European Union

• European Union

  An international organization of European countries formed after World War II to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its members
• European Council

  Decide the overall direction of the EU, vision-makers
• Work of European Council

  Formulated the EU's response to the War in Ukraine (2022).
• President of the European Council


  The person chairing the meetings of the European Council
• Current holder of the office of President of the European Council is Charles Michel
• European Commission

  Responsible for proposing EU legislation, implementing it, and monitoring compliance
• Work of the European Commission in agriculture

  • In June 2020, Commission announced a 9% reduction in the Common Agricultural Policy funding
• Work of the European Commission in substance control

  • In 1982, issued the Seveso directive indicating how dangerous substances should dealt with affecting 12,000 industrial plants in the EU
• European Commissioner

  27 Commissioners each with a portfolio (like a minister)
• President of the European Commission

  Head of the European Commission, designates (with National Governments) what portfolio each commissioner has
• Current holder of President of the European Commission is Ursula Von Der Leyen
• Council of the European Union

  Relevant ministers (foreign, economic, agriculture, finance, etc.) of each member state meet to enact legislation and reconcile national interests
• Work of the Council of the European Union

  • Negotiates trade deals with non-eu states such as with Kenya in 2023
• European Parliament

  Debates legislation proposed by the commission
• Work of the European Parliament in Commissioner approval

  • In 2019, the parliament's oversight committee vetoed romanian nominee Rovana Plumb for irregularity in her wealth declaration
• Work of the European Parliament in the meme ban

  • In 2019, the Parliament approved a new copyright law which garnered the nickname "meme ban" after it was seen to force social media to tackle misuse of copyrighted material on their sites, signalled as the end of memes
• Member of the European Parliament (MEP)

  An elected citizen to the Parliament of the European Union, normally representing a political party
• Court of Justice of the European Union

  The judicial body of the EU that makes decisions on issues of EU law and enforces European decisions either in respect of actions taken by the European Commission against a member state or action taken by an individual to enforce his rights under EU law
• Work of the Court of Justice of the European Union

  • In 2020, the court overturned the commission's decision to block the merger of Three and O2 telecoms companies
• National Governments

  Apply EU Legislation into their country, as well as provide Ministers for the Council of the European Union and leaders for European Council
• Four core aims of the EU

  • Freedom of Movement of people
  • Freedom of Movement of services
  • Freedom of Movement of capital
  • Freedom of movement of goods
• Aims of the EU

  • Promote peace and the EU values, wellbeing of citizens
  • Freedom, Security and justice without internal borders
  • Balanced economic growth, a competitive market economy with full employment and environmental protection
  • Combat Social Exclusion and Discrimination
  • Scientific and technological progress
  • Economic, social, territorial cohesion and solidarity
  • Respect its rich cultural and linguistic diversity
  • Establish an economic and monetary union
• Has the EU achieved its aim of Promoting peace and EU values?
• Has the EU achieved its aim of freedom, security and justice without internal borders?
• Has the EU achieved its aim of balanced competitive green market economic growth?
• Has the EU achieved its aim of combating social exclusion and discrimination?
• Has the EU achieved its aims of scientific and technological progress?
• Has the EU achieved its aims of economic, social, territorial cohesion and solidarity?
• Pooling sovereignty


  The idea of strengthening a country's resources by combining them with those of partner countries, giving the EU authority to make decisions on their behalf
• Job creation in the single market

  • Created more than 2.8 million jobs an increase of 2% since 1992
• EU providing funding to disparate regions

  • The EU direct 45% of their funding into regional development, they focus on the regions which have less than 75% of the EU average GDP. Wales was given £245 million more than it was paying the EU every year, but still voted to leave EU
• Strong anti-EU voices

  • Geert Wilder in the Netherlands has talked of Nexit, as has Marine Le Pen a rising far-right leader in France. These have had success in the polls with Wilder's Party for Freedom, which is also proudly islamophobic
• EU over regulation

  • Farmers protests in 2024, when farmers from EU countries came together to deplore the EU setting and practically dictating their practices
• Has the EU achieved its aims of respect of the rich cultural and linguistic diversity?
• Schengen Area


  A zone in which border controls have been abolished. The zone includes the major EU states. Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland also belong, although they are not EU members
• Countries reimposing border checks although schengen

  • In September 2015, at the height of Europe's migration crisis, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and Norway reimposed border checks. France reimposed controls in November 2015 after the Charlie Hebdo and Bataclan attacks
• Countries working together to tackle terrorism and crime

  • Between 2019 and 2021, some 29 jihadist or extreme right-wing plots were foiled across the EU. 2021 saw 15 terrorist incidents in member states, compared to 57 in 2020
• Democratic Deficit


  A flaw in the EU democratic process where decisions are taken by people who lack legitimacy, not having been appointed with sufficient democratic input or subject to accountability
• Foreign Policy Stability

  • 1989-90 Collapse of the USSR would have potentially caused widespread instability and violent conflict if it wasn't for European cooperation. So much so that the former Yugoslav countries of Croatia and Slovenia are members of EU, showing reparative nature
• Unemployment

  • EU unemployment rate was 5.9% in November 2023, the lowest has ever been. However, it is still above the US unemployment figure of 3.7%. There is also a lot of disparity with Spain having 11% unemployment and Malta having 2.4%