Functions

• Four freedoms

  • Free movement of goods: member state shouldn't impose tariffs on goods from other member states (ms)
  • Free movement of services: businesses should be able to open up and operate in any ms
  • Free movement of capital: capital should be able to move freely through any ms
  • Free movement of people: no internal barriers should stop citizens of EU working in any ms and being able to claim social benefit
• Monetary Union


  Agreed during the Maastricht Treaty (1992). In 1999 the euro was introduced in 2002 ms of the eurozone switched currencies. As of 2019, 19 member states are in the eurozone
• Social Unity


  Maastricht treaty included social chapter which established certain rights for all workers in the EU such as health and safety, paid holidays, parental leave
• Protection of human rights

  in 2000, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU was proclaimed and became legally binding on ms after Lisbon treaty (2009) was ratified
• Political Union


  Since the single European Act (1986) EU treaties have been restricted on cases where nation states can exercise veto in the European council. Maastricht treaty changed its name for European Economic Community to EU
• Common Foreign and Defence Policy

  Maasctrict treaty committed the EU to a common foreign and defence policy. Advanced by Lisbon treaty (2007) as it gave the EU a legal identity to negotiate on equal terms
• Successful in aims

  • By 2018 it had gone from 6 ms to 28
  • Encouraged democracy in former communist states
  • Euro is worlds second reserve currency
  • The utopia charter on fundamental freedoms has been entrenched
• Not successful

  • Removal of barriers to the free flow of workers has encouraged the rise of populist parties (Who are against workforces 'foreign' competition)
  • Commitment of ms like Poland, Hungary to democratic principles has been questioned
  • Little progress has been made in developing a European identity