The European Union is a politico-economic union consisting of 28 member states located primarily in Europe. It operates through supranational independent institutions and intergovernmental negotiated decisions by member states. Major milestones in the development of the EU include the establishment of the European Economic Community in 1957 with six founding members, successive expansions adding new members, and agreements that increased cooperation and integration, such as the Maastricht Treaty.

1. E U R O P E A N U N I O N
T H E E U R O P E A N U N I O N I S A P O L I T I C O -
E C O N O M I C U N I O N O F 2 8 M E M B E R S T A T E S
T H A T A R E P R I M A R I L Y L O C A T E D I N E U R O P E .
T H E E U O P E R A T E S T H R O U G H A S Y S T E M O F
S U P R A N A T I O N A L I N D E P E N D E N T I N S T I T U T I O N S
A N D I N T E R G O V E R N M E N T A L N E G O T I A T E D
D E C I S I O N S B Y T H E M E M B E R S T A T E S .
EUROPEAN UNION

2. Member states of EU
 Austria(1995)
Belgium (1952)
 Bulgaria (2007)
 Croatia (2013)
 Cyprus (2004)
 Czech Republic (2004)
 Denmark (1973)
 Estonia (2004)
 Finland (1995)
 France (1952)
 Germany (1952)
 Greece (1981)
 Hungary (2004)
 Ireland (1973)
 Italy (1952)
 Latvia (2004)
 Lithuania (2004)
 Luxembourg (1952)
Malta (2004)
 Netherlands (1952)
 Poland (2004)
 Portugal (1986)
 Romania (2007)
 Slovakia (2004)
 Slovenia (2004)
 Spain (1986)
 Sweden (1995)
 United Kingdom (1973)

3. The European Union:
500 million people – 28 countries
Member states of the European Union
Candidate and potential candidate
countries

4. 1945 - 1962
 1948 – Under the
MARSHAL PLAN the
Organisation for
European Economic
Cooperation(OEEC)
was established
 1949 – The Council of
Europe was established
 1957 – European
Economic Community
(EEC) was established
Founding Member
States: Germany,
France, Italy, the
Netherlands, Belgium
and Luxembourg.
1962 -The EU starts its
‘ common agricultural
policy ’ giving the
countries joint control
over food production.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF EU

5. 1973 - 1992
 1973 - The six become
nine when Denmark,
Ireland and the United
Kingdom formally enter
the EU
 1974 - To show their
solidarity, EU leaders set
up the European Regional
Development Fund.
 1979 - EU citizens directly
elect the members of
the European
Parliament for the first
time.
 1981 -Membership of the EU
reaches double figures when
Greece joins.
 1986 - Spain and Portugal enter
the EU, bringing membership to
12.
 1992The Treaty on European
Union is signed in Maastricht. It
is a major EU milestone, setting
clear rules for the future single
currency as well as for foreign
and security policy and closer
cooperation in justice and home
affairs. Under the treaty, the
name ‘European Union’
officially replaces ‘European
Community -
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF EU

6. 1993 - 2002
 1993 - The single
market and its four
freedoms are
established: the free
movement of goods,
services, people and
money is now reality.
 1995 - Austria, Finland
and Sweden join the
EU. The 15 members
now cover almost the
whole of western
Europe.
 1999 -The euro is
introduced in 11
countries (joined by
Greece in 2001) for
commercial and
financial transactions
only.
 2002 - Euro notes and
coins arrive. Printing,
minting and
distributing them in 12
countries is a major
logistical operation
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF EU

7. 2004 - 2007
 2004 - Eight countries of
central and eastern Europe
— the Czech Republic,
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
Hungary, Poland, Slovenia
and Slovakia. Cyprus and
Malta also become
members.
 2007 - Two more countries
from eastern Europe,
Bulgaria and Romania, now
join the EU, brining the
number of member states to
27 countries.
 2007 -The 27 EU countries
sign the Treaty of Lisbon,
which amends the previous
Treaties. It is designed to
make the EU more
democratic, efficient and
transparent, and thereby
able to tackle global
challenges such as climate
change, security and
sustainable development.
The Treaty of Lisbon is
ratified by all EU countries
before entering into force on
1 December 2009
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF EU

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

9. EU population in the world
Population in millions, 2012
508
1343
127 143
314
EU China Japan Russia United States
1205
India

10. The area of the EU compared to the rest
of the world
Surface area, 1 000 km²
EU China Japan Russia United States
16 889
9327 9159
4290
365
India
3287

11. How rich is the EU compared to the rest
of the world?
EU China Japan Russia United States EU China Japan Russia United States
12 600
5 200
4 200
1300
10 800
25 200
5 800
26 300
12 000
37 100
Size of economy: 2011 gross domestic product
in trillion of euros
Wealth per person: 2011 gross domestic product
per person
India India
26001 200

12. The EU – a major trading power
% of global exports,
goods, 2012
Others
55%
EU
15%
United States
11%
Japan
5%
China
14%
% of global exports,
services, 2012
Others
42%
EU
25%
United States
18%
Japan
4%
China
6%
India
5%

13. The EU is the biggest provider of
development aid in the world
Official development assistance per citizen, 2011
€ 110
€ 60
€ 70
EU Japan United States
The EU provides over half of all development aid

14. 2014 EU budget: € 142.6 billion
= 1.06% of gross national income
How does the EU spend its money?
Global Europe:
including development aid
6%
Other, administration
6%
Smart and inclusive growth:
jobs, competitiveness,
regional development
45%
Security and citizenship, justice
2%
Sustainable growth –
natural resources:
agriculture, environment
42%

15. The European Parliament – voice of the people
4 Decides EU laws and budget together with Council of Ministers
4 Democratic supervision of all the EU’s work
Number of members elected in each country
United Kingdom11
21
74
73
13
Italy
Ireland
21Hungary
Greece
96Germany
France
Finland
6Estonia
13Denmark
21Czech Republic
6Cyprus
11Croatia
18Austria
21Belgium
Total 751
73
20Sweden
54Spain
8Slovenia
13Slovakia
32Romania
21Portugal
51Poland
26Netherlands
6Malta
6Luxembourg
11Lithuania
8Latvia
Bulgaria 17

16. Europe 2020 – Europe's growth strategy
EU leaders agreed in 2010 the overall strategy to get out of the
economic crisis by means of:
4Smart growth
Better education, more research, greater use of communication technologies
4Sustainable growth
A resource - efficient, greener and more competitive economy
4Inclusive growth
More and better jobs, investment in skills and training, modernisation of
the labour market and welfare systems, spreading the benefits of growth to
all parts of the EU
4Good economic governance
Better coordination of economic policy

17. The five targets for the EU in 2020
Agreed in the Europe 2020 strategy:
4Employment
75% of 20-64 year-olds to be employed
4Research and innovation
3% of the EU's GDP to be invested in research
4Climate change/energy
Greenhouse gas emissions 20% lower than 1990
20% of energy from renewables
20% increase in energy efficiency
4Education
School drop-out rates below 10%
40% of 30-34–year-olds completing third-level education
4Poverty
20 million fewer people in, or at risk of, poverty and social exclusion

18. The euro – a single currency for Europeans
EU countries using the euro
EU countries not using the euro
Can be used everywhere in the euro area
4Coins: one side with national symbols,
one side common
4Notes: no national side

19. Beating inflation
European Economic and Monetary Union: stable prices
Average annual inflation in the 17 EU-countries that used the euro in 2013
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012

20. The single market: freedom of choice
Four freedoms of movement:
4 goods
4 services
4 people
4 capital
©GettyImages
The single market has led to:
 Significant reductions in the price of many
products and services, including airfares and
phone calls
 More choice for consumers
 2.8 million new jobs

21. Free to move
“Schengen”:
4 No police or customs checks at borders between most
EU countries
4 Controls strengthened at EU external borders
4 More cooperation between police from different EU
countries
4 You can buy and bring back any goods for personal use
when you travel between EU countries
©Corbis

22. Improving health and the environment
Pollution knows no borders – joint action needed
EU action has helped bring:
4 Cleaner bathing water
4 Much less acid rain
4 Lead-free petrol
4 Free and safe disposal of old electronic equipment
4 Strict rules on food safety from farm to fork
4 More organic and quality farming
4 More effective health warnings on cigarettes
4 Registration and control of all chemicals (REACH)
©VanParysMedia

23. Going abroad to learn
Every year, more than 400 000 young people
study or pursue personal development in other
European countries with support from EU
programmes:
4 Comenius: school education
4 Erasmus: higher education
4 Leonardo da Vinci: vocational training
4 Grundtvig: adult education
4 Youth in Action: voluntary work and
non-formal education
©GettyImages

24. The European Commission – promoting
the common interest
28 independent members,
one from each EU country
4Proposes new legislation
4Executive organ
4Guardian of the treaties
4Represents the EU on the international stage

25. COMPILED & DESIGNED BY
JOSE FRANCIS ISAAC