Presentation used at Workshop 1 of the English V course at the Epirus Institute of Technology. English V is addressed at third year undergraduates studying at the Department of Applied Foreign Languages, and it aims at improving their language skills while providing information about EU institutions.

1. THE EUROPEAN UNION:
OVERVIEW AND ATTITUDES
English V (Achilleas Kostoulas)

2. European Integration
Reading activities

3. Scanning for information (1)
The European Union (EU) is unique. It is not a
federal state like the United States of America
because its member countries remain independent
sovereign nations. Nor is it a purely
intergovernmental organisation like the United
Nations because the member countries do pool some
of their sovereignty — and thus gain much greater
collective strength and influence than they could
have acting individually.

4. Scanning for information (2)
The European Union (EU) is unique. It is not a
federal state like the United States of America
because its member countries remain independent
sovereign nations. Nor is it a purely
intergovernmental organisation like the United
Nations because the member countries do pool some
of their sovereignty — and thus gain much greater
collective strength and influence than they could
have acting individually.

5. Scanning for information (3)
The European Union (EU) is unique. It is not a
federal state like the United States of America
because its member countries remain independent
sovereign nations. Nor is it a purely
intergovernmental organisation like the United
Nations because the member countries do pool some
of their sovereignty — and thus gain much greater
collective strength and influence than they could
have acting individually.

6. Scanning for information (4)
They pool their sovereignty by taking joint
decisions through shared institutions such as the
European Parliament, which is elected by the EU
citizens, and the Council, which represents national
government. They decide on the basis of proposals
from the European Commission, which represent the
interests of the EU as a whole.

7. Scanning for information (5)
They pool their sovereignty by taking joint
decisions through shared institutions such as the
European Parliament, which is elected by the EU
citizens, and the Council, which represents national
government. They decide on the basis of proposals
from the European Commission, which represent the
interests of the EU as a whole.

8. Scanning for information (6)
They pool their sovereignty by taking joint
decisions through shared institutions such as the
European Parliament, which is elected by the EU
citizens, and the Council, which represents national
government. They decide on the basis of proposals
from the European Commission, which represent the
interests of the EU as a whole.

9. European Integration
Vocabulary Activities

10. Vocabulary Activity 1
 currency νόμισμα
 capital κεφάλαιο
 prosperity ευημερία
 federal ομόσπονδος –η –ο
 sovereign, sovereignty κυρίαρχος –η -ο,
κυριαρχία

11. Vocabulary Activity 2
 trading strength
 world power
 joint decisions
 collective leader

12. European Integration
Focus on discourse patterns

13. The European Union (EU) is a family of democratic European countries
working together to improve life for their citizens and to build a better world.
Family squabbles and occasional crises are what make the news headlines,
but away from the cameras the EU is actually a remarkable success story. In
just over half a century it has delivered peace and prosperity in Europe, a
single European currency (the euro) and a frontier-free ‘single market’ where
goods, people, services and capital move around freely. It has become a
major trading power, and a world leader in fields such as environmental
protection and development aid. No wonder it has grown from six to 27
members and more countries want to join. ...
The European Union (EU) is unique. It is not a federal state like the United
States of America because its member countries remain independent
sovereign nations. Nor is it a purely intergovernmental organisation like the
United Nations because the member countries do pool some of their
sovereignty — and thus gain much greater collective strength and influence
than they could have acting individually.
They pool their sovereignty by taking joint decisions through shared
institutions such as the European Parliament, which is elected by the EU citizens,
and the Council, which represents national government. They decide on the
basis of proposals from the European Commission, which represent the
interests of the EU as a whole.

14. Language of…
 Democracy: ‘democratic’, ‘joint decisions’, ‘shared
decisions institutions’
 Power: ‘strength’, ‘grown’, ‘world leader’
 Success: ‘has grown’, ‘better world’, ‘peace and
prosperity’
Problems are trivialised: ‘occasional crises’, ‘family
squabbles’

15. Euro-scepticism
Listening tasks

16. Farage on Poland, Greece and EU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoAtCs7wXHY

17. According to Nigel Farage
Poland should remain outside the EU of they
want to retain sovereignty. Other countries
are considering the same e.g. Denmark is
reconsidering the Schengen agreement.
Greece has been enslaved.
European countries should work together,
but without the EU bureaucracy.

18. Farage on Van Rompuy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqovTGjYjM4.

19. Intensive Listening
Extract 0:45 – 1:35

20. And public opinion is saying, well space walks whilst
they want a European co-operation, yes of course I
agree with that,
what they don’t want is this Europe, rom run by our
elected unelected bureaucrats, like Mr. Barozo.
You say the ear was the EU is fantastic, in a recent
comment; you’re supporting the destruction of
national democracy.

21. But it’s with reference to grace Greece that I’m most
concerned about you,
because when faced with every cynon statement,
their recent enslavement you said “we lived for many
years as a non-sovereign country, under Soviet
occupation. For us European integration is not a
threat to sovereignty, because we experienced,
not long ago, stationary a threat to also printed a
serious threat to our sovereignty”.

22. Writing tasks
Homework

23. Choose one of the following tasks
a) Using the text on page 1 as a loose model, write a
description of the EU from a critical perspective.
b) Write a report on Mr. Farage’s statement at the
European parliament, adding your own opinion.
You may choose to agree or disagree with what
he said.
c) Using the table above, summarise the way you and
your classmates feel about the issues that Nigel
Farage raised.

24. Assignment
 Approximately 200 words.
 Hard copy or email (<redacted>)
 By Wednesday 23 November.