European Union Policies: Education, Agriculture, Industry, Citizenship, and Security
Studying Abroad
Lifelong Learning Program:
– Contributes to education and training in member states. – Presented in four levels:
1. Comenius: Preschool to secondary education. 2. Erasmus: University-level, encourages transnational placements. 3. Grundtvig: Adult education. 4. Leonardo da Vinci Professional training.
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
– Regulates production, marketing, and processing of agricultural products. – Protectionist policy, equating EU prices to the rest of the market.
Community Industrial Policy (CIP)
– Allows companies from any EU country to compete for public tenders in other member states. – Promotes technological development, research, and development (R&D) to strengthen the scientific and technological basis of European industry.
European Citizenship
– Legal and political status conferring rights and responsibilities. – Citizens have obligations (e.g., fiscal, military) and the right to vote for representatives in parliament. – EU citizen: Anyone with citizenship of a member state. – Rights outlined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU.
Security and Defense Policy
– Negative precedent: Failure of the European Defense Community and insignificance of the Western European Union (WEU).
WEU:
– Cooperative organization for defense and security, founded in 1948. – 28 member countries with different statuses.
NATO:
– Founded in 1949, headquartered in Brussels. – 19 member states, including most EU countries. – EU policy aims to make WEU a defensive element within NATO.
Third Pillar: Justice and Interior Cooperation
– Cooperation agreements in justice and interior affairs. – Led to the adoption of the Schengen Convention, abolishing border controls between most EU states (except Britain and Ireland). – Enhanced border cooperation and measures against drug abuse, fraud, and crime. – Actions conducted in compliance with the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.