The European Union

• The European Union is a group of countries whose governments work together.

• It's a little like a club. To join you have to agree to follow the rules and in return you get certain benefits (beneficios).

• Each country has to pay money to be a member. They mostly pay through taxes (impuestos).

• Countries join the EU because they think the EU will help them.

• What is bigger (has more land) – the United States or the European Union?

The area of the EU compared to the rest of the world

Surface area, 1 000 km²

EU China Japan Russia United States

16 889

9327 9159

4234

365

India

3287

• Which has more people – the United States or the European Union?

EU population in the world

Population in millions, 2011

502

1354

127 143

318

EU China Japan Russia United States

1215

India

The EU symbols

The European flagThe European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

The motto: United in diversity

There are twelve stars on the EU flag.

Government• The European Parliament is in Strasbourg• The Council of Ministers and the European Court are in

Luxembourg

The European Union: 500 million people – 27 countries

Member states of the European Union

Candidate and potential candidate countries

• How many countries are part of the European Union?• 27 countries

• How many countries use the Euro?• 17

• What is the biggest member state?• Land: France (Spain is the second biggest)• Population: Germany (Spain is the fifth biggest)

• What is the smallest member state?• Land: Malta• Population: Malta

• How many official and working languages are there?• Twenty-three

How big are the EU countries?

Surface area in 1 000 km²

Fra

nce

Sp

ain

Sw

eden

Ger

man

y

Po

lan

d

Fin

lan

d

Ital

y

Un

ited

Kin

gd

om

Ro

man

ia

Gre

ece

Bu

lgar

ia

Hu

ng

ary

Po

rtu

gal

Au

stri

a

Cze

ch R

epu

bli

c

Irel

and

Lit

hu

ania

Lat

via

Slo

vaki

a

Est

on

ia

Den

mar

k

Net

her

lan

ds

Bel

giu

m

Slo

ven

ia

Cyp

rus

Lu

xem

bu

rg

Mal

ta

544

506

410

357

313

305

295

244

230

131

111

93 92 83

77 68 63 62 49

43

43 34 30

20 9

3 0.3

How many people live in the EU?

Population in millions, 2011

502 million total81

.7

65.0

62.4

60.6

46.1

38.2

21.4

16.6

11.3

10.6

10.9

10.5

9.9

9.4

8.4

7.5

5.5

5.4

5.3

4.4

3.2

2.2

2.0

1.3

0.8

0.5

0.4

Fra

nce

Sp

ain

Sw

eden

Po

lan

d

Fin

lan

d

Ital

y

Un

ited

Kin

gd

om

Ro

man

ia

Gre

ece

Bu

lgar

ia

Hu

ng

ary

Po

rtu

gal

Au

stri

a

Cze

ch R

epu

bli

c

Irel

and

Lit

hu

ania

Lat

via

Slo

vaki

a

Est

on

ia

Den

mar

k

Net

her

lan

ds

Bel

giu

m

Slo

ven

ia

Cyp

rus

Lu

xem

bu

rg

Mal

ta

Ger

man

y

• The EU began in 1957 when six countries signed Treaty of Rome. The six countries were called the European Economic Community.

• The first six countries were Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg the Netherlands and West Germany.

• The EU was created after World War II. They wanted to stop wars, make a better world and build community.

• Spain joined the EU in 1986.

• On July 1, 2013, Croatia will join the EU. It will be the twenty-eighth country to join the EU.

• The European Parliament is usually in Strasbourg, but sometimes in Luxembourg.

• The Council of the European Union (“The Council”) is in Brussels

• The European Commission is in Brussels too.

The Council represents governments, the Parliament represents citizens and the Commission represents the European community.

• 1. Economic and social progress.Help people earn enough money and get treated fairly.

• 2. Speak for the European Union internationallyBy working as a group the EU hopes that Europe will be listened to more by other countries.

• 3. European citizenship Anyone from a member country is a citizen of the EU. Because you are a citizen of the EU, you have rights.

• 4. Make Europe an area of freedom, security and justice.Help Europeans to live in safety, without the fear of war.

• 5. Make and keep EU lawsMaking laws protect peoples’ rights in the EU countries.

• What do you remember? Answer the questions correctly to win points!

• You have 1 minute to answer the question. Talk to your group and write your answer on your paper. (One person writes for every group.)

• When I say “stop,” stop writing. Put your pencil on your desk.

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