The European UnionBy: Viktor Gombocz

Background Established: March 25, 1957 as the European Community Founding members: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the

Netherlands and West Germany Motto: Unified in Diversity Anthem: Ode to Joy Official languages: 24 (on next slide) Member states: 28 (on slide 4) Currency: Euro Internet TLD: .eu

Languages Bulgarian Croatian Czech Danish Dutch English Estonian Finnish French German Greek Hungarian Irish Italian

Latvian Lithuanian Maltese Polish Portuguese Romanian Slovak Slovene Spanish Swedish

Member states 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

Enlargement since establishment Joined in 1957 (founding members ): Belgium, France, Germany (as

West Germany), Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Joined in 1973: Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Joined in 1981: Greece. Joined in 1986: Portugal and Spain. Joined in 1995: Austria, Finland and Sweden. Joined in 2004: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,

Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Joined in 2007: Bulgaria and Romania. Joined in 2013: Croatia.

Flag Map

Flags – Founding members Belgium, France, (West) Germany, Italy,

Luxembourg, Netherlands.

Flags – Members who joined in 1973Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom.

Flags – Members who joined in 1981 Greece.

Flags – Members who joined in 1986 Portugal, Spain.

Flags – Members who joined in 1995Austria, Finland, Sweden.

Flags – Members who joined in 2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,

Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia.

Flags – Members who joined in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania.

Flags – Members who joined in 2013 Croatia.

EU – Geography Borders 12 non-EU

members: Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Moldova, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.

Borders the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Adrian Sea, the Ionian Sea, the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Gulf of Finland and the English Channel, the Atlantic Ocean, the Irish Sea, the Celtic Sea.

Flags seen with EU languages Bulgarian: Bulgaria Croatian: Croatia Czech: Czech Republic Danish: Denmark Dutch: Belgium, Netherlands English: United Kingdom Estonian: Estonia Finnish: Finland France: Belgium, France, Switzerland German: Austria, Germany, Switzerland Greek: Cyprus, Greece Hungarian: Hungary

Flags seen with EU languages (cont). Irish: Ireland Italian: Italy, Switzerland Latvian: Latvia Lithuanian: Lithuania Maltese: Malta Polish: Poland Portuguese: Portugal Romanian: Moldova, Romania Slovak: Slovakia Slovene: Slovenia Spanish: Spain Swedish: Sweden

Future enlargement Five states(Iceland, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey)

are recognized as official EU candidates. Albania is an applicant; Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo

(status disputed) have not applied for membership.

EU – Four biggest economies Germany France United Kingdom Italy

EU – Trade and Economics The EU’s biggest

trading partners are China, Russia and the U.S.

The four biggest economies are Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy.

France and Germany are the most important members of the EU.

Euro zone and Schengen Agreement Euro zone: Member states that have adopted the

Euro currency introduced in 1999 and put into use in 2002.

Schengen Agreement: Member states that have ceased passport use at border controls.