THE EUROPEAN UNION

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THE EUROPEAN UNION 50 Years of Peace, Prosperity
and Partnership
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Celebrating the European UnionA Half Century of
Change and Progress

• Since the creation of the EU half a century ago,
  Europe has enjoyed the longest period of peace in
  its history.
• European political integration is unprecedented
  in history.
• EU enlargement has helped overcome the division
  of Europe contributing to peace, prosperity,
  and stability across the continent.
• A single market and a common currency conditions
  for companies and consumers.
• EU has united the citizens of Europe while
  preserving Europes diversity.

European Union United in diversity
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What is the European Union?

• Shared values liberty, democracy, respect for
  human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the
  rule of law.
• Largest economic body in the world.
• Worlds most successful model for advancing peace
  and democracy.
• A unique institution Member States voluntarily
  cede national sovereignty in many areas to carry
  out common policies and governance.
• Not a super-state to replace existing states, nor
  just an organization for international
  cooperation.
• Worlds most open market for goods and
  commodities from developing countries.

27
Member States
490 million
Combined population of EU Member States
7
Percent of worlds population
30
Percent of global GDP
Percent of combined worldwide Official Development
Assistance
55
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EU Institutions

• European Commission
• 27 Commissioners, representing the European
  perspective, each responsible for a specific
  policy area.
• EUs executive branch proposes legislation,
  manages Unions day-to-day business and budget,
  and enforces rules.
• Negotiates trade agreements and manages Europes
  multilateral development cooperation.
• Council of the European Union
• EUs main decision-making body, comprised of
  ministers of 27 Member States, representing
  Member States point of view.
• Decides on foreign policy issues.
• Council presidency rotates among Member States
  every six months.

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso
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EU Institutions

• European Parliament
• Voice of European citizens members elected for
  five-year terms.
• With the Council, passes EU laws and adopts EU
  budgets.
• Approves EU Commissioners.
• European Court of Justice
• Highest EU judicial authority.
• Ensures all EU laws are interpreted and applied
  correctly and uniformly.
• Can act as an independent policy maker but unlike
  the U.S. Supreme Court, the ECJ can only deal
  with matters covered by the Treaties.

European Parliament in session
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European Central Bank

• The European Central Bank (ECB) is the central
  bank for Europe's single currency, the euro.
• The ECBs main task is to maintain the euro's
  purchasing power and thus price stability in the
  euro area.
• The euro area comprises the 15 European Union
  countries that have introduced the euro since
  1999.
• The ECB operates independently from Member State
  governments.

The euro was introduced in 1999
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United in Diversity - The uro
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The uro

• In 1999, the euro area was established as a
  currency in eleven of the then fifteen EU Member
  States.
• Of the 27 EU Member States today, fifteen have
  adopted the euro.
• One of the striking benefits of a single European
  currency are low interest rates due to a high
  degree of price stability.
• The euro is as stable and credible as the
  best-performing currencies previously used in the
  euro area countries.

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1951
European Coal and Steel Community

• In the aftermath of World War II, the aim was to
  secure peace among Europes victorious and
  vanquished nations and bring them together as
  equals, cooperating within shared institutions.
• Based on a plan by French Foreign Minister
  Robert Schuman.
• Six founding countries Belgium, the Federal
  Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg
  and the Netherlands signed a treaty to run
  heavy industries (coal and steel) under common
  management.

Jean Monnet and other leaders with the first
European ingot of steel
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Treaty of Rome
1957

• The six founding countries expanded cooperation
  to other economic sectors, creating the European
  Economic Community (EEC) or common market.
• As a result, people, goods, services, and capital
  today move freely across the Union.

Signing of the Treaty of Rome
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1951 Founding Members Belgium France Germany It
aly Luxembourg Netherlands
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1973 Denmark Ireland United Kingdom
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1981 Greece
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1986 Portugal Spain
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November 1989 Fall of the Berlin Wall sets
the stage for unifying Europe and EU enlargement
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1995 Austria Finland Sweden
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2004 Cyprus Czech Republic Estonia Hungary Latv
ia Lithuania Malta Poland Slovakia Slovenia
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2007 Bulgaria Romania
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Candidate Countries Croatia Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia Turkey Potential
Candidate Countries Albania Bosnia
Herzegovina Montenegro Serbia including Kosovo
under UN Security Council Resolution 1244
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50 Years of EU Integration

• Enlargement has
• Inspired reforms and consolidated common
  principles of liberty, democracy, respect for
  human rights, fundamental freedoms, the rule of
  law, and market economy.
• Enhanced the EUs weight in the world and made it
  a stronger and more attractive international
  partner.

Enlargement has been a success story for the
European Union and Europe as a whole. It has
helped to overcome the division of Europe and
contributed to peace and stability throughout the
continent. European Council Declaration Dec.
15, 2006
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The EU in the World
The EU is a global player. Its soft power
promotes stability, prosperity, democracy and
human rights, delivers concrete results in the
fight to eradicate poverty, and in achieving
sustainable development.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, High
Representative for the Common Foreign and
Security Policy Javier Solana, and EU
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner
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Addressing Global Challenges

• Peace Security
• Works for global peace and security alongside the
  United States and multilateral organizations
  including NATO and the United Nations.
• Undertakes humanitarian and peacekeeping missions
  and has provided military forces for crisis
  management around the globe.
• Counterterrorism Homeland Security
• Taken steps to improve intelligence sharing,
  enhance law enforcement and judicial cooperation,
  curtail terrorist financing.
• Boosts trade and transport security to support
  the struggle against terrorism.

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Addressing Global Challenges

• Democracy Human Rights
• Works globally for free elections and open
  democratic processes.
• Fights racism and intolerance at home and abroad.
• Campaigns globally against capital punishment.
• Development Assistance Humanitarian Relief
• The EU and its Member States are the worlds
  largest aid donor, providing 55 of total
  official development assistance.
• Provides billions of dollars in humanitarian aid
  to more than 100 countries in response to crises
  and natural disasters.

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Addressing Global Challenges

• Trade
• European Commission represents all 27 EU Member
  States before the World Trade Organization.
• Supports free trade and open markets, within the
  rules-based structure of the WTO, to promote
  growth and jobs in both industrialized and
  developing countries.
• The world's most open market for products and
  commodities from developing countries 40 of
  all EU imports are from developing countries.

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Addressing Global Challenges

• Environmental Protection
• A leader in global efforts to protect the
  environment, maintaining rigorous and
  comprehensive systems at home.
• Plays a key role in developing and implementing
  international agreements, such as the Kyoto
  Protocol on Climate Change.
• Executing a cap and trade system to reduce
  greenhouse gas emissions
• Takes the lead in the fight against global
  warming with the adoption of binding energy
  targets (cutting 20 of the EUs greenhouse gas
  emissions by 2020).

Source German Information Center USA
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The European Union and the United States
The relationship between the United States and
Europe is the worlds strongest, most
comprehensive, and strategically important
partnership. The United States, and a united
Europe this is really the indispensable
partnership. President of theEuropean
Commission José Manuel Barroso
Our strong friendship is essential to peace and
prosperity around the globe. No temporary
debate, to passing disagreement among nations,
no power on earth, will ever divide
us. President George W. Bush
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Partners in Global Leadership

• EU and U.S. work together to develop
  international standards
• Fighting terrorism and transnational crime
• Advancing global trade liberalization
• Combating piracy and intellectual property
  violations
• Spreading benefits of globalization
• EU and its Member States are helping restore
  peace and stability in Afghanistan.
• EU and U.S. work together in the Middle East
  Quartet to advance the peace process.
• When the EU and U.S. agree, others tend to follow.

EU Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
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Shared Values and Responsibilities

• Freedom Democracy
• Support free elections, good governance, human
  rights, and the rule of law around the world.
• Security
• Cooperate to fight terrorism, limit the spread
  of nuclear weapons, and work for global peace.
• Development
• Together, EU and U.S. provide 80 of global
  development assistance and an even larger share
  of global humanitarian aid in times of disaster
  and conflict.

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A Dynamic Transatlantic Economy

• EU and U.S. together account for 40 of total
  global trade (more than 1.5 billion in
  transatlantic trade every day).
• The 3 trillion EU-U.S. transatlantic economy
  employs 14 million workers on both sides of the
  Atlantic.
• In 2005, Europe accounted for roughly two-thirds
  of total global investment flows into the U.S.
  by far the most significant source of foreign
  investment in the U.S. economy.

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• European companies are the leading foreign
  investors in the U.S.
• The UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands
  top four sources of jobs created by foreign
  investment in the United States.
• American companies invest far more in EU
  countries than in Asia.
• U.S. businesses make 5 times the profit in the
  Netherlands - alone - as they make in China.
• In 2005, EU investments in Texas alone surpassed
  all U.S. investments in China and Japan, combined.

BMWs assembly plant is South Carolinas largest
private sector employer.
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Future of Transatlantic Relations

• EU and U.S. face common challenges that are
  global in origin and impact. With global
  challenges, come global responsibilities.
• EU and U.S., with our shared values and common
  interests, are natural partners to give a lead in
  four key areas
• Promote peace, human rights and democracy
  worldwide.
• Confront global challenges, including security
  and non-proliferation.
• Foster prosperity and opportunity.
• Advance strategic cooperation on energy security,
  climate change and sustainable development.

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Since no single nation can efficiently and
effectively deal with global challenges such as
climate change, counterterrorism,
non-proliferation, pandemics and natural
disasters on its own, we commit ourselves to
strengthening our cooperation to address these
challenges. EU-U.S. Summit DeclarationVienna,
July 2006
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Education Research

• EU and U.S. cooperate on science and technology
  education through
• Exchange programs
• More than 700 institutional partnerships
• Vocational training
• Scholarship programs
• RD cooperatives
• EU and U.S. provide joint or dual higher
  educational degree programs.
• EU funds Centers of Excellence at leading U.S.
  universities.

EU supports RD to increase Europes growth and
global competitiveness.
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