E U R O P E A N U N I O NT H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N I S A P O L I T I C O -

E C O N O M I C U N I O N O F 2 8 M E M B E R S T A T E S T H A T A R E P R I M A R I L Y L O C A T E D I N E U R O P E . T H E E U O P E R A T E S T H R O U G H A S Y S T E M O F

S U P R A N A T I O N A L I N D E P E N D E N T I N S T I T U T I O N S A N D I N T E R G O V E R N M E N T A L N E G O T I A T E D

D E C I S I O N S B Y T H E M E M B E R S T A T E S .

EUROPEAN UNION

Member states of EU

Austria(1995)Belgium (1952)

Bulgaria (2007)

Croatia (2013)

Cyprus (2004)

Czech Republic (2004)

Denmark (1973)

Estonia (2004)

Finland (1995)

France (1952)

Germany (1952)

Greece (1981)

Hungary (2004)

Ireland (1973)

Italy (1952) Latvia (2004) Lithuania (2004) Luxembourg (1952)

Malta (2004) Netherlands (1952) Poland (2004) Portugal (1986) Romania (2007) Slovakia (2004) Slovenia (2004) Spain (1986) Sweden (1995) United Kingdom (1973)

The European Union: 500 million people – 28 countries

Member states of the European Union

Candidate and potential candidate countries

1945 - 1962

1948 – Under the MARSHAL PLAN the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation(OEEC) was established

1949 – The Council of Europe was established

1957 – European Economic Community (EEC) was established

Founding Member States: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

1962 -The EU starts its ‘ common agricultural policy ’ giving the countries joint control over food production.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF EU

1973 - 1992

1973 - The six become nine when Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom formally enter the EU

1974 - To show their solidarity, EU leaders set up the European Regional Development Fund.

1979 - EU citizens directly elect the members of the European Parliament for the first time.

1981 -Membership of the EU reaches double figures when Greece joins.

1986 - Spain and Portugal enter the EU, bringing membership to 12.

1992The Treaty on European Union is signed in Maastricht. It is a major EU milestone, setting clear rules for the future single currency as well as for foreign and security policy and closer cooperation in justice and home affairs. Under the treaty, the name ‘European Union’ officially replaces ‘European Community -

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF EU

1993 - 2002

1993 - The single market and its four freedoms are established: the free movement of goods, services, people and money is now reality.

1995 - Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU. The 15 members now cover almost the whole of western Europe.

1999 -The euro is introduced in 11 countries (joined by Greece in 2001) for commercial and financial transactions only.

2002 - Euro notes and coins arrive. Printing, minting and distributing them in 12 countries is a major logistical operation

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF EU

2004 - 2007

2004 - Eight countries of central and eastern Europe — the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. Cyprus and Malta also become members.

2007 - Two more countries from eastern Europe, Bulgaria and Romania, now join the EU, brining the number of member states to 27 countries.

2007 -The 27 EU countries sign the Treaty of Lisbon, which amends the previous Treaties. It is designed to make the EU more democratic, efficient and transparent, and thereby able to tackle global challenges such as climate change, security and sustainable development. The Treaty of Lisbon is ratified by all EU countries before entering into force on 1 December 2009

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF EU

The EU symbols

The European flagThe European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

The motto: United in diversity

The EU symbols

The European flagThe European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

The motto: United in diversity

EU population in the world

Population in millions, 2012

508

1343

127 143

314

EU China Japan Russia United States

1205

India

The area of the EU compared to the rest of the world

Surface area, 1 000 km²

EU China Japan Russia United States

16 889

9327 9159

4290

365

India

3287

How rich is the EU compared to the rest

of the world?

EU China Japan Russia United States EU China Japan Russia United States

12 600

5 2004 200

1300

10 800

25 200

5 800

26 300

12 000

37 100

Size of economy: 2011 gross domestic product in trillion of euros

Wealth per person: 2011 gross domestic productper person

India India

26001 200

The EU – a major trading power

% of global exports, goods, 2012

Others55%

EU15%

United States11%

Japan5%

China14%

% of global exports, services, 2012

Others42%

EU25%

United States18%

Japan4%

China6%

India5%

The EU is the biggest provider of development aid in the world

Official development assistance per citizen, 2011

€ 110

€ 60

€ 70

EU Japan United States

The EU provides over half of all development aid

2014 EU budget: € 142.6 billion = 1.06% of gross national income

How does the EU spend its money?

Global Europe: including development aid

6%

Other, administration6%

Smart and inclusive growth: jobs, competitiveness, regional development

45%

Security and citizenship, justice2%

Sustainable growth –natural resources:

agriculture, environment42%

The European Parliament – voice of the people

4 Decides EU laws and budget together with Council of Ministers4 Democratic supervision of all the EU’s work

Number of members elected in each country

United Kingdom11

21

74

73

13

Italy

Ireland

21Hungary

Greece

96Germany

France

Finland

6Estonia

13Denmark

21Czech Republic

6Cyprus

11Croatia

18Austria

21Belgium

Total 751

73

20Sweden

54Spain

8Slovenia

13Slovakia

32Romania

21Portugal

51Poland

26Netherlands

6Malta

6Luxembourg

11Lithuania

8Latvia

Bulgaria 17

Europe 2020 – Europe's growth strategy

EU leaders agreed in 2010 the overall strategy to get out of the economic crisis by means of:

4Smart growth

Better education, more research, greater use of communication technologies

4Sustainable growth

A resource - efficient, greener and more competitive economy

4Inclusive growth

More and better jobs, investment in skills and training, modernisation of the labour market and welfare systems, spreading the benefits of growth to all parts of the EU

4Good economic governance

Better coordination of economic policy

The five targets for the EU in 2020

Agreed in the Europe 2020 strategy:

4Employment

75% of 20-64 year-olds to be employed

4Research and innovation

3% of the EU's GDP to be invested in research

4Climate change/energy

Greenhouse gas emissions 20% lower than 1990

20% of energy from renewables

20% increase in energy efficiency

4Education

School drop-out rates below 10%

40% of 30-34–year-olds completing third-level education

4Poverty

20 million fewer people in, or at risk of, poverty and social exclusion

The euro – a single currency for Europeans

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Can be used everywhere in the euro area

4Coins: one side with national symbols,

one side common

4Notes: no national side

Beating inflation

European Economic and Monetary Union: stable prices

Average annual inflation in the 17 EU-countries that used the euro in 2013

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2

4

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12

14

16

1970

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1972

1973

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1980

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1983

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1989

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2012

The single market: freedom of choice

Four freedoms of movement:

4 goods

4 services

4 people

4 capital

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The single market has led to:

Significant reductions in the price of many products and services, including airfares and phone calls

More choice for consumers

2.8 million new jobs

Free to move

“Schengen”:

4 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

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Improving health and the environment

Pollution knows no borders – joint action needed

EU action has helped bring:

4 Cleaner bathing water

4 Much less acid rain

4 Lead-free petrol

4 Free and safe disposal of old electronic equipment

4 Strict rules on food safety from farm to fork

4 More organic and quality farming

4 More effective health warnings on cigarettes

4 Registration and control of all chemicals (REACH)

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Going abroad to learn

Every year, more than 400 000 young people study or pursue personal development in other European countries with support from EU programmes:

4 Comenius: school education

4 Erasmus: higher education

4 Leonardo da Vinci: vocational training

4 Grundtvig: adult education

4 Youth in Action: voluntary work and

non-formal education

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The European Commission – promoting the common interest

28 independent members, one from each EU country

4Proposes new legislation4Executive organ 4Guardian of the treaties4Represents the EU on the international stage

COMPILED & DESIGNED BY

JOSE FRANCIS ISAAC