The European Union

1. What role does the EU play in world politics?

2. What are the most important institutions of the EU, and where are their headquarters?
3. What are the pros and cons of EU expansion?
4. What does euro zone mean?
5. How many members are in the EU now?
6. Why are there 12 stars on the flag?

1. It does not wish to take over the role of the UN (United Nations). It only deals with European
issues. Some member states feel that the EU should develop its own defence policy, beside its
cultural and economic aspects. The EU wants to counterbalance the cultural and economic impact
of countries outside Europe (e.g., the US and China) and to strengthen European cooperation. Free
trade is a double-edged sword, as the cheap Chinese products means that local producers can go
bankrupt.
2. Some of the institutions are the European Parliament (=Európai Parlament), Strasbourg, the European
Commission (=Európai Bizottság), Brussels and Luxembourg, and the Court of Justice of European
Communities (=Európai Közösségek Bírósága), Luxembourg.
3. The EU’s single market offers the advantage of free movement of goods, services, capital and
labour. An enlarged market attracts foreign investment, and more business opportunities. Hungary
joined the EU on 1st May, 2004. For Hungary it means both commitments and benefits.
The original member states were concerned about how to prevent people from poorer countries
from moving across borders. These people (for example the Poles in Britain) are undercutting local
citizens on the wage market, creating higher unemployment.
EU membership means carrying a passport within the community(=EU) is unnecessary – ID cards
are enough.
The common currency in the European Union is the euro. EU membership has eased the way for
many Hungarian students to apply for foreign scholarship, and to participate in exchange
programmes with foreign universities and colleges. These exchange programmes facilitate
language learning as well as the better understanding of other cultures.
4. Euro zone is a monetary union of 19 of the 28 European Union member states which have adopted
the euro as their common currency. The monetary authority of the euro zone is the Eurosystem.
The euro zone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia,
and Spain.
5. As far as I know, there are 28 members of the European Union.
6. There were 12 original member states who founded the European Union.
 Word list

What role does the EU play…? – Milyen szerepet enlarged – nagyított

játszik…? attract – vonz
not wish to take over – nem kívánja átvenni investment – befektetés
the role of the UN – az ENSZ szerepe accession – növekedés
issues – ügyek commitment – kötelezettség
collapse – összeomlás to limit foreign ownership – korlátozni a
Warsaw Pact – Varsói Szerződés külföldi tulajdonjogot
unification – egyesítés directive – rendelet
disintegration – felbomlás concern about – törődik vele
break-up – felbomlás prevent – megakadályoz
defence policy – védelmi politika undercut – aláás
aspects – szempontok border – határ
rely on – számít rá be used to – hozzá van szokva vmihez
military potential – katonai potenciál membership – tagság
counterbalance – ellensúlyoz deem – vél
assertive – magabiztos community – közösség
impact – befolyás sufficient – elég
strengthen – megerősít to bother – törődik vmivel (zavar)
cooperation – együttműködés take a glance – pillantást vetni
free trade – szabad kereskedelem currency – valuta
double-edged sword – van előnye és hátránya is grave – komoly
institution – intézmény uphill task – fárasztó feladat
headquarter – központ, székház foreseeable – előrelátható
the Court of Justice – bíróság postpone – elhalaszt
pros and cons – előny-hátrány ease – megkönnyít
expansion – kibővítés participate – részt venni
long-standing – régóta fennálló exchange programmes – cserediák programok
entrant – belépő exchange rate – árfolyam
movement – mozgás facilitate – lehetőséget ad
capital – tőke (pénz) monetary – pénzügyi
labour – munkaerő authority – hatóság, hatalom