A Teacher’s Hands-on Guide to the European Union Gali Beeri International Education Program Coordinator UNC-Chapel Hill Center for European Studies

Teaching Contemporary Europe and the European Union Activity Introduction to the EU Teaching Resources Prize: Map of Europe

Activity

The European Union 27 countries 500 million people 7% of world’s population 30% of global GDP Candidate countries: Iceland, FYROM, Croatia, Montenegro, Turkey Potential candidates: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo (under UN Security Council Res 1244), Albania Member states of the EU Candidate countries © European Union, 1995-2011 http://europa.eu/abc/euslides/index_en.htm

What is the European Union? A unique international organization Founded after the end of World War II to boost inter-state cooperation in Europe ECSC: European Coal & Steel Community -unique: 1st time that countries voluntarily agreed to set up common insts to which they delegate some of their sovereignty Why? So decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically @ a higher level -lasting peace: expansion to promote further peace & stability. We forget this point b/c of the recent emphasis on econ, bureaucracy -1945-50: handful of statesmen discussed ideas for uniting Europe ---create structures in W Europe, based on shared interest, founded upon treaties guaranteeing rule of law & equality btw countries -ECSC (European Coal & Steel Community): proposed in 1950, in countries which had once fought e/o, production of coal & steel would be pooled under common High Authority. ---Germ had steel, Benelux coal. ---in practical but richly symbolic way, raw materials of war => instruments of reconciliation & peace. (also tools for rebuilding)

US Role in the EU’s Early Years Post-war period Create lasting peace Context: Communism, beginning of Cold War Marshall Plan 1948 -1951: US contributed over $13 billion (2011: ~$115 billion) US backing, pushing for united Europe -communism, beginning of Cold War – WHY they were pushing for strong Europe (strategic move) -In the early post-war years, the Marshall Plan aid provided to European nations by the US was crucial in encouraging cooperation between the former enemies. (US saw isolation X work, so pushed for unified Europe) -Between 1948 and 1951, the United States contributed more than $13 billion (equivalent to ~$115 billion in 2011 when adjusted for inflation) of economic and technical assistance toward the recovery of 16 Western European countries. -Initially, Marshall Plan aid $$ was offered to Eastern European countries (i.e. Yugoslavia) as well, but pressure from Soviets to not take $ was great) -The plan was implemented by the states of Western Europe acting in concert. -This cooperation gave important impetus to the formation of the European Economic Community and today's European Union.

The Marshall Plan and the EU Surprising effects 1948 – 1952: fastest period of growth in European history The effects of the Marshall Plan were surprising to even its most optimistic supporters. The years 1948 to 1952 saw the fastest period of growth in European history. From this early period of econ growth, EU has undergone other types of growth as well: Enlargement.

“The Six”: “Big 3 & Small 3” Eight Enlargements “The Six”: “Big 3 & Small 3” “Northern 3” “Southern 3” 1952 1973 1981 1986 1990 1995 2004 2007 Started w/6 countries: ECSC 1951 (enters into force 1952). Treaty of Rome 1957 (EEC and EURATOM). Now 27 member states 1st 6 (big 3 & small 3): France, Germany, Italy, Benelux Northern 3: Ireland, Denmark, UK Southern 3 (81 & 86): Greece (81), Spain & Portugal (86) Easy 3 (1995): Austria, Finland, Sweden Big Bang (10 in 2004): Latvia, Lithuania,Estonia, Poland,Hungary, CzechRepublic, Malta,Cyprus, Slovakia,Slovenia 2007: Romania & Bulgaria “Easy 3” “Big Bang”: 10 EU27 © European Union, 1995-2011 http://europa.eu/abc/euslides/index_en.htm

Expansion: The EU’s Most Successful Foreign Policy Ten new member states joined the EU in May 2004, and two more - in January 2007, making it a club of 27. Enlargement as democratizing force © European Union, 1995-2011 http://europa.eu/abc/euslides/index_en.htm

The Big Enlargement: Healing the Division of Europe 41989 Fall of Berlin Wall – end of Communism EU economic help begins: Phare programme 41992 Criteria set for a country to join the EU: • democracy and rule of law • functioning market economy • ability to implement EU laws 41998 Formal negotiations on enlargement begin 42002 Copenhagen summit agrees enlargement 42004 10 new EU members: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia Link back to origin of EU… stabilize region, promotion of peace -EU encouraged German unification after fall of wall. -EU welcomed newly independent countries in Central & Eastern Europe to join (15 years after fall, 10 new countries joined EU) 42007 Bulgaria and Romania join the EU © Reuders Candidates Croatia, Iceland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Turkey © European Union, 1995-2011 http://europa.eu/abc/euslides/index_en.htm

Economics -Euro not without tension… (ID) -EU originally created to achieve political goal of peace; but much of its success & dynamism springs from involvement in economics -1993 single market: free movement of goods, capital, services, & people w/in Europe

The Euro 2002: 12 EU countries in the euro zone Increased trade and investment 2011: 17 countries As of January 1, 2002, the euro is the official legal tender of 12 of the EU countries. It consolidates and extends Europe's single market. By removing transaction costs and completely eliminating currency transactions in the euro-zone, trade and investment have been greatly facilitated. Now 17 countries use the euro.

The Euro – a Single Currency for Europeans Can be used everywhere in the euro area 4Coins: one side with national symbols, one side common 4Notes: no national side 17 countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia , Spain, and Estonia. Notes: have no national side. Instead, have fictional bridges (as the member states could not agree on which real bridges to use on the notes) EU countries using the euro EU countries not using the euro © European Union, 1995-2011 http://europa.eu/abc/euslides/index_en.htm

EU-US Economic Partnership Population in millions, 2009 The EU and the US economies account for 57% of the world GDP. Jointly, the EU and the US are responsible for about 40% of world trade. The EU and the US are each other’s main trading partners. 1339 500 (EU & US together: 800 mil ppl) TIES TO NC -2007: European investment in NC supported ~97,800 jobs (EU27 + Norway, Switzerland) ---of those, 40% in manufacturing -2007: EU = #1 foreign investor in NC: $14 billion, 47% of total FDI -2009: NC exports to EU = $5.3 billion, = 24% of total exports -NC’s top 5 exports to EU27 in 2008: chemical manufactures, transportation equipment, machinery manufactures, computers & electronic production, paper products Major traded products between EU and US are machinery, automobiles, chemical products, manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco. 307 128 142 EU China Japan Russia United States © European Union, 1995-2011 http://europa.eu/abc/euslides/index_en.htm

The EU – a Major Trading Power Share of world trade in goods (2007) Share of world trade in services (2007) EU 17% EU 28.5% Others 53.2% United States 14.5% Others 40.6% In both cases, share of EU = greater than that of US. United States 18.2% Japan 5.8% China 9.5% China 5.9% Japan 6.8% © European Union, 1995-2011 http://europa.eu/abc/euslides/index_en.htm

EU-US Partnership: Common Goals and Shared Values Democratic society Individual liberty and human rights The rule of law Economic freedom Energy security Environmental protection Beyond the economic ties between EU & US, EU also shares many goals & values w/US. EU wishes to promote humanitarian progressive values.

The EU is the biggest provider of development aid in the world The EU provides 60% of all development aid 93€ 53€ 44€ More than half the money spent to help poor countries comes from the EU and its member states, making it the world's biggest aid donor. Most of the EU’s aid is in the form of non-repayable grants In addition to monetary aid, EU also uses trade to drive development by opening its markets to exports from poor countries and by encouraging them to trade more with each other. EU Japan United States Official development assistance per citizen, 2007 © European Union, 1995-2011 http://europa.eu/abc/euslides/index_en.htm

Teaching Resources

EU Web Resources Center for European Studies/EU Center of Excellence Resources K-12 lesson plans: www.euce.org/lessonplans Teaching resources: www.unc.edu/depts/europe/teachingresources/ Primer on the EU for teachers, multimedia websites, briefings Global Music Show: www.unc.edu/areastudies/globalmusic

Resource: Euro Economics http://www.unc.edu/depts/europe/euroeconomics/ Digital “textbook”

Euro Challenge http://www.euro-challenge.org/ Competition for 9-10 graders

EU Web Resources Lesson Plans from the Delegation of the European Union http://eurunion.org/lessonplans/

Educational Quizzes & Games Europago: http://europa.eu/europago/ Maps Currency Music Flags European Geography: www.sheppardsoftware.com/European_Geography.htm Image: © European Union, 1995-2010

EU Web Resources Free Publications The EU at a Glance booklets, maps, posters The EU at a Glance http://europa.eu/abc/index_en.htm Print directly from the Easy Reading Corner http://ec.europa.eu/publications/ Teacher’s Corner Print and purchase http://bookshop.europa.eu/ Free classroom sets http://mpower.mosaicprint.com/EU Teacher’s Corner & EU @ glance as great starting places. Image: © European Union, 1995-2010

EU Web Resources Audiovisual Materials: http://ec.europa.eu/avservices Video Audio Photos Slides: http://europa.eu/abc/euslides/index_en.htm

Prize Raffle! Map of Europe Random number generator: http://www.random.org/

Web Resources Handout http://tinyurl.com/eu-web-resources