Overview of the European Union

General Questions:

1. In order to create a relatively homogenous economic environment, the EU takes several steps. The EU relies on a single market economy formed by all of its member states, and a single monetary unit (the Euro) which is used by 12 of its member states. Furthermore, the EU has opened up the single European Market to allow its members a larger economy in which to operate and trade. The single European Market has removed the obstacles and difficulties that are encountered when attempting worldwide trade. Finally, the EU has worked on solidarity by assisting those who succumb to natural disaster and assisting those who have a weak economic system to begin with.

2. The Shengen Agreement allows citizens of member countries to move freely from one country to another with little or no checks at the borders of countries. This provides citizens a sense of unity among countries and gives them the feelings that they are truly part of a union of countries.

3. The Phare program is a program that was set up to provide financial assistance, and to help the democracies rebuild their economies and to encourage political reform. The Phare program was designed to help prepare countries for their membership to the EU and to bring countries to a level that was acceptable to become a member of the EU.

4. The EU seems to have little involvement with the rest of the world. They are mainly focused on controlling and governing their member countries and aiding those that may someday join their union. However, the strides they have made in economic production will surely benefit other countries which they trade with, and their advancements in the technological front will benefit other as well. Mainly, this will allow U.S. television shows to be broadcast throughout the EU and U.S. based web sites will have a market throughout the EU once the high speed internet is established in the EU countries.