A three-minute guide: what is the EU?
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Introduction
The UK’s membership of the European Union has long divided public opinion. With an in/out referendum scheduled for 23 June, voters will be tasked with making a decision that will shape the country’s future relationship with Europe. But what is the EU? And how does it function in practice?
What is the EU?
The European Union (EU) is an economic and political partnership between 28 countries. The EU is unique – it is not a state, and yet it is more than an international organisation such as the United Nations.
Member states cooperate on issues ranging from the single market to defence and foreign policy. Particularly in areas of economic policy, such as trade, national governments have ceded some authority in favour of joint decision-making, and the adoption of binding EU-wide laws.
How did it develop?
The European Union has evolved over the past 70 years. The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was formed in 1951 with the aim of binding Germany and France together in...
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