European Union

EUROPEAN UNION
• HISTORY
1870-1945:There was unrest amongst the
countries of europe.
1950:European coal and steel company
(ECSC)was formed.
1992:Maastricht Treaty was signed by the
members of the European Community,but
it was into force from 1st November 1992.
Cont…
• The European Union is an
intergovernmental membership organisation.
• It is headquartered at Brussels,Belgium.
• It initially started with 6 member states
namely-Belgium, West Germany,
Luxembourg, France, Italy & Netherlands
and is now expanded to 27 member
countries.
Cont..
• It has developed a single market with
single currency i.e euro.
• Member states agree to abide by the
common laws,guranteeing the movement
of people,goods,services &capital.
• It maintains a common Trade
Policy,Agricultural &Fisheries Policies and
Regional Development Policy.
 GOALS OF THE EUROPEAN
UNION
• To form a stronger ,more unified Europe
inorder to have a greater stablity &
strength in global market.
• To create a common monetary system.
• To create a barrier free trade zone.
 OBJECTIVES
• Convergence
• Regional Competetiveness & Employment
• European Territorial Co-operation
 European Union
• The European Union or EU is organization of
European countries, which currently has 27
member states.
• Founded to enhance political, economic and social
co-operation.
• The Union was established under that name by
the Treaty on European Union (commonly known
as the Maastricht Treaty) in 1992.
• The European Union is the most powerful regional
organization in existence
• With almost 500 million citizens, the EU combined
generates an estimated 30% share (US$16.8
trillion in 2007) of the world's nominal gross
world product
 The 27 EU Member States:

Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic,

Denmark, Germany,
Estonia, Greece, Spain,
France, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus,
Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta,
the Netherlands, Austria,
Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland,
Sweden and the United
Kingdom.
 The Future
It is likely Turkey will be next to join as they
have tried to become a member since
1987.
 European Parliament

is the only directly elected EU body.

It represents the people of the EU unlike the
Council of Ministers, which represents
governments.
Elections held every 5 years since 1979
The European parliament's powers have steadily
increased with each change of the EU treaties.
Most new laws in member states are to
implement European legislation which is
amended and adopted by the European
Parliament.
Parliament sits in Strasbourg and Brussels
 European Constitution
It was signed in 2004 by the 25 member states but
was subject to ratification.

Most of them did so, by parliamentary ratification

or by referendum, but two member states
(France and the Netherlands) rejected it in
referenda.

The UK never had the opportunity to vote as the

agreement was if one member rejected it they all
had to!
 Policy area of EU
• External relations 
• Agriculture 
• External trade
• Audiovisual and media 
• Fight against fraud
• Budget • Food safety
• Competition  • Foreign and security policy
• Consumers  • Humanitarian aid
• Culture  • Human rights
• Customs  • Information society 
• • Institutional affairs
Development 
• Internal market
• Economic and monetary affairs 
• Justice, freedom and security 
• Education, training, youth • Maritime affairs and fisheries
• Employment and social affairs  • Public health
• Energy • Regional policy
• Enlargement  • Research and innovation 
• Enterprise • Taxation
• Environment  • Transport 
EU institutions and authorities:
•European Council
•European Parliament
•European Commission
•European Court of Justice
•European Central Bank
•European Ombudsman
•European Data Protection
•Supervisor Financial authorities
•European Investment Bank
•European Investment Fund
TRADE WITH REST OF THE WORLD

•The European Union is the world’s biggest trader,

accounting for nearly 20% of global exports and
imports.

•The United States is the EU’s largest trading partner,

followed by China and Russia.

•Two-way trade flows across the Atlantic are worth

close to €400 billion a year.

•Open trade among members of the EU has led to the

single European market with freedom of movement for
people, goods, services and capital.
Addressing Global Challenges

• Peace & Security

– Works for global peace and security
alongside the United States and multilateral
organizations – including NATO and the
United Nations.
– Undertakes humanitarian and peacekeeping
missions

• Counterterrorism & Homeland Security

– Takes steps to improve intelligence sharing,
enhance law enforcement and judicial
cooperation, curtail terrorist financing.
– Boosts trade and transport security to
support the struggle against terrorism.
Cont…

• Democracy & Human Rights

– Works globally for free elections and open
democratic processes.
– Fights racism and intolerance at home and
abroad.
– Campaigns globally against capital
punishment.

• Development Assistance & Humanitarian

Relief
– The EU and its Member States are the world’s
largest aid donor, providing 55% of total official
development assistance.
– Provides billions of dollars in humanitarian aid
to more than 100 countries in response to
crises and natural disasters.
Cont…

• Trade
– European Commission represents all 27 EU
Member States before the World Trade
Organization.
– Supports free trade and open markets, within
the rules-based structure of the WTO, to
promote growth and jobs in both industrialized
and developing countries.
– The world's most open market for products and
commodities from developing countries – 40%
of all EU imports are from developing countries.
Cont..
• Environmental Protection
– A leader in global efforts to protect the
environment, maintaining rigorous and
comprehensive systems at home.
– Plays a key role in developing and
implementing international agreements,
such as the Kyoto Protocol on Climate
Change.
– Executing a “cap and trade” system to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions
– Takes the lead in the fight against global
warming with the adoption of binding
energy targets (cutting 20% of the EU’s
greenhouse gas emissions by 2020).

Source: German Information Center USA

 The €uro
In 1999, the euro area was established as a currency in
eleven of the then fifteen EU Member States.

Of the 27 EU Member States today, 16 have adopted the

euro.

One of the striking benefits of a single European currency are

low interest rates due to a high degree of price stability.

The euro is as stable and credible as the best-performing

currencies previously used in the euro area countries
 European Single Currency
In the UK this has been a
bone of contention since
it’s formation in 1999. The
UK as with all other
member states have
promised to adopt the Euro
‘in due course’. However
the strength of anti-
European sentiment and
the love for the GB Pound
leaves the issue doubtful.
Thank You