Organisations, competition and environments
A brief outline of the current state of the European Union, its origins, objectives and operations The European union is currently comprised of 15 member states, which include Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom, Greece, Spain and Portugal, Austria, Finland and Sweden. There are 10 new countries they are, Estonia, Czech republic, Cyprus, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. There are 3 more countries waiting to join, they are Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. Over the last two years the European Union changed in terms of the currency used. Twelve of the current fifteen member states joined in a single currency known as the Euro. The three, which never joined, were the UK, Sweden and Denmark. Furthermore events such as the September 11th atrocity encouraged the European union to increase security as threats from terrorist organisations where more inclined to happen as the European Union's external relations policy in 2001 meant they where behind America against terrorism. Another main focus of the European union is enlargement. Third countries will significantly benefit from an enlarged Union. A single set of trade rules, a single tariff, and a single set of administrative procedures will apply not only just across the existing Member States but also across the Single Market of the enlarged Union. This will simplify dealings for third-country operators within Europe and improve conditions for investment and trade. Enlargement is already underway with twelve of the thirteen candidate countries possibly joining by 2004 the only country unable to join is turkey due to its lack of political stability. Since the Second World War there have been many examples of groups of countries joining together for the purpose of stimulating trade between themselves and to obtain other benefits of economic co-operation. The EU is no different it was established on 9th may 1950 when France officially proposed to create 'the first concrete foundation of a European federation'. Six countries including Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands joined from the very beginning. The principle objectives of the union are: · Establish European citizenship (Fundamental rights; Freedom of movement; Civil and political rights); · Ensure freedom, security and justice (Cooperation in the field of Justice and Home Affairs); · Promote economic and social progress (Single market; Euro, the common currency; Job creation; Regional development; Environmental protection); · Assert Europe's role in the world (Common foreign and security; The European Union in the world).