United+Kingdom+-WH

=Why was the European Union created? = · A number of Europeans in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish peace was to unite the two nations (France and Germany) both economically and politically.  · People wanted to be able to travel the continent freely · People wanted protection · People wanted to be able to trade freely. · The EU was also created to help support the many programs within Europe. · People wanted to create a single nation or something like it · To help countries’ economy’s · To keep countries in Europe from fighting each other

=Give a thorough history of the EU. =  · French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed a union of all Europe; the first step would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. · European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris. · Treaty of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community, and the six member states tried eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. · 1967, the institutions of all three communities were merged into the European Community, creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament · Members of the European Parliament were first selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years. · 1973, the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom · The 1980s saw further membership with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986 · The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid down the basis for further forms of cooperation, and in the creation of an economic union - including a common currency. This created the European Union (EU). · In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15. · A new currency, the euro, was launched in world markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. · In 2002, 12 euro-area countries began using the euro banknotes and coins. · Ten new countries joined in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia · 2007 Bulgaria and Romania joined, bringing membership to 27. · The Treaty of Nice (in force as of 1 February 2003) set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU. · An effort to establish an EU constitution, failed to attain unanimous ratification. · A new effort, calls for the creation of an Intergovernmental Conference to form a political agreement, known as the Reform Treaty, which is to serve as a constitution. =What is the purpose of the EU? = =How does the EU benefit Europeans? =  · The Europeans are protected through the EU · The EU tries to demolish segregation · Protects the environment · Allows people to travel the country freely · Brings prosperity to everyone · Don’t have to change currency as often · The EU countries cooperate in justice · The EU helps uphold development and respect for human rights.
 * The EU acts in a wide range of areas — economic, social, and financial
 *  peace, prosperity and stability for member countries
 *  overcome the divisions in Europe
 *  ensure that Europeans can live safely;
 *  stimulate balanced economic and social development;
 *  meet the challenges of a smaller world and preserve the many groups of the Europeans
 *  Uphold the values that Europeans share, such as development and an unpolluted environment, respect for human rights and the economy.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The EU countries cooperate in policing and justice so to make Europe safer and more secure.

Is your country a member of the EU?

 * Yes, my country is part of the EU.

If it is, how and when did it become a member?
· My country was an original member when the EU started in 1993 · My country helped form the EU. · Has not accepted the euro as its currency.

What are the pros and cons of joining the EU for your country?

 * __PROS__
 * Allows for greater democratic function.
 * Helps to foster international understanding.
 * Easier to create economic and political unity, benefit, and progress.
 * While there may not be cooperation in all areas, spillover (idea that cooperation in one area will eventually force cooperation in others) cooperation will lead to complete cooperation over time


 * __CONS__
 * Both in individual institutions and overall, power is not equally distributed
 * Number of votes on various issues are skewed based on population or nation size
 * Over-powered small States
 * Elites hold a disproportionate amount of power
 * While they do exists, checks on the power are not many.

How does the EU benefit your country, whether they are a member or not?

 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Membership of the Single Market
 * Free Movement of Citizens:
 * More Jobs:
 * Money for Development:
 * A Louder International Voice:
 * Greater Protection for Workers:
 * Greater Equality and Social Inclusion:
 * Greater Co-operation in Law Enforcement:

"CIA - The World Factbook -- European Union." __Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency__. 02 Feb. 2009 <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ee.html.> "CIA - The World Factbook -- United Kingdom." __Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency__. 02 Feb. 2009 <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.html.> "The EU at a glance - Europe in 12 lessons - Key dates in the history of European integration." __Europa - The European Union On-Line__. 02 Feb. 2009 <http://europa.eu/abc/12lessons/key_dates/index_en.htm>. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(38, 42, 44); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; line-height: 20px;">__Exploring Our World__. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2007. "Page 3." __Home.gwu.edu__. 02 Feb. 2009 [|http://home.gwu.edu/~maddude1/pros_cons.html]. media type="gabbly" key="http%3A%2F%2Fgeography7wilbrandt.wikispaces.com%2FUnited%20Kingdom%20-Wyatt" width="300" height="250" include component="editors" days="30" imageSize="small" showUsername="true" media type="googlemap" key="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,303.46112870424184,,0,-0.3369548519864498&cbll=38.255099,-77.491976&panoid=&v=1&hl=en&gl=us" height="240" width="425" =<span style="font-size: 200%; color: rgb(232, 38, 56);">Guess where this is! =

http://europa.eu/abc/12lessons/key_dates/index_en.htm