What has the EU accomplished?

Answer 1

Europe is economically and politically healthier as a unified entity, rather than as a collection of competing states, in much the same way that the success of the United States is at least partially due to the unity of the 50 states of which it is composed.

Answer 2

Europeans united

The EU is a family of democratic European countries working together for peace and prosperity. The Union is not a state intended to replace existing states. But, at the same time, it is more than simply an international organisation. Its 27 member countries have set up common institutions to which they delegate some of their sovereignty so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level.

The Union's historical roots lie in post World War II reconstruction, political and physical (History of the European Union). The idea of European integration was conceived to prevent such devastation from happening again. It was first proposed by the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman in a speech on 9 May 1950 - a date now celebrated as Europe Day.

In the early years, cooperation between EU countries centred on trade and the economy, in particular coal and steel, then the basis of industrial strength, but now the Union also deals with many other subjects of direct importance to citizens' daily lives. The EU also fosters cooperation among the various peoples of Europe, "promoting unity while preserving diversity and ensuring that decisions are taken as close as possible to the citizens".

Fewer frontiers, more jobs

People, goods and services moving freely: European citizens can travel, study and work wherever they want in the 27 European Union countries. However, some temporary restrictions exist for citizens of the newest member states. Furthermore, with very few exceptions, travelling around the EU can be done without border checks.

The EU does not decide on national education systems, but it is working on systems for recognising educational and professional qualifications across the Union and on broadening the scope of education at the EU level through exchanges and mobility programmes, such as the Erasmus programme and Marie Curie fellowships.

Through a single currency and freedom of movement, the Union also aims to reduce unemployment in Europe, create new jobs and opportunities. But the EU concedes that European industry will not be able to provide more jobs unless the economic conditions are right.

By creating a single market and a single currency, it aims to boost trade and employment throughout Europe. The EU strategy for stimulating growth and generating more and better jobs is to stimulate research, training and education, innovation and entrepreneurship, adaptability to new working methods and equal opportunities for everyone, much of which is enshrined in the so-called Lisbon Strategy, an agreement by European leaders at the Lisbon Summit in 2000 to carry out the necessary measures to make Europe the most dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. The Barroso Commissions key goal is to speed up progress in this area. In fact, the re-launched growth and jobs strategy is seen to have taken greater momentum since 2006.

In addition, a third of the entire EU budget is taken up by the Structural Funds which promote growth and jobs in less-well-off regions, to ensure that wealth in Europe is more evenly distributed.

Single currency: The euro (€) is the name of the single European currency, notes and coins of which came into use on 1 January 2002. In a smooth transition, it replaced the national currencies in 12 EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Of the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004, Slovenia adopted the euro in January 2007, Cyprus together with Malta in January 2008, and Slovakia in 2009, thus enlarging the euro area to 16 member states.

Countries joining the euro area had to meet convergence criteria in a range of economic indicators, known as the Maastricht criteria, before they were permitted to take on the new currency.

Countries within the euro area must maintain fiscal discipline within the terms of the stability and growth pact. Basically, this is an agreement to limit budget deficits in countries adopting the euro. When the euro area was set up, control of interest rates passed from national governments and/or central banks to the European Central Bank (ECB), whose main target is to keep inflation under control. The pact means governments have to limit their budget deficits to no more than 3% of their total economy a task that several countries, including Germany, France and Italy, have struggled with in recent years. Consequently, the pact has been the source of much debate and may be modified in the near future.

On the plus side, having a single currency makes it easier for individuals to travel and to compare prices. It also provides a more stable environment for European business, stimulating growth and competitiveness.

Knowledge-rich society: In line with the Union's Lisbon agenda, the EU is increasingly active in promoting European research and scientific excellence, and in providing citizens with better access to the internet and information through its eEurope initiative. In a wide range of sectors, covering the whole spectrum of modern technology and scientific fields, the EU finances projects undertaken by research centres, universities and industry.

The objective of the European Union's research policy is to organise cooperation at different levels, coordinate national and European policies, encourage the networking of research teams and increase the mobility of individuals and ideas in order to reinforce European competitiveness. The European Union has recently geared up its efforts to support innovation in Europe. The EU's newest scientific agency, the European Research Council, was launched in early 2007 to fund cutting-edge research into new technology that keeps Europe competitive. Another new initiative, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, was taking shape in 2008.

Emphasis here is on promoting cutting-edge research and technological development projects with socio-economic objectives, such as job creation and improving the quality of life, without forgetting the importance of fundamental research. The Union's research priorities include, among others, health, biotechnology, information and communication technologies, nanosciences, energy, environment including climate change, socio-economic sciences, transport and security.

Nurturing the environment: European Union environmental policy is based on the idea that high environmental standards stimulate innovation and business opportunities. Economic, social and environmental policies are closely integrated. The EU's goal is to provide an adequate level of protection throughout the union, while respecting local circumstances and economic constraints.

The Union's environment action programmes, launched in 1972, have helped integrate ecological and environmental aspects into all areas of Community policy. The sixth programme Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice running from 2002 to 2012 - focuses on four priority areas: Tackling climate change and global warming, protecting natural habitat and wildlife, addressing environmental and health issues and preserving Natural Resources as well as managing waste.

In January 2007, the European Commission proposed that the EU cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020, compared to 1990 levels. The Commission hoped the move would set the pace for a new industrial revolution. The ambitious binding target was endorsed by the EU Summit in March 2007. It was also agreed that of all energy used in the EU, 20% must come from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy and that 10% of all fuels used must be biofuels. A further goal is a 20% cut in total energy consumption in the European Union. The EU will pursue these targets unilaterally, with or without an international agreement on how to move forward after the Kyoto deadline of 2012. The EU aims to set an example: to encourage the United States and China to follow suit.

Zone of freedom, security and justice

The European Union works to realise the objectives of The Hague programme 2005-2010, agreed by the EU government leaders in 2004, covering freedom, security and justice in the EU, with emphasis on fundamental rights of citizens, fight against terrorism and organised crime, immigration and asylum and cooperation between police, judicial and customs authorities.

Unrest and insecurity in local regions and neighbourhoods sometimes have international roots, and European countries are making a joint effort to tackle these problems at the EU level. They include international terrorism, drug trafficking and abuse, trafficking in human beings and the illegal exploitation of foreign women for prostitution. EU countries are determined to fight these crimes by adopting common rules and through co-operation between their police, customs and courts of law, the setting up of a European police agency (Europol) and border agency (Frontex) being chief among these measures.

The EU also plays a role in asylum and migration policy. It guarantees respect for the right to seek asylum. At the same time, EU countries are coordinating their policies for refugees and trying to tackle the problem at source by combating poverty and preventing conflicts in the countries from which people might want to flee.

Practical issues include visa policy, workings of the Schengen area, enhancing information sharing to fight terrorism and serious crime, promoting the principle of mutual recognition in civil and criminal law fields, combating racism and xenophobia and setting minimum standards, measures and procedures for asylum seekers. The Union also works actively with countries that are the source of much immigration to improve their citizens' future prospects in their home environment. At the same time, the Union is determined to clamp down on illegal immigration and to strengthen its external frontiers, especially to the south and east.

Keeping the peace

The 20th century showed the destruction of war between European countries. But, thanks to the unity that has been built up in the region over the past five decades, today war between EU member states is unthinkable. The EU is also increasingly involved in preserving peace and creating stability in neighbouring countries, such as the force which has assumed a growing peacekeeping role in the Balkan region.

With a territory extending from the Atlantic to the Black Sea and a population of approximately 490 million, the European Union is an international actor with formidable economic and political clout. The EU's foreign policy power has increased with every enlargement. The current membership of 27 countries empowers the Union to get active in different regions of the world.

The development of a fully-fledged European Security and Defence component, alongside the existing Common Foreign and Security Policy, has been a long-term objective sought by European leaders. The logistical problems faced by most European countries and national and NATO related questions hindered the rapid development of the ESDP. However, with the successful conclusion of the first EU military operation in D.R.Congo and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in 2003, followed by the takeover of the NATO-led force in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the successful ESDP mission in Congo during the presidential elections in 2006, the ESDP has grown stronger. The conception of the EU Battlegroups and their operational readiness as of January 1, 2007 suggest that the EU has made great steps towards elaborating a coherent security and defence policy.

Conflict prevention and resolution are two of the EU's foreign affairs objectives. But the Union is also the biggest donor of financial assistance to troubled areas around the world. In addition to its peacekeeping efforts, it runs many projects that help to promote human rights, democracy and development. Each year the European Commission grants more than 7 billion euros in aid.

Answer 3

Removing power from individuals and sovereign states.

Waste.

Creating several more tiers of government.

Nepotism.

Never having the accounts signed off.

Introducing laws that are inequitable.

There are many, many more.

Answer 4

the eu have achived inlighenment and spacal connection