The European

Union
 EU Symbols

 On the 9th of May 1950, Robert Schuman presented his proposal on the
creation of an organised Europe, indispensable to the maintenance of
peaceful relations.
This proposal, known as the "Schuman declaration", is considered to be
the beginning of the creation of the European Union.
 The flag: There are twelve stars because the number twelve is
traditionally the symbol of perfection, completeness and unity. The flag
therefore remains unchanged regardless of EU enlargements.
 Anthem: This is the anthem not only of the European Union but also of
Europe in a wider sense. The melody comes from the Ninth Symphony
composed in 1823 by Ludwig Van Beethoven.
 Motto: “United in diversity”
 Dates of accession
1958 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands
1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom
1981 Greece
1986 Portugal, Spain
1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden
2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia
2007 Romania, Bulgaria

Further enlargement: Croatia, Turkey

 Accession criteria
‘Copenhagen criteria’

In order to join the Union, candidates need to fulfil the

economic and political conditions known as the
‘Copenhagen criteria’, according to which a prospective
member must:
be a stable democracy, respecting human rights, the rule of
law, and the protection of minorities;
have a functioning market economy;
adopt the common rules, standards and policies that make up
the body of EU law.
 Treaties and agreements

European integration is based on four founding

treaties:

1951 The Treaty of Paris

1957 The Treaties of Rome
1991 - 93 The Maastricht Treaty
 1951 The Treaty of Paris

The Treaty established the European Coal and

Steel Community (ECSC) and it was signed by
six countries:
Belgium, The Federal Republic of Germany,
France, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
It was foundational in bringing together Europe in
peace after WW II. Some of the main enemies
during the war were now sharing production of
coal and steel, the key resources, which previously
had been central to the war effort.
 1957 The Treaties of Rome

 The European Economic Community (EEC) and the

 European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)
were created by „the Six”
Main Principles:
• free trade of goods within a common customs union

• free competition outlawing cartels, monopolies and

government intervention
• free movement of people, services and capital
• agriculture should be promoted via CAP (Common
Agricultural Policy)
 1991: The Treaty on the EU

The Maastricht treaty created the Treaty on the

European Union - and brought all the different
organisations into a single framework called the
EU.
For the first time it also meant that the citizens from
one EU country could travel and work freely in
another EU country.
The Treaty on the European Union changed the
name of the European Economic Community to
simply "the European Community".
 Maastricht: the three pillars

This treaty created a new structure with three

"pillars" which are:
the European Community, including the
single market and the Euro
the Common Foreign and Security Policy
(CFSP)
the area of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)
 The main bodies of the EU

There are five EU institutions, each playing a specific role.

The three main decision-making institutions:

 European Parliament (elected by the peoples of the Member States); 
 Council of the European Union (representing the governments of the
Member States);
 European Commission (driving force and executive body); 

· Court of Justice (ensuring compliance with the law); 

· Court of Auditors (controlling sound and lawful management of the
EU budget).
 What does the EU do…

The EU has only the powers its member countries give it. It can work in only
those policy areas where its member countries decide it can.
The most important of these areas:
· enabling businesses to trade freely and people to work where they
want
· creating an area of freedom, security and justice across Europe
· helping poorer EU regions
· improving our environment
· supporting EU agriculture
· giving Europe a stronger voice in the world
· working together to build security
· helping the member countries to co-ordinate their economic policies
 The Euro

 On 1st January 1999 eleven European Union

countries created a monetary union with a single
currency
 Euro banknotes and coins entered circulation on 1st
January 2002
 The Euro is the currency of thirteen European
Union countries: Belgium, Germany, Greece,
Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland., and,
since 2007 Slovenia.
 Schengen: what is it about?

The 1985 Schengen Agreement is an agreement among

some European states which allows for
the abolition of systematic border controls
between the participating countries.
It also includes provisions on:
the harmonization of external border controls, and
cross-border police co-operation.
 Schengen: member countries

Most EU states and three non-EU members

Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland
have signed the agreement.
The Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom only take
part in the police co-operation measures and not the
common border control and visa provisions.
Border posts and checks have been removed between
Schengen area states and a common 'Schengen visa' allows
tourist or visitor access to the area.
 Hungary and the EU
Accession Agreement
 Dec 1991: Hungary concluded an Accession
Agreement with the EU; this agreement came
into effect in 1994
 The agreement covered: trade, politics, law,
environment, transport and customs related
issues.
 Aim: to establish a free trade area between the
EU and Hungary
 Hungary and the EU
pre-accession assistance

 From 2000 onwards Hungary received about €220

million from the three pre-accession programmes,
which are:
 PHARE (Poland and Hungary: Assistance for
Restructuring their Economies)
 ISPA (Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-
Accession)
 SAPARD (Special Accession Programme for
Agriculture & Rural Development)
 Hungary and the EU
The referendum
 12 April 2003: the referendum on accession to
the EU was held and 4 days later the
Accession Treaty was signed in Athens.
 The participation was low: app. 46% but about
84% voted in favour.
 The Accession Treaty

1 May 2004
The Accession Treaty enters into force and the
European Union's biggest enlargement ever
becomes a reality with 10 new countries -
Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia,
Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the
Slovak Republic, and Slovenia
 Hungary and the EU
Transitional period
 Hungary received transitional periods in
certain areas so that it can have enough time to
adopt and implement the community
legislation.
 These areas include: free movement of
services, capital and people; taxation;
agriculture; environment; transport; customs
union…
 Hungary and the EU
Advantages and disadvantages for us
Advantages:
 Political stability
 Economic growth
 Accession to a market of 450 million inhabitants
 Global presence
 FDI (foreign direct investment)
 Availability of structural funds

Disadvantages:
 Can you think of any?
 Tourism and the EU
The EU and world tourism
 Europe is the most visited tourist region in the
world
 Tourism affects social, cultural, and economic
life
 ~99% of tourism business are SMEs
 ~8 million people are directly employed in
tourism (~5% of total employment)
 Tourism and the EU
Tourism Unit of Directorate General Enterprise

 The Tourism Unit of Directorate General

Enterprise is responsible for tourism in the EU.
 Main role: to ensure that the interest of tourism
is always taken into consideration when
legislation or operating programmes and
policies are prepared.
 Tourism and the EU
Tourism Unit of Directorate General Enterprise
 Objectives:
to improve the quality, competitiveness, and
sustainability of European tourism
to develop the technical and human resource
requirements of tourism
to stop mass tourism, which may result in the
over-exploitation, pollution and destruction of
tourist attractions
 Tourism and the EU
The Schengen Treaty
 Importance: genuine free travel for millions of
people
 July 1995: the removal of internal border
controls between the signatory states: the
Benelux states, France, Germany, Austria,
Denmark, Finland Greece, Italy, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Iceland, Norway
 Tourism and the EU
The single currency
Since 1 January 2002 the Euro has had a positive
impact on tourism:
- Cheaper cross-border transaction costs

- Foreign exchange risks are eliminated

- Transparency of prices within the euro zone

These all reduce the cost of travel

 Tourism and the EU
The liberalization of aviation
 Civil aviation was liberalized in 2003, which
enabled the no-frills airlines to enter the
market.
 Effects:
- Proliferation of airlines
- Increased competition
- Cheaper prices
- Air travel made possible for millions
 Tourism and the EU
The Net
 2003: the Network of European Private
Entrepreneurs in the Tourism Sector was set
up.
 NET is a coalition formed to champion the
interests of the European tourism private
sector. Prosperity in this sector is a bedrock of
European employment and wealth.
 Tourism and the EU
Net objectives
 To ensure European policy creates tourism jobs and wealth.
 To encourage the sustainable development of tourism
 To reflect and communicate the views of the tourism industry
 To monitor regulatory initiatives by the European Institutions and
to ensure that the needs or European tourism businesses are
heeded
 To monitor trends and technical developments affecting the
tourism industry, facilitating strategic planning
 To raise tourism's profile as an industry in Europe
 To encourage investment in training, product quality, safety and
environmental protection in the interest of the consumer and the
public at large
 Tourism and the EU
The effects of enlargement on Eastern Europe
 EU enlargement is likely to create a steady
economic growth.
 Obstacles:
- Underdeveloped transport and infrastructure
- Varying standards of services
- Limited Internet access (lack of info)
- Prejudice against new members
 Tourism and the EU
The effects of enlargement on Eastern Europe
How to solve these problems?
 By constructing and modernising motorways,
health centres, marinas, spas, hotels, etc.
(Infrastructure and facilities - financed from
European structural funds)
 By better marketing and intensified media
attention
 Tourism and the EU
Forms of tourism to develop
- City beaks
- Culture holidays
- Rural tourism
- Health tourism
- Activity weekends
- Nature holiday
- Gastronomic tourism
- Youth tourism