European Union
European Union
the role of the EU in world politics
common/national currency
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located
primarily in Europe.
The EU was born in 1951 to end enmity /ellenségeskedés/ and guarantee a more peaceful future for the old
continent.
Back then, it was called the European Coal and Steel Community, set up by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg
and the Netherlands. The rules of co-operation were set out /kiemel/ in the Treaty of Paris /Párizsi Szerződés/.
Hungary joined on 1st May (of) 2004 with the entry of nine other countries, this has been the biggest
enlargement in the EU’s history.
Candidate /pályázó/ countries had been guided through /végigvezet/ the accession /csatlakozás, bejutás/
process /folyamat/ under the PHARE program.
The single market /piac/ was the EU’s first achievement /eredmény/, completed in 1993. Companies are able to
sell /elad/ their goods anywhere and professional services can be offered /felajánl/ in any member state. The
single market has led /vezet/ to increased /megnőtt/ competition /verseny/ of business resulting /eredményesség/
in lower prices and a greater choice of goods and services. The objective /cél/ of the EU is to enhance /növel/
compatitiveness /versenyképesség/ in the world market.
The second major milestone /mérföldkő/ of integration /integráció; beillesztés/ was the establishment /alapítás/
of the Economic and Monetary Union, which aims to /igyekszik, törekszik/ coordinate /összehangol/ economic
policy and integrate /integrál, beilleszt/ the economies of member countries in the interest /érdekeltség/ of
steady /egyenletes/ growth.
In the EU 6 million jobs were created between 1999 and 2003. The aim /cél/ is to raise /megemelni/ the
employment level /foglalkoztatási szintet/, guarantee equal /egyenlő/ opportunities and encourage /ösztönöz/ jobcreating
/munkahelyteremtő/ investments /beruházás/.
The EU has instituted /alapít/ various crossborder /határokon átívelő/ programmes to expand /kiterjeszt/ the
scope /lehetőség/ of learning opportunities for the citizens /állampolgár/. (Leonardo Da Vinci/Erasmus Program).
The goal is to provide opportunities for lifelong learning to make people more competitive /verseny/ in the job
market.
The EU has established a comprehensive /széleskörű, átfogó/ framework /váz, szerkezet/ for environmental
protection, and EU participates /közreműködik, részt vesz/ in a lot of international environmental programs. The
EU’s objective is to involve the public in /részt vesz vmiben/ protecting the environment.
Human rights, democracy and the rule of law are the EU’s core values /alapértékek/. Since 1992, all
agreements /megállapodás/ on trade /kereskedelem/ and cooperation /együttműködés/ contain /tartalmaz/ a
clause /záradék/ on safeguarding /megvédés/ human rights.
Beside financial /pénzügyi/ help, the EU promotes /támogat, elősegít/ economic growth.
