The European Union: 493 million people – 27 countries

Member states of the European Union

Candidate countries

Eight enlargements

1952 1973 1981 1986

1990 1995 2004 2007

GDP per inhabitant: the spread of wealth

GDP per inhabitants in Purchasing Power Standards, 2007

Index where the average of the 27 EU-countries is 100

280

144131 129 127 123 121 118 117 113 113

104 102 10094 89 87

79 77 7567 66 63 58 56 53

38 37

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EU

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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

4234

365

EU population in the world

Population in millions, 2007

497

1322

128 142

301

EU China Japan Russia United States

23 official languages

Three pillars

The European Union

The Treaties

European Community

domain (most of common policies)

Common foreign and

security policy

Police and judicial

cooperation in criminal

matters

The Court of Justice – upholding the law

27 independent judges, one from each EU country

Rules on how to interpret EU lawEnsures EU laws are used in the same way in all EU countries

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

Coins: one side with national symbols, one side common Notes: no national side

Improving health and the environment

Pollution knows no borders – joint action needed

EU action has helped bring us:

Cleaner bathing waterMuch less acid rain Lead-free petrol Free and safe disposal of old electronic equipmentStrict rules on food safety from farm to fork More organic and quality farming More effective health warnings on cigarettesRegistration and control of all chemicals (REACH)

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Free to move

“Schengen”:

No police or customs checks at borders between most EU countries

Controls strengthened at EU external borders

More cooperation between police from different EU countries

You can buy and bring back any goods for personal use when you travel between EU countries

© C

orbi

s

The single market: freedom of choice

Since 1993:

2.5 million new jobs prices of phone calls and airfares halved Four freedoms of movement:

goods

services

people

capital

© G

etty

Im

ages

How many people live in the EU?

Population in millions, 2007

497 million8

2.4

63

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60

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59

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44

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21

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16

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10

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5.4

5.4 5.3

4.3

3.4

2.3

2.0

1.3

0.8

0.5

0.4

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Sp

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Den

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Bel

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Lu

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Ma

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Ger

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United Kingdom

The European Parliament – voice of the people

13

24

78

78

14

Italy

Ireland

24Hungary

Greece

99Germany

France

Finland

6Estonia

14Denmark

24Czech Republic

6Cyprus

18Bulgaria

24Belgium

18Austria

Decides EU laws and budget together with Council of MinistersDemocratic supervision of all the EU’s work

Total 785

78

19Sweden

54Spain

7Slovenia

14Slovakia

35Romania

24Portugal

54Poland

27Netherlands

5Malta

6Luxembourg

13Lithuania

9Latvia

Number of members elected in each country

How big are the EU countries?

Surface area 1 000 km²F

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Lu

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urg

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54

4.0

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6.0

41

0.3

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2.7

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93

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91

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The European Union: 493 million people – 27 countries

Member states of the European Union

Candidate countries

The European Union: 493 million people – 27 countries

Member states of the European Union

Candidate countries

An area of freedom, security and justice

Charter of Fundamental Rights

Joint fight against terrorism

Police and law-enforcers from different countries cooperate

Coordinated asylum and immigration policies

Civil law cooperation

© E

urop

ean

Uni

on P

olic

e M

issi

on

Jobs and growth

Challenges:

Demography: Europeans live longer, have fewer children Globalisation: European economy faces competition from other parts of the worldClimate change: Emission of greenhouse gases must come down

Solutions:

European leaders have therefore agreed on a joint strategy for:

More research and innovationA more dynamic business environmentInvesting in peopleA greener economy

Solidarity in practice: the EU cohesion policy

2007-2013: 347 billion euro invested for infrastructure, business, environment and training of workers for less well-off regions or citizens

Regional fund

Social fund

Cohesion fund

Convergence objective: regions with GDP per capita under 75% of the EU average. 81.5% of the funds are spent on this objective.

Regional competitiveness and employment objective.

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

Official development assistance per citizen, 2007

93€

44€

53€

EU Japan United States

The EU provides 60% of all development aid

How rich is the EU compared to the rest of the world?

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

10 793

1 326

3676

468

10 035

24 700

6 400

27 800

10 000

37 300

Size of economy: Gross Domestic Product inbillion of euros, 2006

Wealth per person: Gross Domestic Productper person in Purchasing Power Standard, 2007

The EU – a major trading power

Share of world trade in goods (2006)

Share of world trade in services (2005)

Others50.5%

EU17.1%

United States16%

Japan6.6%

China9.6%

Others44.9%

EU26%

United States18.4%

Japan6.9%

China3.8%

Research - investing in the knowledge society

Spending on research and development in percentage of Gross Domestic Product, 2006

1.8%

3.0%

1.3%

2.6%

3.3%

EU EU objectivefor 2010

China Japan United States

The European Union: 493 million people – 27 countries

Member states of the European Union

Candidate countries

The EU: an exporter of peace and prosperity

World trade rules

Common foreign and security policy

Development assistance and humanitarian aid

EU runs the peacekeeping operations and the rebuilding of society in

war-torn countries like Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The EU symbols

The European flagThe European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

The motto: United in diversity

Bibliography

• The actual slide contents in this presentation have been downloaded directly from the European Commission’s Europa: The European Union at a glance, and the contents have not been edited in any manner.

• Europa: The European Union webpage: http://ec.europa.eu/

• Actual slide show web page:http://europa.eu/abc/euslides/index_en.htm

• Above web pages accessed August 7, 2009

• All Notes content by John Dux, Carmel Middle School Social Studies Dept., Carmel, IN