Chapter 21
Expanding Horizons: Europe and the EU
In This Chapter
Recognising the European Union’s importance and its goals
Building relationships inside and outside the EU
Agreeing to major EU treaties
Examining EU budgets
In this chapter, I take you on a tour of the UK’s nearest neighbours and look into the inner workings of an institution – the European Union – that has a massive influence on everyday life in the UK. Many say that the UK’s future is as part of what amounts to a united states of Europe; others disagree and want the UK to skedaddle out of the EU and go it alone. Read this chapter to get a better idea of what they’re going on about.
Understanding the EU and How It Works
The European Union – or EU, as it’s known – is an extraordinary institution. It can trace its roots back a couple of centuries to when Tsar Nicholas of Russia talked about a union of European states. More recently, in the 1940s, British wartime prime minister Winston Churchill envisaged a United States of Europe. But these two great leaders could have no idea just how powerful an institution would ...