The European Union Flashcards
(5 cards)
How was the European Union created?
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 28 states, which arose out of the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community established by 6 nations in 1950. This developed into the European Economic Community in 1957, and the European Union was established by the Treaty of Maastricht in 1991.
Why was the EU created?
. To promote peace - The initial establishment of the coal and steel community aimed to create an economic union that would help to avoid major conflicts from occurring.
.To establish economic integration (the single market) - The Single European Act of 1985 aims to establish ‘four freedoms’- the free movement of goods, services, people and capital. E.g customs controls at borders, and the creation of EU-wide standards for products. The free movement of EU citizens to live and work in member states was agreed by the 1995 Schengen agreement, although opt-outs to this were negotiated by the UK and Ireland.
.To enlarge/expand: 10 new members were admitted to the EU in 2004 (mostly former Soviet Union states). The aim was to ensure further unity amongst European nations and create a larger and potentially more prosperous trading bloc.
.To establish and economic and monetary union: a single currency for EU member states, the Euro, was introduced in 1999. In addition, a European Central Bank was created. The aim was to make trade and travel more straightforward by eliminating fluctuating values of different currencies. Britain and Denmark chose to opt out of the Euro, not wishing to cede economic sovereignty.
When did the UK leave the EU?
In 2016, the British people voted to leave the EU in a referendum by a margin of 52%-48%. In January 2020 the UK left.
Why did people vote for the UK leave the EU?
.There were arguments that leaving the EU would mean that the UK would save money that they would have been obliged to pay as a member.
.It was argued that the EU’s open borders put pressure on the UK’s services such as the NHS. The NHS costs the UK taxpayer billions per year. There was also fear of immigration, with 73% of those who were worried about immigration voting Leave.
.Some leave voters didn’t like that the UK was surrounding some sovereignty to the UE parliament e.g the UK couldn’t end the VAT on sanitary products.
How have the political parties felt about the EU historically?
In 1975, the Labour gov held an EU referendum. They maintained an anti-EU membership stance during the 1983 election. However Blair was very pro-EU, as were the Conservatives until the Thatcher era.
