The European Union is a group of countries whose governments work together. Its a bit like a club.

To join you have to agree to follow the rules and in return you get certain benefits. Each country has to pay money to be a member. They mostly do this through taxes. The EU uses the money to change the way people live and do business in Europe. Countries join because they think that they will benefit from the changes the EU makes. What's EU Enlargement? On Saturday 1 May 2004 the EU grew from 15 to 25 members.This is the biggest expansion of the Union since it started.There were a lot of news stories in the UK about whether or not the enlargement would benefit the UK. Some people were worried that workers in the new member states would move to Britain to get better paid jobs. objectives:

to promote economic and social progress and a high level of employment and to achieve balanced and sustainable development, in particular through the creation of an area without internal frontiers, through the strengthening of economic and social cohesion and through the establishment of economic and monetary union, ultimately including a single currency in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty, to assert its identity on the international scene, in particular through the implementation of a common foreign and security policy including the progressive framing of a common defence policy, which might lead to a common defence, in accordance with the provisions of Article 17, to strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of the nationals of its Member States through the introduction of a citizenship of the Union , to maintain and develop the Union as an area of freedom, security and justice, in which the free movement of persons is assured in conjunction with appropriate measures with respect to external border controls, asylum, immigration and the prevention and combating of crime, to maintain in full the acquits communautaire and build on it with a view to considering to what extent the policies and forms of cooperation introduced by this Treaty may need to be revised with the aim of ensuring the effectiveness of the mechanisms and the institutions of the Community. The objectives of the Union shall be achieved as provided in this Treaty and in accordance with the conditions and the timetable set out therein while respecting the principle of subsidiarity as defined in Article 5 of the Treaty establishing the European Community.

Advantages to Joining country Members

1. If your country is an EU member, you can buy something in another EU member for the same price as you'd buy the same good in your home country 2. With only a few exceptions, all of the members use the same currency, which would save time as you don't have to convert currency every time you to another member country. 3. border control is much easier when you travel within members. 4. There is no more war in those countries against another member- in fact, when another member is in need, the rest of the EU will be there to support them. 5. The EU makes its countries stronger and more united and gives them more democracy and a higher chance to have their voice heard. 6. All of the EU countries will be able to take part in world decisions now, without being pushed aside by the US or China or another country with a big population. 7. If a criminal runs from one member to another to attempt an escape, he'll still be caught.

8. Medicine aid in another member is the same price as it is in yours, and countries export their goods their rich in to countries where there poor in that good. 9. EU builds a safer environment not only in each member, but between each member as well. 10. The size of the EU's budget means that it is able to implement large-scale
infrastructure projects such as road building which the UK would be unable to do alone. For poor countries: 1. Currency stability. Poor countries have poor currency stability. That's why there is at least one country that uses the American currency as its currency and several Eastern European nations that have officially and unofficially turned to the Euro. 2. The right to unrestricted travel and work rights. Poor that have no jobs can go to a richer nation and underbid the natives. For richer countries: 1. Europe is actually decreasing in population. It's one way to increase the population without actually having to pay for the disabled and elderly of the other countries. Imagine using visitors to pay Social Security. 2. Local control. For instance The EU is very big on pollution controls, humans rights etc. Countries wanting to join have to share the views of the original members.

Disadvantages
1. With free movement of labour and capital, the most skilled and mobile workers may go from East to West to take advantage of higher benefits and wages. This could weaken the economy( worker where is earning now) 2. Agriculture may need to be reformed because the EU will not want to give large subsidies to inefficient farmers in the East. This could cause problems in rural areas. 3. Because any person from member country can enter to our country without any

restriction there is lack of secure borders.

4. Loss of national sovereignty is the most often mentioned disadvantage of monetary

union.
5. countries no longer have total control over their laws and economic policy 6. The European Union became a much more powerful trading partner on the world stage,

meaning the products of member countries were more competitive, their access to resources easier, not to...