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# 4.3 The Aims of the European Union The basic aims of the EU are: * Peace * No customs duties * One big single market (4 freedoms of the EU) * One common currency (Euro) * More cooperation foreign and security policy * A reduction of the economic differences between member states. ##...

# 4.3 The Aims of the European Union The basic aims of the EU are: * Peace * No customs duties * One big single market (4 freedoms of the EU) * One common currency (Euro) * More cooperation foreign and security policy * A reduction of the economic differences between member states. ## Free Movement of Persons (and Labour) * No border controls (many exceptions) * Approximation of entry requirements, and common policies on asylum, weapons, and drugs. * EU citizens have the right to move to another member state and work there. * Intensified EU border controls. ## Free Movement of Goods * No border controls; no customs barriers. * Approximation of laws. * Alignment of taxes (foreign goods are not to be taxed differently from domestic goods) * Common customs policy towards other countries ## Free Movement of Services * EU citizens are enabled to offer and consume commercial, technical, and freelance services in the common market. * No restrictions on financial services. * Common policies on supervision of banking and insurance. * Liberalisation of the telecommunication and transport sector. ## Free Movement of Capital * Less restrictions imposed on monetary transactions. * Abolition of restrictions on stock trading. * Gradual reduction of restrictions imposed on monetary transactions (monetary capital and real capital). ## What the European Union does today The single market has led to: * Significant reductions in the price of many products and services, including internet access and airfares. * 40% drop in the price of phone calls from 2000-2006. * 2.8 million new jobs. ## Freedom for Everybody People in the EU are free to live, work, or study in whichever EU country they choose. You no longer need a passport when crossing borders between most EU countries. This agreement on no border controls between EU member states is called the Schengen Agreement, signed in 1985 in Schengen, Belgium. ## Freedom for Young People The EU supports students and young people who want to spend time studying or training in another European country. ## Helping Poorer Regions Some areas in Europe need money to build new roads and railways. The EU tackles these problems by providing money for new roads, rail links. It helps businesses create new jobs and helps other countries improve schools, hospitals, and social protection. ## Figure 2: Schengen countries in Europe **(A map of Europe is shown, highlighting the countries that are part of the Schengen Area.)** ## Figure 3: Typical Schengen border between Lithuania and Latvia **(A diagram or picture of a typical Schengen border between Lithuania and Latvia is shown.)** ## Tasks **Task 1:** What does the European Union do for young people? **Task 2:** What are the positive and negative aspects of the Schengen Agreement? **Task 3:** Why is the European Union more than just a common economic market? ## Vocabulary * foreign policy = Außenpolitik * home affairs = innere Angelegenheiten (Inneres) * illegal = ungesetzlich * justice = Justiz * monetary union = Währungsunion * security policy = Sicherheitspolitik * to tackle a problem = ein Problem behandeln/