EUROPEAN UNION

Subject: International Organisations

Context: EU sets out virus pass plan to allow free travel by summer

Concept:

The European Union is a unique economic and political union between 27 EU countries that together cover much of the continent.
19 of these countries use EURO as their official currency. 8 EU members (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden) do not use the euro.
The EU grew out of a desire to form a single European political entity to end centuries of warfare among European countries that culminated with World War II and decimated much of the continent.
The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states in matters, where members have agreed to act as one.

Origin of the European Union:

Despite not being officially formed until 1993, the European Union’s foundations actually reach further back to 1957, when the European Economic Community was established.
The EEC was formed out of a previous group called the European Coal and Steel Community – which had its own start in 1951.
In 1993, the EEC morphed into the European Union following the new Maastricht Treaty (also known as the Treaty on European Union).
Additionally, the Treaty of Lisbon, enacted in 2009, gave the European Union more broad powers that included being authorized to sign international treaties, increase border patrol, and other security and enforcement provisions.