THE EUROPEAN UNION

50 Years of Peace, Prosperity and Partnership

GROUP MEMBERS-

SOHAN VINITA TABASSUM YASHWIN ZIBRAN UMANG UJJWAL VINAYAK VIKAS

What is the European Union?

27

Member States

Shared values: liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law. Largest economic body in the world. Worlds most successful model for advancing peace and democracy. A unique institution Member States voluntarily cede national sovereignty in many areas to carry out common policies and governance. Not a super-state to replace existing states, nor just an organization for international cooperation. Worlds most open market for goods and

Combined population of EU Member States

490
million

Percent of worlds population Percent of global GDP

30

55

Percent of combined worldwide Official Development Assistance

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EU

The European Union has gone through many incarnations since its origins fifty-plus years ago.

1945 - 1959
A peaceful Europe the beginnings of cooperation
The European Union is set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbors, which culminated in the Second World War. As of 1950, the European Coal and Steel Community begins to unite European countries economically and politically in order to secure lasting peace. The six founders are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

1960 - 1969
The Swinging Sixties a period of economic growth
The 1960s sees the emergence of 'youth culture, with groups such as the Beatles attracting huge crowds of teenage fans wherever they appear, helping to stimulate a cultural revolution and widening the generation gap.
That was a good period for the economy, helped by the fact that EU countries stop charging custom duties when they trade with each other. They also agree joint control over food production, so that everybody now has enough to eat - and soon there is even surplus agricultural produce.

1970 - 1979
A growing Community the first Enlargement
The short, yet brutal, Arab-Israeli war of October 1973 result in an energy crisis and economic problems in Europe.

The EU regional policy starts to transfer huge sums to create jobs and infrastructure in poorer areas.
The European Parliament increases its influence in EU affairs and in 1979 all citizens can , for the first time, elect their members directly.

1980 - 1989
The changing face of Europe - the fall of the Berlin Wall
There is major political upheaval when, on 9 November 1989, the Berlin Wall is pulled down and the border between East and West Germany is opened for the first time in 28 years, this leads to the reunification of Germany when both East and West Germany are united in October 1990.

1990 - 1999
A Europe without frontiers
Europeans become closer neighbors.
In 1993 the Single Market is completed with the 'four freedoms. a) movement of goods b) movement of services, c) movement of people and d) movement of money. People are concerned about how to protect the environment and also how Europeans can act together when it comes to security and defense matters.

2000 - today
A decade of further expansion
The euro is the new currency for many Europeans. EU countries begin to work much more closely together to fight crime. The political divisions between east and west Europe are finally declared healed when no fewer than 12 new countries join the EU by 2007. Many people think that it is time for Europe to have a constitution but what sort of constitution is by no means easy to agree, so the debate on the future of Europe rages on.

Basis of the EU
The European

Union is based on the rule of law and

democracy. It is neither a new State replacing existing ones nor is it comparable to other international organizations. Its Member States delegate sovereignty to common institutions representing the interests of the Union as a whole on questions of joint interest. All decisions and procedures are derived from the basic treaties ratified by the Member States.

MEMBER ECONOMIES OF EU(year of entry)

AUSTRIA 1995 BELGIUM 1952 BULGARIA 2007 CYPRUS 2004 CZECH REPUBLIC 2004 DENMARK 1973 ESTONIA 2004 FINLAND 1995 FRANCE 1952 GERMANY 1952 GREECE 1981 HUNGARY 2004

IRELAND 1973 SPAIN 1986 ITALY 1952 SWEDEN1995 LATVIA 2004 UK 1973 LITHUANIA 2004 LUXEMBOURG 1952 MALTA 2004 NETHERLANDS 1952 POLAND 2004 PORTUGAL 1986 ROMANIA 2007 SLOVAKIA 2004 SLOVENIA 2004

What Does it Take to qualify for Membership in the EU?

1. The candidate country has achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities. 2. The candidate country has the existence of a functioning market economy, as well as the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union. (COPENHEGAN CRITERIA) 3. The candidate country has the ability to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.

Principal Objects of the EU

Establish European Citizenship

Ensure freedom, security, and justice

Promote economic and social progress Assert Europes role in the world

The EU is run by five institutions, each playing a specific role:

European Parliament

elected by the peoples of the Member States

Council of the Union

composed of the governments of the Member States

European Commission

driving force and executive body

Court of Justice

compliance with the law sound and lawful management of the EU budget

Court of Auditors

The EU Headquarters

Brussels, Belgium

Selected as the headquarters of the European Union because of its centralized location in Europe.

Working for the EU

The EU institutions employ over 40 000 men and women from the 27 EU member countries. The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) organizes 'open competitions' to select personnel for permanent and non permanent positions. Besides permanent staff, the EU also employs contractual agents and temporary staff, offers traineeships and maintains databases of area experts.

CURRENT EU ISSUES
1. The Euro:
*The Common Currency for the EU Countries.

2. Multilingualism:
*20 official languages for 25 countries.

3. Openness, Access and Transparency:

*How to get the documents to the people? 4. Safety & security of Europe: *Against terrorism.

EUROPEAN DEBT CRISIS

From late 2009, fears of a sovereign debt crisis developed among investors concerning rising government debt levels across the globe together with a wave of downgrading of government debt of certain European states. Concerns intensified early 2010 and thereafter making it difficult or impossible for Greece, Ireland and Portugal to re-finance their debts. Some reasons for its cause a) easy credit conditions during the 20022008 period. b) real-estate bubbles c) fiscal policy choices related to government revenues and expenses & etc

Measures taken to overcome European debt crisis..

On 9 May 2010, Europe's Finance Ministers approved a rescue package worth 750 billion aimed at ensuring financial stability across Europe by creating the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF). In October 2011 euro zone leaders agreed on another package of measures designed to prevent the collapse of member economies. This included a) An agreement with banks to accept a 50% writeoff of Greek debt owed to private creditors b) Increasing the EFSF to about 1 trillion c) And requiring European banks to achieve 9% capitalization.

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU