European Union

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European Union
Besir Besler
The
Block
Maxime Vignon
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• Building the European Union
• Treaties
• Inside the Union
• Structure
• Cultures
• Enlargement
• The EU Block
• Figures
• Conflicts
• SWOT analysis

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• I. Origins and Evolution

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EU Member Countries Austria Belgium Cyprus
Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland
France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy
Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta
Netherlands Poland Portugal Slovakia
Slovenia Spain Sweden UK Candidate
countriesBulgaria Romania Turkey
OthersIceland Norway Russia Switzerland
Ukraine
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The Treaty of Paris was seen as foundational
in bringing together Europe in peace after the
Second World War and having established European
Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) by (West)
Germany France Italy and the Benelux
(Belgium-Netherlands- Luxembourg) countries
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The first full customs union was originally
known as the European Economic Community (EEC)
established by the Treaty of Rome in 1957.
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By Merger Treaty all three European
Communities (ECSC EC and Eurotom) were gathered
together
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The Maastricht Treaty led to the creation of
the European Union and was the result of separate
negotiations on monetary union and on political
union. The treaty also created the Euro and
introduced the three-pillar structure.
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The Amsterdam Treaty meant a greater emphasis
on citizenship and the rights of individuals
more democracy in the shape of increased power
for the European Parliament.
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The primary purpose of the Treaty of Nice was
to reform the institutional structure to
withstand the Enlargement of the European Union
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European Constitution signed in 2004 but has
not yet come to pass intended to create a
constitution for the European Union
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• II. Inside the European Union

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The Three Pillars of the EU
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The ECB

• Supranational instit.
• The Euro ()
• Decision-making process
• Lack of feedback
• Inappropriate objectives
• Cost of stability

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Cultures and Enlargement

• Major influences
• The Constitution flop
• Debate on nuclear
• Enlargement criteria
• Turkey
• Montenegro

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• III. The European Block

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- The Union ..a common single market
consisting of a customs union and a single
currency managed by the European Central Bank-
In 1985 the Schengen Agreement was signed to
abolish passport control customs checks and
many of the EUs internal borders creating a
single space of mobility for EU citizens to live
travel work and invest - The European
Unions activities cover all areas of public
policy from health and economic policy to
foreign affairs and defence. However the extent
of its powers differs greatly between areas -
Depending on the area in question the EU may
therefore resemble - a federation
(e.g. on monetary affairs agricultural trade
and environmental policy economic
and social policy)
- a confederation (e.g. on home affairs)
- an international organisation (e.g. in
foreign affairs).
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Growth- Even though the EU economy has a
low growth rate it is expected to grow further
over the next decade as more countries join the
union - especially considering that the new
member states are usually poorer than the EU
average. Its economic growth has been below
that of the United States most years since1990.
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CurrencyThe Euro was introduced to world
financial markets as an accounting currency in
1999 and launched as physical coins and banknotes
in 2002
US to Euro - Last 5 years
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The effects of Euro

• lowered exchange rate risks
• the removal of bank transaction charges
• financial markets are expected to be far more
  liquid and flexible
  
• Improved macroeconomic stability
• differences in prices - in particular in price
  levels - should decrease
  
• about the possible dangers of adopting a single
  currency for a large and diverse area

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Unemployment - Unemployment provides one of
the most important challenges for economic
policymakers in Europe over the next ten years.
- The unemployment rate in the European Union
in January 2006 was 8.5 this compares this
compares with 4.1 in Japan and 5.1 in the
United States.
Unemployment Rate () Euro Zone _
_____ vs. US.______

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Trade
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(No Transcript)
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Impact of Blocks

• Trade increases
• Natural Gas
• Steel
• Farm subsidies
• EUs SWOT

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• Questions and Comments