The European Union an introduction Prof. Simonetta Gatto Istituto Comprensivo di Casella
Dec 31, 2015
The European Union an introduction
Prof. Simonetta Gatto
Istituto Comprensivo di Casella
EU – EUROPEAN UNIONThe EU is a political and economical
association with 28 members:
1957 Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg.
1973 Ireland, Denmark, United Kingdom
1981 Greece
1986 Spain, Portugal
1995 Finland, Sweden, Austria.
2004 The Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Malta, Cyprus
2007 Bulgaria, Romania
2013 Croatia
COUNTRIES AND NATIONALITIES
Germany – German France – FrenchItaly – Italian The Netherlands – DutchBelgium – Belgian Luxembourg – LuxembourgishIreland – Irish Denmark – DanishThe United Kingdom – British Greece – GreekSpain – Spanish Portugal – PortugueseFinland – Finnish Sweden – SwedishAustria – Austrian the Czech Republic - CzechLithuania – Lithuanian Latvia – LatvianEstonia – Estonian Hungary – HungarianPoland – Polish Slovenia – SlovenianSlovakia – Slovak/Slovakian Malta – MalteseCyprus - Cypriot Bulgaria – BulgarianRomania – Romanian Croatia - Croatian
CAPITAL CITIES OF EUROPE
Germany – Berlin France – ParisItaly – Rome The Netherlands – Amsterdam
Romania – Bucharest (the Hague – seat of Parliament)Belgium – Brussels Luxembourg – LuxembourgIreland – Dublin Denmark – CopenhagenThe United Kingdom – London Greece – AthensSpain – Madrid Portugal – LisbonFinland – Helsinki Sweden – StockholmAustria – Vienna the Czech Republic - PragueLithuania – Vilnius Latvia – RigaEstonia – Tallinn Hungary – BudapestPoland – Warsaw Slovenia – LjubljanaSlovakia – Bratislava Malta – VallettaCyprus - Nicosia Bulgaria – Sofia
Croatia - Zagreb
EU IDENTITY CARD28 countries
24 official languages
Population: 508,000,000
Area: 4 million km2
Currency: euro in the eurozone
European Day: 9th May
European anthem: Ode to Joy – Beethoven
The European Flag
• 12 golden (yellow) stars in a circle on a blue background
• The stars represent all the people of Europe
• It is both the flag of the EU and of the Council of Europe
• Number 12 is a symbol of unity and perfection.
EUROZONE
• 18 countries have the Euro
• It was established on 1st January 1999
• Euro entered into use on 1st January 2002.
• Issuing authority: European Central Bank (ECB)
• President of ECB: Mario Draghi
• The symbol is €
• It is divided into 100 cents
EUROZONE COUNTRIES
They are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.
Kosovo and Montenegro have adopted the Euro unilaterally, but they are not in the Eurozone.
Monaco, San Marino, Vatican and Andora use the Euro as their official currency, after an agreement.
EUROPEAN ANTHEM
"Ode to Joy"
Joy, bright spark of divinity,Daughter of Elysium,Fire-inspired we treadThy sanctuary.Thy magic power re-unitesAll that custom has divided,All men become brothersUnder the sway of thy gentle wings.
Whoever has createdAn abiding friendship,Or has won a true and loving wife,Join in our song of praise,Yes, all who can call at least one soulTheirs upon this earth;But any who cannot must creep tearfullyAway from our circle.
All creatures drink of joyAt nature's breast.Just and unjustAlike taste of her gift;She gave us kisses and the fruit of the vine,A tried friend to the end.Even the worm can feel contentment,And the cherub stands before God!
Gladly,As His heavenly bodies flyOn their courses through the heavens,Thus, brothers, you should run your race,As a hero going to conquest.
You millions, I embrace you.This kiss is for all the world!Brothers, above the starry canopyThere must dwell a loving Father.Do you fall in worship, you millions?World, do you know your creator?Seek him in the heavens;Above the stars must He dwell.
ODE TO JOY - BEETHOVEN
Riga 1 Riga 2 Riga 3 Riga 40
2
4
6
8
10
12
Colonna 1
Colonna 2
Colonna 3
• Written in 1824
• It celebrates the brotherhood of men
• Adopted as European Anthem on 19th January 1972
EUROPEAN MOTTO
• United in diversity
• French: Unie dans la diversité
• Italian: Unita nella diversità
• Spanish: Unida en la diversidad
• Chosen after a school contest. The winner was a school from Luxemburg.
• The European Commision has explained: “The motto means that, via the EU, Europeans are united in working together for peace and prosperity, and that the many different cultures, traditions and languages in Europe are a positive asset for the continent.
THREE MAIN INSTITUTIONS
• The European Parliament
• The Council of the European Union
• The European Commision
The European Parliament
• Legislative power (making laws)
• 766 members
• Elected every five years
• The President of the Parliament is Martin Schultz. He is German.
• Meeting place: either Strasbourg or Brussels
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
• Together with the European Parliament, it is the body of the legislative branch.
• 28 seats (one for each country, 28 at present)
• Meeting place: Brussels
• Presidency rotates among the member states of the EU every six months
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
• The European Commission (EC) is the executive body of the European Union
• The Commission has got 28 members (one member per state)
• Currently the President is José Manuel Barroso, from Portugal.
• Locations are in Brussels and Luxembourg.
• Working languages are: English, French and German.
THE CAPITALS
Strasbourg Brussels Luxembourg
Common objectives
The European Union Treaties state the importance of these values:
human dignity
freedom
democracy
equality
the rule of law
respect for human rights
minority rights
free market
NOBEL PEACE PRICE IN 2012
In 2012 the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.The motivation was: "for over six decades it contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe"