According to the European Union’s official website, the union’s purpose is to promote peace, establish a unified economic and monetary system, promote inclusion and combat discrimination, break down barriers to trade and borders, encourage technological and scientific developments, champion environmental protection.

1) It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe. As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states.

Norway has significant oil deposits, and is the world’s second-largest exporter of natural gas. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom are Europe’s other major producers of natural gas. The United Kingdom’s offshore facilities in the North Sea are Europe’s second-largest producer of oil.

What Are the Disadvantages of the EU?

• Fewer borders and restrictions means more opportunities for nefarious deeds.
• Creating an overseeing government doesn’t heal division.
• It ties the hands of local governments on certain issues.
• Currency support is required for stable politics.
• It lacks transparency.
• It costs money.

In certain areas, special competences enable the EU to play a particular role or to go beyond what it is normally allowed under the treaties: coordination of economic and employment policies. definition and implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The European Parliament is the only directly elected EU body, with representatives apportioned by each member state’s population. Unlike traditional legislatures, it can’t propose legislation, but laws can’t pass without its approval. It also negotiates and approves the EU budget and oversees the commission.

The European Parliament, elected by EU citizens, makes new laws with the Commission and Council.

The European Commission is responsible for planning, preparing and proposing new European legislation. This is called the ‘right of initiative’. EU laws defend the interests of the Union and its citizens as a whole.

The European Parliament has the right to approve and dismiss the European Commission. The candidate is elected by the EP. The EP can censure the Commission and ultimately dismiss it.

The Parliament is a co-legislator, it has the power to adopt and amend legislation and decides on the annual EU budget on an equal footing with the Council. It supervises the work of the Commission and other EU bodies and cooperates with national parliaments of EU countries to receive their input.

The Council of the European Union represents governments, the Parliament represents citizens and the Commission represents the European interest. Essentially, the Council of the European Union, Parliament or another party place a request for legislation to the commission.

The Commission helps to shape the EU’s overall strategy, proposes new EU laws and policies, monitors their implementation and manages the EU budget. It also plays a significant role in supporting international development and delivering aid.

The Commission is collectively accountable to Parliament under Article 234 TFEU.

• Executive Vice-President. Frans Timmermans.
• Executive Vice-President. Margrethe Vestager.
• Executive Vice-President. Valdis Dombrovskis.
• High Representative/Vice-President. Josep Borrell Fontelles.
• Vice-President. Maroš Šefčovič
• Vice-President. Věra Jourová
• Vice-President. Dubravka Šuica.
• Vice-President. Margaritis Schinas.

Countries wishing to join need to have:

1. stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;
2. a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU;

All members who joined the union from 1995 onwards are required by treaty to adopt the euro as soon as they meet the criteria; only Denmark obtained treaty opt-outs from participation in the Maastricht Treaty when the euro was agreed upon. For the others, the single currency was a requirement of EU membership.

Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey are candidate countries. Negotiations are held with each candidate country to determine their ability to apply EU legislation (acquis) and examine their possible request for transition periods.

Serbia officially applied for European Union membership on 22 December 2009. Accession negotiations are currently ongoing. Serbia is expected to complete its negotiations by the end of 2024, allowing it to join the Union by 2025.

EU concerns primarily focus on the rule of law, but as the Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Council of Ministers Zoran Tegeltija noted in February, some countries (notably Bulgaria and Romania) had failed to meet the EU’s tough rule of law criteria by the time that they were admitted as members.

Albania submitted answers to the European Commission’s questionnaire, but candidacy status was not granted by the EU in December 2010 due to a long-lasting political row in the country. The European Commission proposed visa free travel for Albania.

It is one of five current EU candidate countries, together with Albania, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey. The use of the country name “Macedonia” was the object of a dispute with neighboring Greece between 1991 and 2019, resulting in a Greek veto against EU and NATO accession talks, which lasted from 2008 to 2019.

When citizens of Albania travel to the United Kingdom, they are given access to four of the most prominent nations in Europe’s history: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. In order to visit the UK, you will need to apply for a visa.

The EU has accused and criticized Turkey for human rights violations and deficits in rule of law. In 2017, EU officials expressed that planned Turkish policies violate the Copenhagen criteria of eligibility for an EU membership.