business environment european union

1. The European Union

2. 28
7
30
510
million
Member States
Combined
population of
EU Member
States
Percent of world’s
population
Percent of
global GDP
55
Percent of combined
worldwide Official
Development Assistance
I. INTRODUCTION
1st
1st economy
in the world

3. The European Union

4. The EU symbols
The motto:
United in diversity The EU anthem: Ode to Joy
The euro The EU flag The EU day: 9 May

5. 24 official languages
Български
Čeština
dansk
Deutsch
eesti keel
Ελληνικά
English
español
français
Gaeilge
hrvatski
Italiano
latviešu valoda
lietuvių kalba
magyar
Malti
Nederlands
polski
português
Română
slovenčina
slovenščina
suomi
svenska

6. The EU Charter of Fundamental
Rights
Binding for all the EU's activities
54 articles under 6 titles:
Dignity Equality
Freedoms
Solidarity Citizen's Rights Justice

7. Common values
United in diversity by common values
The Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, liberty, democracy,
equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights.
- Freedom of speech
- Freedom of the press
- Freedom of religion
- Freedom of association
- Gender equality
- Protection of minorities
- Against the death penalty
- Protection of the environment

8. The European Union in brief
Member States
• 28 sovereign and independent states that pooled some of their sovereignty in order to
gain strength and unity from their cooperation.
•The EU institutions take in charge the decision-making power the Member States
delegate.
•The EU is in between a fully federal system (ex. US) and an intergovernmental
cooperation system (ex. UN).
EU Achievements
•A single and unified market for goods and services around the EU.
•Freedom of movement for all EU citizens as part of the Schengen Area.
•The establishment of the euro zone - a single currency shared by 19 Member States of
the EU.
•Largest supplier of development and humanitarian aid programmes in the world.

9. Konrad
ADENAUER
Robert
SCHUMAN
Winston
CHURCHILL
Alcide
DE GASPERI
Jean
MONNET
The Founders

10. History of the EU
The EU was founded one step at a time
• The Treaty of Paris [1951]: Established the European Coal and Steel Community.
• The Treaties of Rome [1957]: Established the European Economic Community (EEC) and
the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).
• The Single European Act (SEA) [1986]: Amended the EEC Treaty and paved the way for
completing the single market.
• The Treaty of the European Union (TEU) – Treaty of Maastricht [1992]: Established the
European Union, gave the Parliament more say in decision-making and added new policy
areas of cooperation.
• The Treaty of Amsterdam [1997]: Amended previous treaties.
• The Treaty of Nice [2001]: Streamlined the EU institutional system ahead of the wave of
new Member States in 2004, so that it could continue to work effectively.
• The Treaty of Lisbon [2007]: Simplified working methods and voting rules, created a
President of the European Council and introduced new structures to the EU. The latest
treaty also introduced the High Representative and Vice President position, held by
Federica Mogherini.

11. Enlargements : the founding members
FRANCE
BELGIUM
LUXEMBOURG
ITALY
NETHERLAND
GERMANY
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
UNITED
KINGDOM
IRELAND
ICELAND
NORWAY
SWEDEN
FINLAND
DENMARK
SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA
SLOVENIA
CZECH
REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
POLAND
HUNGARY
CROATIA
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
GREECE
ESTONIA
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
BOSNIA-HR
SERBIA
MONTENEGRO
FYROM
ALBANIA
MALTA
CYPRUS
TURKEY
1951
Founding Members
Belgium
France
Germany
Italy
Luxembourg
Netherlands

12. Enlargement I
1973
Denmark
Ireland
United Kingdom
FRANCE
BELGIUM
LUXEMBOURG
ITALY
NETHERLAND
GERMANY
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
UNITED
KINGDOM
IRELAND
ICELAND
NORWAY
SWEDEN
FINLAND
DENMARK
SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA
SLOVENIA
CZECH
REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
POLAND
HUNGARY
CROATIA
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
GREECE
ESTONIA
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
BOSNIA-HR
SERBIA
MONTENEGRO
FYROM
ALBANIA
MALTA
CYPRUS
TURKEY

13. Enlargement II
1981
Greece
FRANCE
BELGIUM
LUXEMBOURG
ITALY
NETHERLAND
GERMANY
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
UNITED
KINGDOM
IRELAND
ICELAND
NORWAY
SWEDEN
FINLAND
DENMARK
SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA
SLOVENIA
CZECH
REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
POLAND
HUNGARY
CROATIA
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
GREECE
ESTONIA
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
BOSNIA-HR
SERBIA
MONTENEGRO
FYROM
ALBANIA
MALTA
CYPRUS
TURKEY

14. Enlargement III
1986
Portugal
Spain
FRANCE
BELGIUM
LUXEMBOURG
ITALY
NETHERLAND
GERMANY
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
UNITED
KINGDOM
IRELAND
ICELAND
NORWAY
SWEDEN
FINLAND
DENMARK
SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA
SLOVENIA
CZECH
REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
POLAND
HUNGARY
CROATIA
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
GREECE
ESTONIA
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
BOSNIA-HR
SERBIA
MONTENEGRO
FYROM
ALBANIA
MALTA
CYPRUS
TURKEY

15. Enlargements IV
1995
Austria
Finland
Sweden
FRANCE
BELGIUM
LUXEMBOURG
ITALY
NETHERLAND
GERMANY
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
UNITED
KINGDOM
IRELAND
ICELAND
NORWAY
SWEDEN
FINLAND
DENMARK
SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA
SLOVENIA
CZECH
REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
POLAND
HUNGARY
CROATIA
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
GREECE
ESTONIA
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
BOSNIA-HR
SERBIA
MONTENEGRO
FYROM
ALBANIA
MALTA
CYPRUS
TURKEY

16. Enlargements V
2004
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Malta
Poland
Slovakia
Slovenia
FRANCE
BELGIUM
LUXEMBOURG
ITALY
NETHERLAND
GERMANY
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
UNITED
KINGDOM
IRELAND
ICELAND
NORWAY
SWEDEN
FINLAND
DENMARK
SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA
SLOVENIA
CZECH
REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
POLAND
HUNGARY
CROATIA
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
GREECE
ESTONIA
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
BOSNIA-HR
SERBIA
MONTENEGRO
FYROM
ALBANIA
MALTA
CYPRUS
TURKEY

17. Enlargements VI
2007
Bulgaria
Romania
FRANCE
BELGIUM
LUXEMBOURG
ITALY
NETHERLAND
GERMANY
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
UNITED
KINGDOM
IRELAND
ICELAND
NORWAY
SWEDEN
FINLAND
DENMARK
SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA
SLOVENIA
CZECH
REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
POLAND
HUNGARY
CROATIA
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
GREECE
ESTONIA
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
BOSNIA-HR
SERBIA
MONTENEGRO
FYROM
ALBANIA
MALTA
CYPRUS
TURKEY

18. Enlargements VII
2013
Croatia
FRANCE
BELGIUM
LUXEMBOURG
ITALY
NETHERLAND
GERMANY
SPAIN
PORTUGAL
UNITED
KINGDOM
IRELAND
ICELAND
NORWAY
SWEDEN
FINLAND
DENMARK
SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA
SLOVENIA
CZECH
REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
POLAND
HUNGARY
CROATIA
ROMANIA
BULGARIA
GREECE
ESTONIA
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
BOSNIA-HR
SERBIA
MONTENEGRO
FYROM
ALBANIA
MALTA
CYPRUS
TURKEY

19. Candidate countries and potential
candidates
Country
Area
(x 1000 km²)
Population
(millions)
Wealth
(gross domestic
product per person)
Status
Albania 28 2.9 7 500
Accepted, not
opened yet
The former
Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia
25 2.1 9 100
Accepted, not
opened yet
Montenegro 14 0.6 10 900
Accepted, still
negotiating
Serbia 77 7.2 9 100
Accepted, still
negotiating
Turkey 783 76.7 13 800
Accepted, still
negotiating
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
51 3.8 7 600 Potential candidate
Kosovo under UN
Security Resolution
1244
11 1.8 :
Potential candidate

20. EU Trade agreements around the
world

21. HOW DOES THE EU WORK?

22. Who makes the decision?
Decision-making at EU level involves various European institutions:
• The EU Parliament: represents
the EU's citizens and is directly
elected by them
• The European Council: consists
of the Head of State or
Government of the EU Member
States
• The council: represents the
governments of the EU
Member States
• The EU Commission:
represents the interests of the
EU as a whole.

23. CLOSE UP: The European Parliament
Represents the EU's citizens and is directly elected by them
Role: Directly elected legislative arm of the
EU
Members: 751 Members of the European
Parliament (MEP)
Location: Strasbourg (France), Brussels
(Belgium), Luxembourg city (Luxembourg)
President: Antonio Tajani
Seats allocated among the Member States on
the basis of their share of the EU population
(Germany 96, and Luxembourg and Malta 6.
Most MEPs are associated with a national
political party in their home country. In the
EP, the national parties group into EU-wide
political groupings and most MEPs belong to
one of these.

24. CLOSE UP: The European Council
Consists of the Head of State or Government of the EU Member States
Role: Defines political direction and priorities.
Members: heads of state or Government
from each Member States, the President of
the European Council and the President of
the European Commission.
Location: Brussels (Belgium)
President: Donald Tusk
It represents the highest level of political
cooperation between Member States. At
their meetings, the leaders decide by
consensus on the overall direction and
priorities of the Union.
The European Council does not adopt
legislation.

25. CLOSE UP: The Council
Represents the governments of the EU Member States
Role: Deciding on policies and adopting
legislation.
Members: One minister from each Member
States.
Location: Brussels (Belgium), and
Luxembourg City (Luxembourg)
President: The Presidency changes every 6
months between the Member States. From 1
January 2017 until 30 June 2017, Malta is
Presiding the Council.
Which ministers attend which Council
meeting depends on the subject on the
agenda. If, for example, the Council is to
discuss environment, all the environment
Ministers from each Member States will
attend.

26. CLOSE UP: The European Commission
Represents the interests of the EU as a whole
Role: Executive arm of the EU that proposes
laws, policies agreement and promotes the
Union.
Members: A College of Commissioners, one
from each Member States.
Location: Brussels (Belgium)
President: Jean-Claude Juncker
It is the politically independent institution
that represents and upholds the interest of
the EU as a whole. In many areas, it is the
driving force within the EU’s institutional
system: it proposes legislation, policies and
programmes action and is responsible for
implementing the decision of the European
Parliament and the Council.

27. EEAS
To make sure the voice of the EU and its people are heard in the world
The EEAS – European External Action
Service is the European Union's diplomatic
service. It helps the EU's foreign affairs
chief – the High Representative for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy – carry
out the Union's Common Foreign and
Security Policy.
Head of EEAS: HR/VP Federica Mogherini

28. SOME FIGURES
ABOUT THE EU

29. EU population compared to the rest
of the world
Population in millions (2016)

30. EU surface area compared to the rest
of the world
Surface area (x 1000 km²)

31. How big are the EU countries?
Surface area (x 1000 km²)
633
506
439
357
338
313
302
249
238
132
111
93
92
88
84
79
70
65
65
49
45
43
42
31
20
9
2.6
0.3
France
Spain
Sweden
Germany
Finland
Poland
Italy
United
Kingdom
Romania
Greece
Bulgaria
Hungary
Portugal
Croatia
Austria
Czech
Republic
Ireland
Lithuania
Latvia
Slovakia
Estonia
Denmark
Netherlands
Belgium
Slovenia
Cyprus
Luxembourg
Malta

32. How many people live in the EU?
Population in millions (2016)
510 million in total
80.8
65.9
64.3
60.8
46.5
38.5
19.9
16.8
11.2
11
10.5
10.4
9.9
9.6
8.5
7.3
5.6
5.5
5.4
4.6
4.3
2.9
2.1
2
1.3
0.9
0.6
0.4
Germany
France
United
Kingdom
Italy
Spain
Poland
Romania
Netherlands
Belgium
Greece
Czech
Republic
Portugal
Hungary
Sweden
Austria
Bulgaria
Denmark
Finland
Slovakia
Ireland
Croatia
Lithuania
Slovenia
Latvia
Estonia
Cyprus
Luxembourg
Malta

33. GDP per inhabitant: the spread of
wealth
GDP per inhabitant (2016)
Index where the average of the 28 EU countries is 100
264
129
127
127
126
125
124
119
112
108
106
98
95
87
86
83
80
76
75
75
74
72
68
67
67
61
54
47
Luxembourg
Austria
Netherlands
Sweden
Ireland
Denmark
Germany
Belgium
Finland
France
United
Kingdom
Italy
Spain
Malta
Cyprus
Slovenia
Czech
Republic
Slovakia
Portugal
Greece
Lithuania
Estonia
Poland
Hungary
Latvia
Croatia
Romania
Bulgaria

34. Unemployment rates in the EU
2008 crisis
EU focus work on
employment

35. EU’s budget

36. EU’s WORK
I. In the economy
II. For the environment
III. As a global player
IV. EU programmes

37. EU’s WORK
I. In the economy
II. For the environment
III. As a global player
IV. EU programmes

38. EU position in world trade
The EU is in prime position when it comes to global trade
The openness of EU’s trade regime has meant that it is the biggest player on the global
trading scene and remains a good region to do business with. The EU has achieved a
strong position by acting together with one voice on the global stage, rather than with
28 separate trade strategies.
The EU is the largest
economy in the world.
Although growth is
projected to be slow, the
EU remains the largest
economy in the world
with a GDP per head of
€25 000 for its 500
million consumers.

39. The European economy:
stronger together
2008: Worldwide financial crisis starts in the United States.
Coordinated response from European leaders:
Commitment to the euro and to financial stability
•New crisis management tools and reforms of rules:
•European Stability Mechanism: fund to help countries in extraordinary economic
difficulties
New laws for stability of banks
•Banking Union: EU-wide supervision of banks and a mechanism to close down failing
banks
Better economic governance:
•European Semester: annual procedure to coordinate public budgets
•Euro+ pact, ‘Fiscal compact treaty’: mutual commitments to sound public finances

40. EU’s WORK
I. In the economy
II. For the environment
III. As a global player
IV. EU programmes

41. The EU and the environment
The EU has some of the world's highest environmental standards
Environment policy helps green the EU economy, protect nature, and safeguard the
health and quality of life of people living in the EU. Europe is working to safeguard these
natural resources and halt the decline of endangered species and habitats.
The European Union is working on growing sustainably, protecting nature, safeguarding
the health of people living in the EU, and fight global challenges (climate change,
destruction of some ecosystems, etc.)
One of EU’s programme : Natura 2000. It is a
network of 26,000 protected natural areas,
covering almost 20% of the EU's land mass,
where sustainable human activities can coexist
with rare and vulnerable species and habitats.

42. EU’s WORK
I. In the economy
II. For the environment
III. As a global player
IV. EU programmes

43. The EU as a global power
The EU is a key actor in the international stage
Through the EU Global Strategy, launched by the
European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU
has become the biggest humanitarian aid
provider in the world. Moreover, and under the
Common Foreign Security Policy (CFSP), the EU
has become a security provider in many regions
of the world.
Here are some examples
of civilian or military
mission undertaken by the
EU in the frame of the
CFSP.

44. EU’s WORK
I. In the economy
II. For the environment
III. As a global player
IV. EU programmes

45. EU programmes
The EU provides funding for a broad range of projects and programmes
The EU funds a lot of programmes and project covering areas such as regional & urban
development, employment & social inclusion, agriculture & rural development, maritime
& fisheries policies, research & innovation and humanitarian aid.
The best known EU programme is
Erasmus+. Erasmus+ is the EU's programme
to support education, training, youth and
sport in Europe. Its budget of €14.7 billion
provides opportunities for over 4 million
Europeans to study, train gain experience,
and volunteers abroad
Another well known programme is Horizon
2020 promoting EU Innovation and
Research.

46. EU CHALLENGES

47. European Union Office
to Hong Kong and Macao
The EU office increases knowledge
and information about EU policies
through public diplomacy efforts,
dialogue meetings and development
of academic exchanges and people-to-
people contacts.

48. Q&A