Understanding the European Union: Policies, Citizenship, and Security
Understanding the European Union
Community Contributions to Education and Training
The European Union emphasizes education and cultural development through its Lifelong Learning Program (2007-2013). This program operates on four levels:
- Comenius: Focuses on education from preschool to secondary levels.
- Erasmus: Encourages transnational placements for university students.
- Grundtvig: Dedicated to adult education programs.
- Leonardo da Vinci: Supports professional training initiatives.
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
- The CAP is a set of regulations governing the production, marketing, and processing of agricultural products within the EU.
- This policy is designed to protect EU farmers and producers. It aims to stabilize agricultural markets and ensure fair prices for consumers.
Community Industrial Policy (CIP)
- The CIP promotes fair competition within the EU. One key measure allows companies from any member state to compete for public tenders in other member states.
- The CIP also fosters technological advancement by supporting research and development (R&D). This strengthens the European industry’s scientific and technological foundation, enhancing its global competitiveness.
European Citizenship
- European citizenship grants political, civil, and social rights to citizens of EU member states. Citizens have responsibilities, including fiscal and civic duties, and participate in the democratic process by electing representatives to the European Parliament.
- Any person holding citizenship in an EU member state, according to that state’s laws, is automatically an EU citizen.
- The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, proclaimed in 2000, outlines the civil, political, economic, and social rights of all EU citizens and residents.
Security and Defense Policy
of the European countries has a negative precedent for the failure of the European Defense Community and the insignificance of the European Union (WEU), which have failed to develop a European defense system that could register in parallel with NATO to defend the West. WEU is a cooperative organization for the defense and security, founded in 1948. It consists of 28 countries, with four different types of status: Member States, Associate Members, observers and asociados.Los countries are member states of the EU, except Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland and Sweden, which are NATO observadores.La was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Brussels. Includes 19 member states, which are the European Union (except Austria, Finland, Ireland and Sweden), Canada, USA, Iceland, Norway, Turkey and, since March 12, 1999 Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic . The policy of the Union shall respect the obligations arising for some NATO member states and is compatible with the common security and defense. The European Union’s target is to make the WEU to become a defensive element, performing the actions necessary to preserve the defense of the European Union.Third Pillar. The third pillar welcomes the cooperation agreements in the fields of justice and interior.Las different positions of member states in regard to this third pillar, in due course led to the adoption of the Schengen Convention, which Gradually, all have joined the EU states except Britain i Ireland. There are no border controls between most member countries UE.Controles tighter border cooperation between police exterioresMás miembros.Posibilidad countries to buy and carry any goods for personal use in travel between Member States.The European Union treaty provides that member states consider the following common interest areas: 1. Policy asilo.2. The rules governing the movement of persons across the external borders of member states and the exercise of controls on these people. 3. The immigration policy and policy regarding nationals of third countries. 4. Fight against drug abuse 5.. The fight against fraud and fraud on an international scale. 6. The judicial cooperation in civil and penal.7. aduanera. Cooperation / All these actions be conducted in compliance with the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. It is often done in connection with a system of information exchanges with the European Police Office (Europol)
