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uk

The European Union 1

All photographs and graphics courtesy of

European Commission Audiovisual Library
http://europa.eu.int/comm/mediatheque/photo/index_en.html

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The European Union

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The EU, USA and Japan

Comparison between Japan-EU-USA population, share of world GDP, share of world trade

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Institutions

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Political
• EU Parliament – Currently 626 MEPs, will be 732
by 2007 and 786 by 2009. Based in France,
Belgium and Luxembourg
– Passes laws, monitors budget, monitors EU institutions
• EU Council – Ministerial representations from each
member state
– Passes laws, approves EU budget, co-ordination
of economic policies, develops foreign policy,
co-ordinates anti-crime strategies
• EU Commission – 20 Commissioners appointed by
each member state every 5 years
– Proposes legislation, implements EU policies,
law enforcement, international co-ordination

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Financial
• European Central Bank – inflation target
of less than 2% per year, sets short term
interest rates for the whole eurozone area,
– Implements and monitors Eurozone monetary policy
• European Investment Bank –
‘owned’ by member states.
Raise finance through financial markets,
– Invest in projects to promote aims of EU –
large scale projects
• Court of Auditors – monitors legality
and efficiency of EU income and expenditure

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Legal

• Court of Justice – one judge

from each member state
– Interprets and applies EU legislation

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Member States pre-Enlargement

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Member States

Map reproduced with permission from www.theodora.com

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Enlargement - New Members

   
    
    
    
 
CyprusRepublic
Czech
Estonia
Hungary
Latvia
  
    
    
    
Lithuania
Malta
Poland
Slovakia
Slovenia

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Activities

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Agriculture

• CAP – Common Agricultural Policy

– Sustainablility
– Food Quality
– Animal Welfare
– Food Safety
– Control
– Farmers welfare/incomes
– Employment in agriculture

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Fisheries
• CFP – Common
Fisheries Policy
– Conservation
of fish stocks
– Aid to fishing industry
to cope with changing
circumstances
– Monitor supply
and demand for fish
– Negotiate with non-EU
members on fishing
issues

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Regions
• European Regional Development Fund
• European Social Fund
• European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee
Fund
• Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance
– Aims to encourage development of poorer regions
– Increase employment opportunities
– Encourage new industry to locate in areas
of structural decline
– Develop infrastructure in poorer regions
– Encourage new training methods and facilities

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Finance/Economics

• Euro – monitor introduction and development

• Tax Harmonisation – reduce differentials
in tax regimes throughout the single market
to aid competition and transparency
• Single Market – free movement of goods,
services, labour and capital between
member states

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Eurozone 2001

Members of the Eurozone, 2001. UK, Denmark and

Norway currently outside the zone

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