What facts and figures do you know about the European Union (EU)?  Test yourself before you read the article.  Then read and check how many you got right.

Joining the EU

In 1957, heads of state from Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands met in Rome to agree on some new trade protocols.  The British government thought this event was so unimportant that they only sent an under-secretary from the Department of Trade to the meeting.  The British, however, were wrong.  Those heads of state signed the Treaty of Rome, which was the first step in the creation of the European Economic Community, which later became the European Union.

The EU now has 25 member states with 11 official languages. The European Union now has its own parliament, armed forces and currency. 12 states are members of the Euro – the single currency which took over from the old marks, francs, lira and pesetas in January 2002.   The EU is a major influence in world politics.

The EU has a large development programme to help developing countries.  It has brought stability to fluctuating national currencies.  It has stabilised and strengthened international relations and developed international understanding.  There is now complete freedom of movement around the EU countries.  European trade has been strengthened.  European products are now more competitive on international markets, while rights of workers within the European Union have been protected.

But is it all a success story?

The single currency has been blamed for causing the rapidly rising inflation in Europe. Indeed, Britain, Denmark and Norway have decided not to use the Euro.  The European parliament has been accused of being a huge bureaucracy, with high levels of incompetence and corruption.  Some people say that the EU is an international syndicate of bankers, in that it protects the rights of capital but not those of workers.  Money can be moved freely around Europe, but the right of workers from outside Europe to enter is limited.

The success, or otherwise, of the EU can perhaps be measured by looking at the number of other countries who want to join the club”. In 2004, 10 other countries joined the EU (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia), though they have not yet joined the Euro.

Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania hope to join by 2007.  Turkey, on the other hand, is still thinking about whether to join or not.

Check how well you have understood - are these arguments in favour or against joining?