C ARSON C HAN
Should the UK leave the EU?
The EU has been the talk of town in recent years and many people don’t really have a clear concept of what it is. The European Union (EU) is a politico-economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. It has an estimated population of over 500 million people. The EU has its origins as the European Coal and Steel Community, set up in 1952. Over time it then grew to become one of the biggest economic zones in the world. The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardized system of laws that apply in all member states. EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital within the internal market, enact legislation in justice and home affairs, and maintain common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries, and regional development. Within the Schengen Area passport controls have been abolished. A monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002, and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the Euro currency.
Here are some advantages of being an EU member:
1. Tariff Free Trading among Members Among EU members, there are no additional tariffs between the trading of goods and services. This means the price of goods and services are kept comparatively lower.
2. Opens up More Opportunities
As residents of the EU, countries are able to move among EU countries; they can have more job opportunities and more chances to attempt training for certain jobs and careers. 3. Culture is Not Lost Although a country has joined the EU, it still retains its individuality as there is no general language nor are there any general customs that member countries are obliged to abide by. 4. A Common Currency The euro is the common currency that is used among most of the EU countries and it can improve the efficiency between trading of goods and services. This is because there won’t be the problem of waiting for the currency to drop in order to buy more because they are all using the same currency. 5. There is No Conflict between Nations Since the establishment of the ECSC in 1952 there have been no wars between EU countries. This is because EU residents are protected from other neighboring countries because of the clear guidelines of EU on security and the national defense in their member countries.
Here are some disadvantages of being EU member:
1. Communication Barriers Due to the fact there is no official language, it may be difficult for EU residents to communicate as they don’t speak the same languages.
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