The European Union

The EU created a single currency

that can be used among all member
nations called the euro.

Citizens of the EU can now

travel freely among the member nations
without passports.

The EU member nations work together to solve

environmental problems and create technology
to harness energy from renewable energy
sources, including wind energy from these wind
turbines.

European Union Notes Sheet

1. Why did countries originally join the

European Union (EU)? To encourage trade
2. Why do former Communist countries want to
join the EU? They know that membership will
help them economically and politically.
3. What must Eastern European countries do
before they can join the EU? Make legal,
economic and environmental improvements.
4. What region of Europe do most of the
member countries belong? Western Europe
5. Traditionally, each European nation had its
own currency or system of money.

European Union
11. A persons standard of living, or quality of
life, is based on the availability of goods and
services.
12. People who have a high standard of living
have enough food and housing, good
transportation and communication and access
to schools and health care. They also have a
high rate of literacy, meaning that most adults
are able to read and write.
13. How is the EU helping countries of Eastern
Europe raise their environmental standards?

European Union

6. The EU is meant to make international trade

much simpler.
7. The currency of the EU is the euro which
means nations no longer have to exchange their
currency every time a payment crosses the
border.
8. A tariff is a duty or fee that must be paid on
imported goods.
9. The EU members have lifted border controls
as well. This means that goods, services, and
people flow freely among the member nations.
10. Another goal of the EU is to achieve
economic equality among its members. They
share their wealth with poorer countries to help
them build businesses.

European Union
15.

What are some examples of cultural diversity

among the EU nations? Different languages, unique
foods, certain ways of doing businesses and even
special games and celebrations.
16. What conveniences do most major European cities
offer? Public transportation, including subways, buses
and trains. Sidewalk cafes are also popular.

European Union
17.

Many families who live in the countryside have

been farming or raising animals on the same land for
generations. Some even live in houses that their
families have owned for hundreds of years.

What is a countrys GDP?

Gross

Domestic Product- total market value of all final

goods and serviced produced in a country in a year.

What are examples of investing in

human capital?
The

education and training of people.

Why would a country invest in human

capital?
To

have a well-educated productive workforce

To increase the GDP

What are examples of physical

capital?
Machinery,

equipment, technology, buildings

Who is an entrepreneur?
A

person who starts and runs their own business.

Vehicle emissions and

power stations are the two
primary causes of air
pollution in the U.K.

What is one major effect of air pollution which

causes damage to vegetation, aquatic life, and
physical structures including buildings and
monuments?
Acid

Rain

What are some of the effects

of the nuclear explosion that
occurred in Chernobyl
Ukraine in 1986?
land

contamination
land evacuation
health related issues- cancer and birth
defects
economic impact on European farmersand related agricultural businesses