By its institutions, it looks for the cohesion of all the different values from all the european countries. The EU has fought for us to have the chance to live in a tolerant, multicultural society, with political plurarism.

The EU respects the freedom of all citizens and has its basis on the human dignity. The Council of Europe defends all the democratic values named before in order to respect the human dignity so the intercultural dialogue can take place. Values such as the respect for freedom of expression are promoted by the Council of Europe. By this way the EU develops a culture of diversity making the democracy to reconciles the rule of the majority with the rights of the individuals.

The European education not only prepares young people for the laboral market, but also promotes their personal development as persons with a certain dignity, and gives them knowledge. Schools have an important role in the promotion of the democratic values, because they have the responsability to guide the students and teach them how to live as free and active citizens.

4. Comparision of the rules of Josefina Aldecoa highschool with the EU

1. International regulations

2. Obligations

3. Rights

4. Duties

4.1 The different common aspects that Josefina Aldecoa and EU share

4.2 Common denominator of the internal regime of democratic connector

Respect for human dignity and human rights, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law are common values, which are expressed in Article 2 of the Treaty on EU. The compliance with these principles is a necessary condition of EU membership.Comparing these values of democratic Council of Europe with the rules, the aim is to find some similiraties that promote peace and coexistence in schools. Some keywords realted with this aspect are: school coexistence, peace culture, group cohesion, emotional education, values education…These are basic rules that our highschool and the EU have in common, as respect of human dignity and equality are essential for living together in harmony. We must ensure these points and work together and sanction those actiones that do not follow the rules.

IES Josefina Aldecoa

Comenius Project

European Union