European Union

 A family of democratic countries

committed to working together for peace
and prosperity
 Sometimes called the United States of
Europe
 It does not replace existing countries
 They do have a lot of things in common
and they make decisions as a group
 Initial countries were Belgium, France,
Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands
History of the European Union
 Formed after World War II
 Europeans did not want that kind of killing
and destruction again
 Started with six countries and it was mainly
concerned with trade and commerce
 27 countries now and 450 million people
 Europe is diverse, but it shares the values of
democracy, freedom and social justice
 Come together with other countries as well
Fewer borders,more opportunities
 No passports needed to travel among EU
countries
 Shop in other countries for cheaper goods
without paying extra taxes
 One single currency, the Euro, allows
shoppers to purchase merchandise
throughout Europe
 Air travel, internet access, phone, and
power are also cheaper due to fair
competition among all the countries in the
union
Greener Europe
 Environmentally conscious and they are
working hard to protect the environment
 Strict rules for waste disposal
 Rivers and lakes are cleaner
 Kyota protocol works to reduce emissions
 Strict emissions on vehicles
Education and equal opportunites
for all
 EU has opportunities for studies in other
countries
 Bans discrimination of any kind
 Men and women have equal pay for equal
work
 EU is a pioneer for women's rights
Euros
 This is the currency used by 12 of the
countries in the union. 2/3 of the
population
 This can be used in all the countries
where the Euro is accepted
 Common design on one side and home
country on the other
Jobs and prosperity
 Goal is to be the most knowledgeable
and skilled in the world
 One third of budget is used to stimulate
the economy and add jobs
 Training for unemployed and under
qualified people
 Focusing on high tech jobs for the future
Freedom, security and justice
 Work together to battle terrorism
 Battle of cross border drug trafficking
 European arrest warrants
 EU makes it easier to solve border legal
conflicts, like marriage and divorce
Peace and Stability
 War between the EU countries now is
almost unthinkable due to the unity they
developed
 They are trying to spread peace and
prosperity
 They provide more humanitarian aid than
anyone in Europe helping poor countries
 Protects other countries
 Wants to be a model for the rest of the
world
A place in the Union
 Any European country can join, provided it
has a stable democracy that guarantees the
rule of law, human rights and the protection
of minorities
 Must also have a functioning market
economy and civil service capable of
applying EU laws
 It sometimes takes up to 10 years to
become a member
 They have a flag, national anthem, and EU
day