THE EUROPEAN

UNION (EU):

Group: Cingolani, Glenda; Lucero, Rosario Denise and Molina Martnez,

Luca Antonella.
Teacher: Carlos Guagliano Waldegaray.

Date: 20/10/2016

THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU):

THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE EU:

The following visionary leaders inspired the creation of the European Union we live in today.
Without their energy and motivation we would not be living in the climate of peace and stability
that we take for granted nowadays. From resistance fighters to lawyers, the Founding Fathers were
a diverse group of people who held the same ideals: a peaceful, united and prosperous Europe.
Beyond the Founding Fathers described below, many others have worked tirelessly towards, and
inspired, the European project. This section on the Founding Fathers is therefore a work in progress.
Konrad Adenauer (West Germany).
Joseph Bech (Luxembourg).
Johan Beyen (Netherlands).
Winston Churchill (United Kingdom).
Alcide De Gasperi (Italy).
Walter Hallstein (West Germany).
Sicco Mansholt (Netherlands).
Jean Monnet (France).
Robert Schuman (France).
Paul-Henri Spaak (Belgium).
Altiero Spinelli (Italy).

ORIGIN:

The EU represents one in a series of efforts to integrate Europe since World War II. At the end of the
war, several western European countries sought closer economic, social, and political ties to achieve
economic growth and military security and to promote a lasting reconciliation between France and
Germany. To this end, in 1951 the leaders of six countriesBelgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, and West Germanysigned the Treaty of Paris, thereby, when it took effect in 1952,
founding the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). (The United Kingdom had been invited to
join the ECSC and in 1955 sent a representative to observe discussions about its ongoing
development, but the Labour government of Clement Attlee declined membership, owing perhaps
to a variety of factors, including the illness of key ministers, a desire to maintain economic
independence, and a failure to grasp the communitys impending significance.) The ECSC created a
free-trade area for several key economic and military resources: coal, coke, steel, scrap, and iron
ore. To manage the ECSC, the treaty established several supranational institutions: a High Authority
to administrate, a Council of Ministers to legislate, a Common Assembly to formulate policy, and a
Court of Justice to interpret the treaty and to resolve related disputes. A series of further
international treaties and treaty revisions based largely on this model led eventually to the creation
of the EU.
ORGANS OBJECTIVES AND MAIN POLICIES:

OBJECTS:
The European Union (EU) is a political community constituted as an international
organization whose aim is to promote integration and a common government of the European
people and countries.
According to the Article 3 of the European Union Treaty, Unions aim is to promote peace, its values
and the well-being of its peoples. It is based on the values of freedom, democracy, equality, law
enforcement and respect for human rights and dignity.
The Unions mission:
Establishing an area of freedom, security and justice without internal borders.
Developing an internal market where competition is free, within the framework of a social
economy market whose aim is full employment.
Creating a sustainable development with an economic growth capable of fulfilling the well-being
needs of our society in the short, medium and, especially, long term.
Promoting scientific and technical progress.
Fighting against social exclusion and discrimination. Promoting social justice and protection,
equality between women and men, solidarity between generations and, protection of childrens
rights.
Promoting economical, social and territorial cohesion and solidarity among Member States.
Also, the European Union aims to respect its cultural richness and linguistic diversity (23 official
languages) and, to ensure the conservation and development of European cultural heritage.

POLICIES:
Regional policy targets EU regions and cities, boosting economic growth and improving
quality of life through strategic investment. It is also an active form of solidarity which
focuses support on the less developed regions.
EU regional policy funding focuses on 4 priorities:
research & innovation
information & communication technologies
making small and medium-sized businesses more competitive
moving towards a low-carbon economy.

Regional policy delivers results. Between 2007 and 2012 it helped EU countries:
create 769 000 jobs
invest in 225 000 smaller businesses
fund 72 000 research projects
bring broadband coverage to 5 million more EU citizens
improve quality of life in cities through 11 000 different projects.

Regional policy is delivered through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and
the Cohesion Fund. National and regional authorities, in cooperation with the European
Commission, are responsible for managing the funds from day to day. These Managing
Authorities select, finance and monitor the projects that can best help to serve local needs.
They provide information on funding opportunities to potential beneficiaries, including:
public bodies
 the private sector (businesses)
universities
associations & NGOs.

UNITED KINGDOM IN THE EU:

European Parliament:
There are 73 members of the European Parliament from the UK.

Council of the EU:

In the Council of the EU, national ministers meet regularly to adopt EU laws and coordinate policies.
Council meetings are regularly attended by representatives from the UK government, depending on
the policy area being addressed.

Presidency of the Council of the EU:

The Council of the EU doesn't have a permanent, single-person president (like e.g. the Commission
or Parliament). Instead, its work is led by the country holding the Council presidency, which rotates
every 6 months.
During these 6 months, ministers from that country's government chair and help determine the
agenda of Council meetings in each policy area, and facilitate dialogue with the other EU
institutions.
Dates of UK presidencies:
Jan-Jun 1977 | Jul-Dec 1981 | Jul-Dec 1992 | Jan-Jun 1998 | Jul-Dec 2005 | Jul-Dec 2017.

European Commission:
The Commissioner nominated by the UK to the European Commission, Jonathan Hill resigned from
his position following the results of the UK Referendum. Commissioner Hill was responsible for
Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union.
The Commission is represented in each EU country by a local office, called a "representation".

European Economic & Social Committee:

The United Kingdom has 24 representatives on the European Economic and Social Committee. This
advisory body representing employers, workers and other interest groups is consulted on
proposed laws, to get a better idea of the possible changes to work and social situations in member
countries.

Committee of the Regions:

The United Kingdom has 18 representatives on the Committee of the Regions, the EU's assembly of
regional and local representatives. This advisory body is consulted on proposed laws, to ensure
these laws take account of the perspective from each region of the EU.

Permanent representation to the EU:

The UK also communicates with the EU institutions through its permanent representation in
Brussels. As the United Kingdom's "embassy to the EU", its main task is to ensure that the country's
interests and policies are pursued as effectively as possible in the EU.
BRITAINS ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE IDEA OF EUROPEISM:

British have never been terribly popular members of the European Union. Long before they joined,
many continentals thought them too different to be constructive members of what was then the
European Economic Community (EEC). In January 1963 General de Gaulle held a press conference to
set out his reasons for vetoing Harold Macmillans application for membership. Some, though not all
of his arguments, still resonate today.
Exactly ten years later Britain joined the EEC. But the British have never been at ease in what has
become the EU. They are more hostile to the EU than any other European people. British
governments, too, have often used their influence to slow down European integration. Thus Britain
has opted out of the euro and the Schengen agreement, and prevented the extension of qualified
majority voting into areas such as tax, foreign policy and defence. There is no reason to think that
this attitude will change. Gordon Browns government is less enthusiastic about the EU than that of
his predecessor, Tony Blair. And if the Conservative Party wins the next general election, as seems
plausible at the time of writing, a government led by David Cameron will be markedly more
eurosceptic than that led by Brown.
Some of the British peoples disdain towards the EU and things European is reciprocated. Many
Britons would be surprised to know just how fed up many other Europeans are with their attitude to
the EU. Years of British leaders preaching sometimes arrogantly about the success of their
economic model, a foreign policy that often appears subservient to that of the US, a penny-pinching
approach to the EU budget and a consistently negative attitude to treaty change have left their
mark. The kinds of argument that de Gaulle made in the 1960s can still be heard. People on the
continent tend to overlook the positive impact of Britain on the EU. I would argue that Britain is far
from being the most eurosceptic member-state, defined as the one that causes the most damage to
the EU. The British have a good record of implementing EU directives and of respecting the
decisions of the European Court of Justice, while a supposedly pro-EU country such as France has a
poor record on those counts. At the level of EU policy-making, British influence has been
considerable and often positive. The 1992 programme that led to the single market was drawn up
by a British Conservative commissioner, Lord Cockfield. Tony Blair, together with the then French
president Jacques Chirac, wrote the Saint Malo declaration of 1998, which led to the EU developing
military capabilities. The Lisbon agenda of economic reform, established in 2000, had considerable
British input. Britain has championed the enlargement of the Union and the concept of economic
openness (though not everyone shares my view that those objectives are desirable). It has made a
big contribution to the EUs regulatory agenda, for example through the idea of unbundling (the
separation of retail networks from the supply of a public service such as energy). Britain takes the
four freedoms (the free movement of capital, goods, labour and services) more seriously than
many countries that regard themselves as fully committed to the EU. Thus Britain has encouraged
French and German companies to buy up most of its utilities, though the favour has not been
returned; it is the only large EU country that has allowed other European firms to purchase big
chunks of its defence industry; and when eight Central and East European countries joined the EU in
2004, initially only Britain, Ireland and Sweden opened their labour markets to workers from the
new members. On balance I would argue that British influence on the EU has been more beneficial
than harmful. Nevertheless I have no doubt that the euroscepticism of the British is a serious
problem, not only for any UK government that tries to engage with the EU, but also for other
European governments. British ministers often oppose measures coming out of Brussels or other
capitals because they fear the reaction of the British media or public.
THE EUROPEAN COMMON MARKET:

In 1957, France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg sign a treaty in
Rome establishing the European Economic Community (EEC), also known as the Common Market.
The EEC, which came into operation in January 1958, was a major step in Europes movement
toward economic and political union.
By 1950, it was apparent that centuries of Western European world supremacy was at an end. The
national markets of Europe, were no match for the giant market enjoyed by the United States.
As a means of improving Europes economic climate some influential statesmen and political
theorists suggested economic integration. In 1951, France and West Germany formed the European
Coal and Steel Community, integrating their coal and steel industries. French leaders proposed the
organization primarily as a means of monitoring German industry, and West German leaders
immediately agreed.
In 1957, representatives of six European nations signed two treaties in Rome. One created the
European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for the common and peaceful development of
Europes nuclear resources. The other created the European Economic Community. In the Common
Market, trade barriers between member nations were gradually eliminated, and common policies
regarding transportation, agriculture, and economic relations with non-member countries were
implemented. Eventually, labor and capital were permitted to move freely within the boundaries of
the community. The EEC, the ECSC, and Euratom were served by a single council of ministers,
representative assembly, and court of justice. In 1967, the three organizations were fully merged as
the European Community (EC).
Britain and other European nations initially declined to join the Common Market and established
the weaker European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in as an alternative. By the early 1960s,
however, the Common Market nations showed signs of significant economic growth, and Britain
changed its mind. Because of its close ties to the United States.
In early 1990s, the European Community became the basis for the European Union (EU), which was
established in 1993 in addition to a single European common market, member states would also
participate in a larger common market, called the European Economic Area. In 2007, there were
twenty-seven member states in total, and further growth was expected.

TRANSFORMATION INTO THE EUROPEAN UNION:

The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organization which aimed to bring about
economic integration among its member states. It was created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957. Upon
the formation of the European Union (EU) in 1993, the EEC was incorporated and renamed as the
European Community (EC). In 2009 the European Communitys Institutions were absorbed into the
EUs wider framework and the community ceased to exist.

WHAT DOES BREXIT MEANS?

It is a word that has become used as a shorthand way of saying the UK leaving the EU - merging the
words Britain and exit to get Brexit, in a same way as a possible Greek exit from the euro was
dubbed Grexit in the past.
Why is Britain leaving the European Union?
A referendum - a vote in which everyone (or nearly everyone) of voting age can take part - was held
on Thursday 23 June, to decide whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union.
Leave won by 52% to 48%. The referendum turnout was 71.8%, with more than 30 million people
voting.

What was the breakdown across the UK?

England voted strongly for Brexit, by 53.4% to 46.6%, as did Wales, with Leave getting 52.5%
of the vote and Remain 47.5%. Scotland and Northern Ireland both backed staying in the EU.
Scotland backed Remain by 62% to 38%, while 55.8% in Northern Ireland voted Remain and
44.2% Leave.

What has happened since the referendum?

Britain has got a new Prime Minister - Theresa May. The former home secretary took over from
David Cameron, who resigned on the day after losing the referendum.
Like Mr Cameron, Mrs May was against Britain leaving the EU but she says she will respect the will
of the people. She has said "Brexit means Brexit" but there is still a lot of debate about what that
will mean in practice especially on the two key issues of how British firms do business in the
European Union and what curbs are brought in on the rights of European Union nationals to live
and work in the UK.
For a day-by-day digest of all the August developments.

What about the economy?

The UK economy appears to have weathered the initial shock of the Brexit vote, although the value
of the pound remains near a 30-year low, but opinion is sharply divided over the long-term effects
of leaving the EU. Some major firms such as Easyjet and John Lewis have pointed out that the slump
in sterling has increased their costs.
Britain also lost its top AAA credit rating, meaning the cost of government borrowing will be higher.
But share prices have recovered from a dramatic slump in value, with both the FTSE 100 and the
broader FTSE 250 index, which includes more British-based businesses, trading higher than before
the referendum.
The Bank of England is hoping its decision to cut interest rates from 0.5% to 0.25% - a record low
and the first cut since 2009 - will stave off recession and stimulate investment, with some economic
indicators pointing to a downturn.

So when will Britain actually leave it?

For the UK to leave the EU it has to invoke an agreement called Article 50 of the Lisbon
Treaty which gives the two sides two years to agree the terms of the split. Theresa May
has confirmed this will be done by the end of March 2017, meaning the UK will be expected to have
left by the summer of 2019, depending on the precise timetable agreed during the negotiations.
Once negotiations officially begin, we will start to get a clear idea of what kind of deal the UK will
seek from the EU, on trade and immigration.
The government will also enact a Great Repeal Bill which will end the primacy of EU law in the UK. It
will incorporate EU legislation into UK law, after which the government will decide which parts to
keep, change or retain.

Who is going to negotiate Britain's exit from the EU?

Theresa May has set up a new government department, to be headed by veteran Conservative MP
and Leave campaigner David Davis, to take responsibility for Brexit. Former defence secretary, Liam
Fox, who also campaigned to leave the EU, has been given the job of international trade secretary
and Boris Johnson, who led the Leave campaign, is foreign secretary.
These men - dubbed the Three Brexiteers - will play a central role in negotiations with the EU and
seek out new international agreements, although it will be Mrs May, as prime minister, who will
have the final say. The government did not do any emergency planning for Brexit ahead of the
referendum - and it is now rushing to hire a team of skilled negotiators to manage the complex
business of negotiating withdrawal and ensuring Britain gets the best possible deal.

How long will it take for Britain to leave the EU?

Once Article 50 has been triggered, the UK will have two years to negotiate its withdrawal. But no
one really knows how the Brexit process will work - Article 50 was only created in late 2009 and it
has never been used.
Former Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, now Chancellor, wanted Britain to remain in the EU, and
he has suggested it could take up to six years for the UK to complete exit negotiations. The terms of
Britain's exit will have to be agreed by 27 national parliaments, a process which could take some
years, he has argued.
EU law still stands in the UK until it ceases being a member. The UK will continue to abide by EU
treaties and laws, but not take part in any decision-making.

Why will Brexit take so long?

Unpicking 43 years of treaties and agreements covering thousands of different subjects was never
going to be a straightforward task. It is further complicated by the fact that it has never been done
before and negotiators will, to some extent, be making it up as they go along.
The post-Brexit trade deal is likely to be the most complex part of the negotiation because it needs
the unanimous approval of more than 30 national and regional parliaments across Europe, some of
whom may want to hold referendums.

The likely focus of negotiations between the UK and EU:

In very simplified terms, the starting positions are that the EU will only allow the UK to be part of
the European single market (which allows tariff-free trade) if it continues to allow EU nationals the
unchecked right to live and work in the UK. The UK says it wants controls "on the numbers of people
who come to Britain from Europe". Both sides want trade to continue after Brexit with the UK
seeking a positive outcome for those who wish to trade goods and services" - such as those in the
City of London. The challenge for the UK's Brexit talks will be to do enough to tackle immigration
concerns while getting the best possible trade arrangements with the Eu.
Some Brexiteers, such as ex-chancellor Lord Lawson, say that as the UK does not want freedom of
movement and the EU says that without it there is no single market membership, the UK should
seek to end "uncertainty" by pushing ahead with Brexit and not "waste time" trying to negotiate a
special deal.

Could there be a second referendum?

It seems highly unlikely. Both the Conservatives and the Labour Party have ruled out another
referendum, arguing that it would be an undemocratic breach of trust with the British people who
clearly voted to Leave. The Liberal Democrats have vowed to halt Brexit and keep Britain in the EU if
they win the next general election.
Some commentators, including former House of Commons clerk Lord Lisvane, have argued that a
further referendum would be needed to ratify whatever deal the UK hammers out with the EU, but
there are few signs political leaders view this as a viable option.

What does this mean for Scotland?

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in the wake of the Leave result that it is
"democratically unacceptable" that Scotland faces being taken out of the EU when it voted to
Remain. A second independence referendum for the country is now "highly likely", she has said.

What does it mean for Northern Ireland?

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the impact in Northern Ireland would be "very
profound" and that the whole island of Ireland should now be able to vote on reunification. But,
speaking while she was still Northern Ireland Secretary, Theresa Villiers ruled out the call from Sinn
Fin for a border poll, saying the circumstances in which one would be called did not exist.

Will the UK be able to rejoin the EU in the future?

BBC Europe editor Katya Adler says the UK would have to start from scratch with no rebate, and
enter accession talks with the EU. Every member state would have to agree to the UK re-joining. But
she says with elections looming elsewhere in Europe, other leaders might not be generous towards
any UK demands. New members are required to adopt the euro as their currency, once they meet
the relevant criteria, although the UK could try to negotiate an opt-out.

What were their reasons for wanting the UK to leave?

They said Britain was being held back by the EU, which they said imposed too many rules on
business and charged billions of pounds a year in membership fees for little in return. They also
cited sovereignty and democracy, and they wanted Britain to take back full control of its borders and
reduce the number of people coming here to live and/or work.
One of the main principles of EU membership is "free movement", which means you don't need to
get a visa to go and live in another EU country. The Leave campaign also objected to the idea of
"ever closer union" between EU member states and what they see as moves towards the creation of
a "United States of Europe".

Who wanted the UK to stay in the EU?

Then Prime Minister David Cameron was the leading voice in the Remain campaign, after reaching
an agreement with other European Union leaders that would have changed the terms of Britain's
membership had the country voted to stay in.
He said the deal would give Britain "special" status and help sort out some of the things British
people said they didn't like about the EU, like high levels of immigration - but critics said the deal
would make little difference.
Sixteen members of Mr Cameron's Cabinet, including the woman who would replace him as PM,
Theresa May, also backed staying in. The Conservative Party was split on the issue and officially
remained neutral in the campaign. The Labour Party, Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, the Green
Party and the Liberal Democrats were all in favour of staying in.
US president Barack Obama also wanted Britain to remain in the EU, as did other EU nations such as
France and Germany.

What were their reasons for wanting the UK to stay?

Those campaigning for Britain to stay in the EU said it gets a big boost from membership - it makes
selling things to other EU countries easier and, they argued, the flow of immigrants, most of whom
are young and keen to work, fuels economic growth and helps pay for public services.
They also said Britain's status in the world would be damaged by leaving and that we are more
secure as part of the 28 nation club, rather than going it alone.

What about businesses?

Big business - with a few exceptions - tended to be in favour of Britain staying in the EU because it
makes it easier for them to move money, people and products around the world.
Given the crucial role of London as a financial centre, there's interest in how many jobs may be lost
to other hubs in the EU. Four of the biggest US banks have committed to helping maintain the City's
position.
Some UK exporters say they've had increased orders or enquiries because of the fall in the value of
the pound.

How much does the UK contribute to the EU and how much do we get in return?
In answer to this query from Nancy from Hornchurch - the UK is one of 10 member states who pay
more into the EU budget than they get out, only France and Germany contribute more. In 2014,
Poland was the largest beneficiary, followed by Hungary and Greece.
The UK also gets an annual rebate that was negotiated by Margaret Thatcher and money back, in
the form of regional development grants and payments to farmers. According to the latest Treasury
figures, the UK's net contribution for 2014/15 was nearly double what it was in 2009/10.
The National Audit Office, using a different formula which takes into account EU money paid directly
to private sector companies and universities to fund research, and measured over the EU's financial
year.