Spain and the European Union

The European Union (EU), is an economic and political association. There are currently twenty-eight EU countries. Spain joined the EU in 1986.

The European Union has several different aims.

• To protect human rights and freedoms.

• To ensure freedom, security and justice.

• To promote economic and social progress.

• To assert Europe’s role in the world.

Membership of the EU offers many advantages to the citizens of its member states.

• EU citizens are allowed to travel freely between all EU countries.

• EU citizens have access to healthcare in other EU countries through the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

• The EU has one single official currency: the euro.

• EU citizens are allowed to work and live in any other EU country.

La creación de la UE

EU INSTITUTIONS

The European Parliament is made up of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from all the EU member countries. The MEPs are elected every four years by the citizens of the EU. The Parliament is responsible for making EU laws and approving the budget.

The Council of the European Union is made up of government ministers from the member countries of the EU. Every six months one of the EU countries presides over the Council.

It is responsible for EU foreign affairs, defence and security. The European Parliament and the Council of Europe form the legislative branch of the EU.

The European Commission is made up of one commissioner from each member country, and the president of the commission, who is nominated by the leaders of EU countries and elected by the European Parliament. The Commission is the executive branch of the EU.

The Court of Justice of the European Union is the judicial branch of the EU and makes sure that EU laws are applied throughout the EU. It is made up of one judge from every member country.

EU CITIZEN'S RIGHTS

2013 was the European Year of Citizens. It aimed to raise awareness about the rights that come with European citizenship.

• All EU citizens have the right to live, study and work in any EU country.

• All EU citizens over eighteen can vote in local elections and European elections in the EU country they live in. They can also stand as candidates in these elections.

• All EU citizens must be treated equally in any EU country and everyone’s differences must be respected.

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union also includes children’s rights.

1 Children have the right to protection. They can express their opinions freely. Their opinions will be considered depending on their age and maturity.

2 When public authorities and private institutions deal with children, they should act in the child’s best interests.

3 All children have the right to maintain a relationship with both their parents, unless it would be unsafe.

THE EUROZONE

The eurozone covers the EU countries that use the euro as their official currency. Most EU countries have replaced their old national currencies with the euro, but others, like Sweden, the United Kingdom and Denmark, still use their own currency. The peseta was Spain’s currency before the euro. Most EU contries adopted the euro as the single currency in 2002.

VOCABULARY