Impact of EU on UK Governance

• Customs Union

  Member states agree to trade with each other without any tariffs. And agreeing to apply the same tariffs to other countries.
• Single Market

  Goods and services made and sold under the same regulations and can move freely across the markets.
• Economic Union

  Close economic ties whilst leaving political decisions to individual states.
• Political Union

  Close political ties beyond economic issues.
• European Union


  Consists of 27 members.
• Development of EU

  1648 - Treaty of Westphalia

  1920 - League of Nations

  1950 - European Coal and Steel Community formed

  1957 - EEC created

  1973 - UK enters EEC

  1975 - UK referendum on EEC membership

  1986 - Single European Act, making the EU a single market

  1992 - Maastricht treaty signed, transitioning from EEC to EU

  2007 - Lisbon Treaty

  2016 - UK votes to leave EU

  2020 - UK leaves EU, signing a new treaty with the EU
• Four Freedoms

  Freedom of movement of goods, services, people, capital.
• Impact on UK

  UK has 1/3 of the seats in European Parliament

  UK has played a role in blocking or imposing regulations and legislation.

  Member states unlikely to have to accept unwanted legislation.
• Impact of leaving on UK

  Johnson - 'get Brexit done' purged more moderate conservatives from the party.

  Labour - Accept a soft Brexit, focussing on workers rights and a close relationship with the EU. Later the party was whipped by Starmer to vote for Johnsons deal.

  Lib Dems - Openly Pro European, stating they would reverse Brexit if elected.

  SNP - calling for a 2nd Indy Ref, as Brexit is a major change.

  UKIP - Collapsed after, however is still a party, albeit with little to no impact.

  Brexit Party - Now transitioned into Reform party, winning 5 seats in the 2024 G.E.