You will explore what it means to be a member of the European Union.

The European Union

When the European Union (EU) was formed in 1957, it was an economic community. Over the years, it has taken on a wider role and has now become a more political, social union. The EU has a Parliament. Its members are elected by each country and it makes laws that all EU countries must follow. There are currently 27 members and several more countries

The single market

which have applied to join. The UK left at the end of January 2020.

Some member countries use the euro as their currency. It makes trade and travel more straightforward but also means that countries must keep their economies in line to keep the euro stable.

The single market means that people, money and trade have free movement within the EU. This means that there need to be laws and regulations to make sure that competition between countries is fair.

EU citizens can live and work anywhere in the EU.

There are no taxes when products are sold from one country to another. Taxes on trade are called tariffs.

Single market

There are laws about governments supporting industry.

Check your understanding

1 What are the aims of the Council of Europe?

2 How does it promote and protect these aims?

3 What is the European Union? How has it changed over the years?

4 What is a single market? How does it work?

5 What is the European currency called?

Key terms

The EU has rules and regulations about standards of production so countries trade fairly with each other.

There are laws which protect people at work.

The EU makes policies that apply to member countries relating to things like fishing, agriculture and trade. The EU also negotiates agreements on these issues with countries outside the EU.

Another point of view

‘There’s no need for two organisations in Europe. One would do.’

Action

1 Find out which European countries are not members of the Council of Europe.

2 Some people in the UK think the country should withdraw from the Council of Europe, the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights. Find out whether there has been any change in the UK’s status with these organisations.

member state: a country that is a member of the EU single market: a group of countries trading with each other without restrictions or tariffs