Going abroad to learn

EU programmes like Erasmus have helped more than two million young people study or train in another European country.

o r p u e E r u This is yo
Fewer frontiers, more opportunities

The EU symbols
The European flag The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony among the peoples of Europe. The European anthem The melody comes from the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven.

You can learn more about the EU at the Europa website: europa.eu EUROPE DIRECT answers your questions about the EU: call 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 or e-mail via europa.eu/europedirect

The EU at your service

What is the European Union? What are its aims?
Peace, prosperity and freedom for its 460 million citizens in a fairer, safer world. A unique economic and political partnership between 25 democratic European countries.

You can travel across most of the EU without a passport and without stopping at frontiers. You can shop wherever the goods you want are cheapest. Thanks to competition in the EUs single market, phone calls, internet access and air travel have all become cheaper. Consumer rules protect you from faulty or substandard products, whether bought locally or in another EU country. If you move to another EU country you can take your social security and pension rights with you. The same applies to your family.

What results so far?

Frontier-free travel and trade, the euro (the single European currency), safer food and a greener environment, better living standards in poorer regions, joint action on crime and terror, cheaper phone calls and air travel, millions of opportunities to study abroad and much more besides.

Europe Day, 9 May The ideas behind the European Union were first put forward on 9 May 1950 by French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman. A greener Europe Each year, 9 May is celebrated as the EUs birthday. Pollution crosses international borders, so EU United in diversity countries act together to protect the environment. This is the motto of the EU. As a result, Europes rivers and beaches are cleaner than they were, vehicles pollute less, and there are strict rules for waste disposal. T he EU is also leading ef for t s to preser ve the global environment, in particular through the Kyoto agreement to tackle climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Equal opportunities
EU law bans discrimination on the grounds of nationality, gender, race, religion, disability or sexual orientation. Under the EU Treaty, men and women must have equal pay for equal work.

How does it work?

To make these things happen, EU countries set up bodies to run the EU and adopt its legislation. The main ones are: the European Parliament (representing the people of Europe); the Council of the European Union (representing national governments); the European Commission (representing the common EU interest).

Growth and jobs

In todays competitive world, Europe needs new jobs and a skilled workforce. New jobs can come from research and development. EU leaders plan to increase research spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010. New skills are needed too, and we must all spend more time learning throughout our lives. One third of the EUs budget around 40 billion a year is spent on attracting investment and creating jobs in disadvantaged regions, and training unemployed or under-qualified workers. Thanks to EU support, people in countries like Ireland, Portugal and Spain are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

Freedom, security and justice for all

But the EU is not perfect!

The EU is complex and hard to understand. It is not always easy for 25 countries to agree on what to do. EU leaders have not been good at explaining what they do and why.

To tackle international crime and terrorism, EU countries ensure that their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts work together. A European arrest warrant makes it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where they were arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning. EU countries are also coordinating their asylum and immigration policies and strengthening controls at the EUs external frontiers. In addition, the EU is working to make life simpler when it comes to cross-border family matters involving marriage, divorce and the custody of children. Court rulings issued in one EU country can be enforced in another.

What about the future?

Its up to you! What do you want the EU to do and not to do? Discuss the issues with your friends, your family, your colleagues.

Then tell the policy-makers what you think.

The EUs future will be decided through dialogue, debate and democracy.

A place in the Union

Since its foundation in the 1950s, the EU has grown from six to 25 members. Bulgaria and Romania are on track to join. Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey are also candidate countries. Any European country can join the EU, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and be capable of applying EU laws. A decade or more can pass between the time a country applies to join and its actual date of entry.

Exporting peace and prosperity

How can I have my say?

Contact your local MP EU policies are part of national politics. Contact your MEP the European Parliament enacts EU laws. Contact the NGOs (consumer associations, environmental pressure groups, etc.) they advise the EU on policy. Contact the European Commission which proposes EU policies.

War between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity between them. Thanks also to freedom, democracy and a better standard of living; that is why the EU is now working to spread these benefits beyond its borders. The EU is using its global influence to establish fairer rules for world trade. It wants globalisation to benefit the poorest countries. The EU already provides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else. The EU sends military and police missions to trouble spots for example to the Balkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces.

Embracing a continent
EU members and when they joined:
1952 1973 1981 1986 1995 2004 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom Greece Portugal, Spain Austria, Finland, Sweden Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Euros in your pocket

The euro () is already being used by two thirds of the EU population, living in 12 countries. Euro banknotes all look the same, while coins have a common design on one side and an emblem of their country of origin on the other side. The euro removes the hassle and cost of changing money when moving from one euro country to another. Shoppers can compare prices while on the move. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have had to cut unjustifiably high prices.

EU countries using the euro EU countries not using the euro (2006)

The European Parliament: Voice of the people

The European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests. The 732 members from all 25 EU countries hold their main meetings in Strasbourg. Parliaments main job is to pass laws, based on proposals from the European Commission. It does so together with the Council of the European Union. Parliament and Council also jointly adopt the EUs 120 billion annual budget. Like all other EU institutions, Parliament works in 20 official EU languages.
Photo: Corbis Published by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Communication, March 2006 NA-69-05-391-EN-P

The Council of the European Union: Voice of the Member States

The European Central Bank: A stable currency The European Commission: Promoting the common interest The Court of Justice: The rule of law The European Economic and Social Committee: Voice of civil society

The Council of the European Union shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws. It is also in charge of the EUs foreign, security and defence policies, and it takes key EU decisions on justice and freedom issues. The Council consists of ministers from the governments of all EU countries. Each country has a number of votes, broadly reflecting the size of its population but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, but sensitive issues require unanimity. Up to four times a year, government leaders hold summit meetings, called the European Council, where they set overall EU policy.

The European Commission represents and upholds the interests of the Union as a whole. Its job is to draft proposals for European legislation, manage the EUs day-to-day business and make sure everyone abides by European treaties and laws. It has one member from each EU country. Although nominated by the governments, they are answerable to the European Parliament. Each has responsibility for a particular policy area. They are supported by about 25 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted and applied in the same way in all EU countries, so that the law is equal for everybody. The Court is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

The 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee gives its opinion on proposed EU legislation on employment, social spending, vocational training, etc.

Based in Frankfurt, the European Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro and for setting euro-area interest rates so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank is independent from EU governments.

The European Investment Bank: Lending a helping hand

The Court of Auditors: Getting value for your money

The Committee of the Regions: The local perspective

The Court of Auditors checks that the EU budget, which is funded by European taxpayers, is spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose. The Court is based in Luxembourg.

The Committee of the Regions is consulted on draft EU laws that have a direct local or regional impact in fields such as transport, health, employment or education. Its 317 members are mostly leaders of regional governments or mayors of cities.

The bank, based in Luxembourg, lends money for projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes, particularly in the EUs less well-off regions. It also lends to candidate countries and the developing world.