The European Union
Vocabulary notes:
treaty n [´trı:tı] угода, договір
prosperity n [pr ɔ´speritı] процвітання
minority n [ mai´nɔrıtı] меншість
warrant n [´w ɔrənt] ордер, розпорядження
access n [´ækses] підхід, доступ
custody n [´k∧stədı] (тут) опіка
trade n [ treid] торгівля
diversity n [ daı´vɜ:sitı] різноманітність
intent v [ ın´tent] мати намір
schedule v [ ´ʃеdju:l] призначати, планувати
share v [ ʃeə] ділитися (чимось)
exclude v [ ıks´klu:d] виключати
reject v [ rı´dʒekt] відхиляти
abide v [ ə´baıd] притримуватись, виконувати
tangible adj [´tændʒəbl] помітний, реальний
peacekeeping adj [ ´pi:ski:pıŋ] миротворчий
The European Union
The European Union (EU) is an intergovernmental union of 27 democratic member states -
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Portugal,
Spain, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta,
Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia - the area of 3,892,685 km² and over 450 million
people.
The European Union is the world's largest confederation of independent states, established under that
name in 1992 by the Treaty on European Union (the Maastricht Treaty). The capital of the EU is
Brussels. There are 20 official languages.
The European Union is a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together
for peace and prosperity. It is an organization for international cooperation, and it does not intend to
replace existing states Any European country can join the EU if it has a stable democracy that guarantees
the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market
economy and a civil service capable of applying EU laws.
The member states have set up common institutions to which they delegate some of their sovereignty
so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level.
The European Union is the world's largest confederation of independent states, established under that
name in 1992 by the Treaty on European Union (the Maastricht Treaty). The capital of the EU is
Brussels. There are 20 official languages.
The European Union is a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together
for peace and prosperity. It is an organization for international cooperation, and it does not intend to
replace existing states Any European country can join the EU if it has a stable democracy that guarantees
the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market
economy and a civil service capable of applying EU laws.
The member states have set up common institutions to which they delegate some of their sovereignty
so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level.
The most important EU institutions include the Council of the European Union, the European
Commission, the European Court of Justice, the European Parliament, and
The most important EU institutions include the Council of the European Union, the European
Commission, the European Court of Justice, the European Parliament, and the European Central Bank.
The European Union's activities cover most areas of public policy, from economic policy to foreign
affairs, defence, agriculture and trade. Their main aspects are:
- free trade of goods and services among member states
- freedom for citizens of its member states to live and work anywhere within the
EU
- a single currency, the euro (excluding the UK and Denmark)
- a common external customs tariff
- funding for the development of disadvantaged regions
- cooperation in criminal matters, including sharing of intelligence (through
EUROPOL and the Schengen Information System)
- a common security policy (60,000-member European Rapid Reaction Force for
peacekeeping purposes, an EU military staff)
The Constitution for the EU now has an uncertain future. It was ratified by 13 member states.
However 54.7% of French voters and 61.6% of voters in the Netherlands rejected the constitution.
It is interesting to know:
History of Country's Membership
1952 - Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands
1973 - Denmark, Ireland, the United Kingdom
1981 - Greece
1986 - Portugal, Spain
1995 - Austria, Finland, Sweden
2004 - Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia
2007 – Bulgaria, Romania
2013 – Croatia
The EU symbols
The European flag - the 12
stars in a circle symbolize the
ideals of perfection,
completeness and unity.
The European anthem - the
melody comes from the Ninth
Symphony by Beethoven.
Europe Day, 9 May - is
celebrated each year as the EU’s
birthday (1950)
“United in diversity” - is the
motto of the EU.
Euro banknotes
The euro (€), is the most tangible proof of European integration – the common currency in 19 out of 28
EU countries and used by some 338.6 million people every day. These countries are collectively known as
the Eurozone.The benefits of the common currency are immediately obvious to anyone travelling abroad or
shopping online on websites based in another EU country
All euro notes and coins can be used in all
countries where the euro is accepted. Each
note is the same, while the coins have a
common design on one side and a national
emblem of one member state on the other side.
Eurozone countries:
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta,
the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia., Slovenia,
Spain.
Non-eurozone countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden.
EXERCISES
Ex.1. Read and translate the following international words:
cooperation, economy, democracy, commission, activity, agriculture, referendum, candidate, to
guarantee, to delegate, to ratify, to symbolize, to represent, human, stable, civil, public, military
Ex.2. Choose the opposites from the box:
external unstable to accept majority clear to exclude
united civil dependent war
internal - uncertain -
military - to reject -
separate - to include -
stable - peace -
free - minority -
Ex.3. Match the English and Ukrainian equivalents:
1. for peace and prosperity a. ринкова економіка
2. member states b. захист меншин
3. single currency c. кримінальні справи
4. sharing of intelligence d. закордонні справи
5. protection of minorities e. обмін інформацією
6. criminal matters f. помітне досягнення
7. market economy g. країни-члени
8. rapid reaction h. єдина валюта
9. foreign affairs i. швидке реагування
10. tangible achievement j. заради миру та
процвітання
Ex.4. Complete the sentences with the following words:
governments treaties market
member states partner to pass
1. The main job of Parliament is _______ European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of
the European Union, and the proposals for new laws come from the European Commission.
2. The Council consists of ministers from the national _______of all the EU countries.
3. The European Commission is independent of national governments, and it keeps an eye out to see that
everyone abides by the European ____and laws.
4. The EU has 20 official languages for 27 ________ (although there are only three working languages in
the European Commission).
5. The EU’s frontier-free single _____and the creation of the single currency have already generated
billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.
6. The EU has become Ukraine’s largest trading ______ accounting for about 35% of Ukraine’s total
trade. At the same time, Ukraine represents less than 1% of total EU trade.
Ex.5. Review the text. Translate the words and word-combinations in bold.
Freedom, security and justice for all
We all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism. That is why the EU
countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking
of drugs and people. They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensure full
cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.
One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant, to make it easier to
transfer suspected criminals from the country where they have been arrested to the country where they
are wanted for questioning. EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening
controls at the EU’s external frontiers. Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU
country, they must have equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member states have to
ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that court rulings in one country can be enforced
in another.
The European Union has already done a lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems
about marriage, separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civil disputes.
Ex.6. Translate into English:
міжурядова організація - міжнародна співпраця -
імміграційна служба - рівний доступ -
угоди та закони - цивільний позив -
переправляти злочинців - підсилення контролю -
офіцери митниці - торгівля та сільське господарство -
Ex.7. Complete the sentences:
1. The European Union is…
2. This organization does not replace existing states. It is established for (to)…
3. The main EU’s institutions are…
4. The EU countries have common free market, external customs tariff,…
5. The euro is used in … member states.
6. The EU use … official languages.
7. The Constitution was ratified by 13 states and rejected by …
8. The official candidates to join the EU are…
9. European Union citizens are free to…
Ex.8. Read the text. Use the words (word-combinations) from the box and the text to speak about this
problem.
integration
the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement
approximation of Ukrainian legislation to that of the EU
Free Trade Area
The World Trade Organisation (WTO)
democracy
trade and investment
Ukraine’s domestic legislation
Justice and home affairs
Україна та євро інтеграція
14 вересня 1994 року підписано Угоду про партнерство та співробітництво України та ЄС, яка
протягом цих років регулює взаємини двох сторін. Україна сьогодні не готова по багатьох
параметрах до інтеграції у ЄC, оскільки система політичних та економічних відносин в нашій
країні, ще не відповідає його вимогам.
Брюссель приділяє особливу увагу дотриманню принципів демократії та прав людини,
питанням боротьби зі злочинністю, обігом наркотичних речовин, незаконною міграцією та
відмиванням грошей.
Головна вимога Плану дій Україна - Європейський Союз – це адаптація українського
законодавства до норм та стандартів ЄС. Основні кроки на цьому шляху стосуються питань
юстиції та внутрішніх справ, розвитку стабільної демократії, реформування енергетичного
сектора, торгівлі та створення інвестиційного клімату, митного регулювання, тощо. Крім того, на
порядку денному залишається питання створення зони вільної торгівлі та вступу до Світової
організації торгівлі.
Але існує низка перешкод на цьому шляху: внутрішні політичні проблеми України та зовнішні
чинники. Значні розміри та кількість населення вимагають від ЄС величезних ресурсів, а
європейські партнери не готові їх надавати (особливо після останнього масштабного розширення
Євросоюзу у 2004 р.)
GRAMMAR EXERCISES
Grammar: The Participle
Ex.1. Give three forms of the verbs:
to act – acted – acted
to drive – drove - driven
to get, to kill, to ratify, to trade, to launder, to fight, to win, to share, to shoot, to reject, to derive, to
delegate, to leave, to forgive, to abide
Ex.2. Translate the following participles:
asking – asked, giving – given, creating – created, legalizing – legalized, rejecting – rejected,
establishing – established, bringing – brought, accounting - accounted
