European Nations

European Union

by Shayla Ward-Wilcox

Standard:​

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SS6E8 Analyze the benefits of and barriers to voluntary trade in Europe. 

d. Describe the purpose of the European Union and the relationship between member nations.

EQ:​

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What is the European Union and the relationship with its members?

​History

• ​The European Union (EU) is an economic and political partnership between many European countries.

• After WWII ended, France and Germany came up with a plan to ensure the countries would never go to war with each other again.

• The result was a deal signed by 6 countries in 1957.

• In 2019, the EU has grown to 28 members (with one in the process of leaving)

​Purpose

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• The European Union was originally established to set up free trade among member countries.

• Today, the EU is a powerful trade bloc that makes up 1/5th of the world’s trade. 

• Goods produced in Europe can move freely, without tariffs, to other European nations, which leads to huge cost savings to consumers and businesses.

Multiple Choice

The European Union was originally established to ______________?

• start a new country

• make more money

• set up free trade among member countries.

Multiple Choice

______ produced in Europe can move freely, without ______. This leads to huge _____ _____ to consumers and businesses.

• Goods, tariffs, cost savings

• Demand, taxes, government demand

• Goods, money, money decrease

Purpose​

• Even though the EU’s original purpose was to encourage free trade within Europe, it now has several other important interests:

1. Creating a stable, peaceful relationship between countries

2. Ensuring the safety and security of its members

3. Promoting social issues like protecting human rights and preserving the environment

• The European Union members work together for advantages that would be out of their reach if each were working alone.

Multiple Choice

This organization exists to maintain peace and stability throughout the continent. It also promotes trade and economic growth. It allows free movement of people and goods among member nations.

• Soviet Union

• European Union

• League of Nations

​Together

• The EU believes that when countries work together they are a more powerful force in the world because they involve:

  • more money,

  • more people,

  • and more land areas.

• This helps make small countries more competitive in the world market.

• The US is much larger than separate European countries. 

• When the EU countries combine, they have more people and a larger economy, and they can compete in a global economy.

​Benefits

• The EU has built a strong relationship among its member nations.

• Not having tariffs has led to improved trade and higher standards of living among members.

  • Wealthy countries are sharing wealth with poorer countries.

• Citizens are allowed to move freely among member countries in order to find better jobs. 

• The EU’s strict environmental standards have helped some countries improve their environment.

Multiple Choice

Not having _____  has led to _____ trade and higher _______  among members.

• ships, less, taxes

• money, no, unemployment

• tariffs, improved,  

  standards of living

​Euro

• The EU’s most important economic accomplishment is the establishment of a single currency called the euro.

• A common currency makes trade easier, more efficient, and less expensive.

• Countries who use the euro do not have to worry about exchanging currency.

• 19 member countries have chosen to give up their own currency and exchange it for euros.

  • For example, French francs and German marks have been replaced by the euro.

Multiple Choice

A common currency makes trade easier, more efficient, and less expensive.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The currency of most countries within the European Union is the ________.

• euro

• dollar

• pounds

EU Members​

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Austria	Belgium	Bulgaria	Croatia
Cyprus	Czech Republic	Denmark	Estonia
Finland	France	Germany	Greece
Hungary	Ireland	Italy	Latvia
Lithuania	Luxembourg	Malta	Netherlands
Poland	Portugal	Romania	Slovakia
Slovenia	Spain	Sweden	United Kingdom*

​Government

• The European Union does NOT handle all the government business for the members.

• It acts as a confederation.

• Each country still makes its own laws, has a military, and elects its leaders.

​Government

• There is, however, a European Parliament, which is the only directly elected EU body.

  • It does not represent the countries’ governments, but rather the citizens of the EU.

• Elections have been held every 5 years since 1979.

• The European Parliament CANNOT pass laws.

• In recent years, the European Parliament’s powers have increased.

  • Not every country has been happy with this…

Brexit​

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• In June 2016, the people in the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union.

• The people who voted “leave” say they want the UK to be less influenced by other countries and to have its own laws rather than having to go by the rules of the EU.

• They believed the UK was being held back by the EU, which they said imposed too many rules on business and charged billions of pounds a year in membership fees for little in return.

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Multiple Choice

Why did the people of the UK vote to leave the E.U.?

• wanted UK to be less influenced by other countries & to have its own laws; not rules of the EU.

• it was boring & the people wanted more freedoms

• it was too many countries & the tariffs were too much

Multiple Select

What did the people come to believe about the E.U.?

• UK was being held back by the EU

• imposed too many rules on businesses

• charged to much per year in membership fees

​Brexit

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• Brexit supporters also wanted the UK to take back full control of its borders and to reduce the number of people coming into the country to live and/or work. 

• The UK will continue to abide by EU treaties and laws, but not take part in any decision-making, while it negotiates a withdrawal agreement and the terms of its relationship with the EU.

Multiple Choice

Which country is planning to withdraw from the European Union?

• UK

• Germany

• Russia

• France

​Update

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• Because of conflicts over the withdrawal agreement, Brexit has been delayed many times over the past three years.

• As it stands now, the United Kingdom is officially due to leave the European Union on October 31, 2019 with a “transition period” that lasts until December 31, 2020.

​Non-Members

• There are several other countries that are NOT EU members, including Turkey, Switzerland, Iceland, & Russia.

• WHY?

  1. Turkey’s culture, stability, & location to the Middle East causes some EU members to not want Turkey to join.

  2. Switzerland has one of the world’s highest standards of living & prefers its economy to not be regulated under the EU.

  3. The EU has strict limits on the fishing industry, & Iceland does not want the EU’s control on its most important economic activity.

  4. Russia prefers to be an independent world leader over its own resources and economy.