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Exchange Students

Charlotte Kreklau

Sina Kilian

Broncho Express

Volume 2 Issue 4           

January 2010

Editor: Macy McClung

Reporters: Brett Wilson, Isaac Hale, Macy McClung, Sina Kilian, Charlotte Krekau, Petie Bensin, Jennifer Reyes Sawyer Wilson, Tori Cordova, Linda Mercado

Advisor: Mr. Klug

The Broncho Express newspaper may contain facts, views, opinions, statements and recommendations of staff, students and third party individuals. The Broncho Express news staff does not represent or endorse the accuracy, currentness or reliability of any advice, grammar or opinion.

The European Union is a family of democratic European countries, committed to work together for peace and prosperity. It

European Union

Sina Kilian

is set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbors. The roots of the European Union lie in the Second World War. The idea of European integration came up to prevent such killing and destruction from ever happening again. The idea was first proposed by the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman in a speech on 9 May 1950. This date, the "birthday" of the EU, is celebrated annually as Europe Day.

The European Coal and Steel Community began in 1950 to unite European countries economically and politically in order to secure lasting peace. The founders are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 member states, located primarily in Europe. Political centers are Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg.

The EU was established on the first of November by the Treaty of Maastricht upon the foundations of the European Economic Community. Austria, Sweden and Finland were the first countries to join the new established EU. In 2002, Euro notes and coins replaced national currencies in 12 of the member states. Since then, the Eurozone has increased to sixteen countries, with Slovakia joining on 1 January 2009. But its biggest enlargement was in 2004 when ten other countries joined the Union. On 1 January 2007, Romania and Bulgaria became the EU's newest members and Slovenia adopted the Euro. 

Some of the member states are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany and Spain. A country must meet the Copenhagen criteria, defined at the 1993 Copenhagen European Council, if it wants to join the EU. Requirements are a stable democracy that respects human rights and the rule of law and a functioning market economy capable of competition within the EU.

The European Union has delivered half a century of stability and peace. It helped to raise living standards, launched the single European currency, the Euro, and boosted Europe's voice in the world.

Europe is a continent with many different languages and traditions, but also with shared values. The EU combines these values. In the interdependent world of the 21st century, it will be necessary for European citizens to co-operate with people from other countries in a spirit of curiosity, tolerance and solidarity.

Facts About Germany (ISBN: 978-3-7973-1091-0)