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European Union

Learn about the history and growth of the European Union since its inception in 1957, its expansion, criteria for joining, key pillars of cooperation, official languages, and notable symbols and achievements.

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European Union

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  1. European Union

  2. The EU… not always as big as it is today! • WWI and WWII - a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to foster economic cooperation: the idea being that countries who trade with one another become economically interdependent and so more likely to avoid conflict. • 1950 - French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. • 1951 - six countries founded the European Coal and Steel Community to foster this cooperation: • Belgium • Germany • France • Italy • Luxembourg • The Netherlands

  3. Over time, more and more countries decided to join the European Coal and Steel Community, and treaties were signed. • In 1957, the European Union was founded. • It reached its current size of 28 member countries with the accession Croatia on July 1, 2013. http://europa.eu/about-eu/countries/member-countries/index_en.htm

  4. A Few Facts • less than one-half the size of the U.S. • Brussels, Belgium is the capital • Headquarters are located in Brussels (Belgium), Luxembourg, and Strasbourg (France) • The EU will continue to grow as an increasing number of countries express interest in membership. • These countries can be divided into candidate countries and potential candidate countries. • Candidate countries are in the process of integrating EU legislation into national law, while potential candidate countries do not yet fulfill the requirements for EU membership. Brussels, Belgium

  5. Joining the EU • Becoming a member of the EU is a complex procedure which does not happen overnight. Once an applicant country meets the conditions for membership, it must implement EU rules and regulations in all areas. • Any country that satisfies the conditions for membership can apply. These conditions are known as the ‘Copenhagen criteria’: • 1) a free-market economy, • 2) a stable democracy and the rule of law, and • 3) the acceptance of all EU legislation, including of the euro.

  6. 24 OFFICIAL LANGUAGES Bulgarian French Maltese Croatian German Polish Czech Greek Portuguese Danish Hungarian Romanian Dutch Irish Slovak English Italian Slovene Estonian Latvian Spanish Finnish Lithuanian Swedish

  7. Three Pillars- major areas of cooperation - The European Union European Community domain (focus is economic issues such as trade, jobs, money, etc. ) Police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters Common foreign and security policy The Treaties

  8. The Court of Justice – upholding the law – 28 independent judges,one from each EU country4Rules on how to interpret EU law4Ensures EU laws are used in the same way in all EU countries 4Decides EU laws and budget together with Council of Ministers4Democratic supervision of all the EU’s work

  9. Other EU Headquarters Luxembourg Strasbourg, France

  10. The euro – a single currency for Europeans Can be used everywhere in the euro area 4coins: one side with national symbols; one side common 4notes/bills: no national side EU countries using the euro EU countries not using the euro

  11. front French coins back (country specific) http://web.cortland.edu/flteach/flteach-euro.html

  12. “Schengen” an area shared by 26 European countries that have abolished passport or any other type of border control in-between their internal borders allows free movement within these 26 EU countries No police or customs checks at borders between most EU countries; freedom to move. Controls strengthened at EU external borders. More cooperation between police from different EU countries. You can buy and bring back any goods for personal use when you travel between EU countries. http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/go/schengen-fact-sheet.html • FYI… • All European Union countries, except Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom, are members of the Schengen Borders Agreement. • In addition, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein are also members of the Schengen Borders Agreement (but they are not European Union members).

  13. The EU symbols The European anthem The European flag Europe Day, May 9 The motto: United in Diversity

  14. EU Symbols The European Flag The 12 stars in a circle symbolize the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony among the peoples of Europe. Blue represents the sky of the Western world, the stars are the peoples of Europe in a circle, a symbol of unity; the number of stars is fixed. The European Anthem "Ode to Joy" - The melody used to symbolize the EU comes from the Ninth Symphony composed in 1823 by Ludwig Von Beethoven. Europe Day The ideas behind the European Union were first put forward on May 9, 1950 by French foreign minister Robert Schuman. This is why May 9 is celebrated as a key date for the EU. The EU Motto "United in Diversity" is the motto of the European Union. It signifies how Europeans have come together, in the form of the EU, to work for peace and prosperity, while at the same time being enriched by the continent's many different cultures, traditions and languages.

  15. Remember… The member countries of the European Union share a common currency (the euro) and a common government.

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