3. The European Union: 500 million people – 27 countries Member states of the European Union Candidate countries

4. Founders New ideas for lasting peace and prosperity… Konrad Adenauer Robert Schuman Winston Churchill Alcide De Gasperi Jean Monnet

5. The EU symbols The European flag The European anthem Europe Day, 9 May The motto: United in diversity

6. 23 official languages

7. Principal Objects of the EU Establish European Citizenship Ensure freedom, security, and justice Promote economic and social progress Assert Europe’s role in the world

8. Enlargement: from six to 27 countries 19521973 1981 1986 1990199520042007

9. The big enlargement: healing the division of Europe Fall of Berlin Wall – end of Communism EU economic help begins: Phare programme Criteria set for a country to join the EU: democracy and rule of law functioning market economy ability to implement EU laws Formal negotiations on enlargement begin Copenhagen summit agrees enlargement 10 new EU members: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia  1989  1992  1998  2002  2004  2007 Bulgaria and Romania join the EU Candidates Croatia, Iceland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Turkey © Reuders

10. The treaties – basis for democratic cooperation built on law 1952 The European Steel and Coal Community 1958 The treaties of Rome: The European Economic Community The European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) 1987 The European Single Act: the Single Market 1993 Treaty of European Union – Maastricht 1999 Treaty of Amsterdam 2003 Treaty of Nice 2009 Treaty of Lisbon

11. EU built on treaties

12. The 3 pillars of the EU European Union First pillar European Communities Second pillar Common foreign and security policy Third pillar Police and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters

13. The Lisbon treaty - taking Europe into the 21st century The Treaty will make the European Union: More efficient Simpler processes, full-time president for the Council, etc. More democratic Stronger role for the European Parliament and national parliaments, "Citizens Initiative", Charter of Fundamental Rights, etc. More transparentClarifies who does what, greater public access to documents and meetings, etc. More united on High Representative for Foreign Policy, etc. the world stage More secureNew possibilities to fight climate change and terrorism, secure energy supplies, etc.

14. Terms you must know! Intergovernmental- decision making power lies with individual member states. Supranational – decision making power is held by the organisation. Decisions made by majority. Federalism – the idea that political power is shared between the participant states and the federal level. Division of power is governed by a constitution.

15. A transparent Union at your service The website of the European Union europa.eu One and a half million documents available to the public Europe Direct contact centre Answers your questions: 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 Europe Direct relays Over 400 EU Info Points across the EU European Union Documents Access to internal documents upon request The European Ombudsman Deals with complaints over EU administration Nikoforos Diamandouros, the EU ombudsman