The European Union - Summary on a Map
The European Union - Summary on a Map
In this video, we trace the evolution of the European Union since the end of WWII until Brexit.
--------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/geohistory
--------
English translation \u0026 voiceover: Rahul Venkit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD1X…
--------
Original French version: • L’Union européenne - Résumé sur cartes
Russian version: • Европейский союз - краткая история на…
Arabic version: • الاتحاد الأوروبي
Spanish version: • La Unión Europea - Historia y resumen…
Portuguese version (Brazil): Coming soon
Japanese version: • EUの歴史
German version: • Die Geschichte der EU - Zusammenfassu…
--------
Music: The Devil’s Piano - Audio Hertz (YouTube library)
--------
Software used for editing: Adobe After Effects
--------
Chapter
0:00 Beginnings
1:10 Treaties of Rome
2:23 Economic growth
3:41 Development
5:07 Eastern Europe
6:11 Schengen
7:17 Enlargement
8:50 Eurozone debt crisis
9:55 European migrant crisis
11:11 Brexit
12:05 Current situation
#geohistory #history #europeanunion #europe #brexit #schengen
Content
0.2 -> The story begins at the end of WWII, as the
European continent lies devastated,
6.2 -> leaving the United States and the USSR as
the two major world powers.
11.28 -> Their growing rivalry marks the beginning
of the Cold War.
15.18 -> While the Soviets control Eastern Europe,
the West looks to the US for reconstruction aid.
21.16 -> While the old continent is found divided by
the Iron Curtain,
25.26 -> in the West, the idea of European unity begins
to take hold.
30.2 -> On 9 May 1950, France - via its Foreign Minister Robert Schuman - proposes a Franco-German reconciliation,
38.92 -> and placing under a common high authority the production of coal and steel,
44.02 -> the main wealth of industrialized countries,
46.52 -> which is also needed for the manufacture of
weapons.
49.94 -> The aim is to boost the economy and maintain peace, with the project left open to countries wishing to join.
57.24 -> The following year in Paris, six countries sign a treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community.
64.16 -> As Germany is divided by the Iron Curtain,
only West Germany becomes part of it.
73.52 -> To accelerate the development of Europe, the
six founding countries
77.16 -> meet on 25 March 1957 in Rome to sign two new treaties.
83.38 -> The first treaty creates the European Economic
Community
87.17 -> whose main objective is to establish a common
market,
90.56 -> including allowing the free movement of workers
and eliminating tariffs between member states.
96.54 -> The treaty also defines common policies on
transport, trade and agriculture.
102.36 -> The Common Agricultural Policy among
other goals aims to increase agricultural productivity,
108.4 -> offer reasonable prices and ensure a fair standard of living for farmers.
113.12 -> The second treaty establishes the European
Atomic Energy Community,
117.96 -> coordinating civilian nuclear research programs.
121.42 -> The Treaties of Rome enter into force in 1958
125 -> but it would take several years for its policies to be implemented.
129.5 -> Many countries ask to join the Communities,
including the United Kingdom.
134.04 -> But France, under the leadership of Charles
De Gaulle, vetoes the accession request,
138.5 -> considering the UK as too close of an ally
to the United States.
146.94 -> The institutions of the three Communities
are merged to enable more efficient functioning.
152.5 -> There is now a single Commission, composed
of commissioners chosen by the heads of state.
157.74 -> Its role is to propose European laws in the
common interest of its members.
162.58 -> There is the Council, made up of ministers
of the member states,
166.24 -> and whose role it is to approve, modify or
reject the proposals of the Commission.
171.76 -> There is a Parliament representing the people
of Europe,
174.66 -> and which also gives its opinion on Commission proposals.
178.26 -> Its power would increase over forthcoming
treaties.
181.98 -> Finally, there is a Court of Justice that
rules over the legality of decisions taken.
187.7 -> In 1967, the United Kingdom renews its request
for membership,
192.44 -> which France opposes a second time.
194.94 -> With the removal of tariffs for industrial and agricultural products and the free movement of workers,
200.26 -> the economic situation improves rapidly, prompting a new wave of membership applications.
206.88 -> This time, negotiations go well, but in Norway
210.259 -> the population opposes the country's accession in a referendum.
214.64 -> In 1973, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Denmark
join the Community.
223.9 -> In Paris, the heads of state and government
come to an agreement to create the European Council.
229.9 -> European leaders would meet at least three
times a year
232.52 -> to together define the broad guidelines of the Community.
236.06 -> South of the continent, after the end of dictatorships
in Portugal, Greece and Spain,
241.58 -> the three countries request membership of the Community.
245.24 -> In 1979, for the first time, members of the
European Parliament are elected by universal suffrage.
252.68 -> In 1981, Greece joins the Community, while
the following year, Greenland
258.02 -> -- which receives more autonomy from Denmark -- chooses to leave the Community after a referendum.
264.139 -> In 1984, the United Kingdom under Margaret
Thatcher
267.54 -> says it does not benefit enough from the Common Agricultural Policy,
271.8 -> which then represented 80% of EU spending.
275.55 -> The country negotiates to obtains a reduction
in its contribution to the Community’s budget.
281.18 -> In 1986, Spain and Portugal join the Community.
285.08 -> 12 member states and the European Commission give a boost to the internal market
289.62 -> by signing the Single European Act.
292.62 -> In addition to eliminating customs fees, the
goal is to remove all obstacles
297.3 -> to the free movement of people, goods, capital and services.
302.12 -> It is the “Single Market” project, to
be completed by 1993.
310.48 -> After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Germany
is reunified.
314.5 -> In the East, the USSR can no longer contain
revolts and collapses,
319.3 -> opening up new horizons for the Community,
321.94 -> which establishes contacts
with the countries of Eastern Europe.
326.139 -> On 7 February 1992, European heads of state
sign the Maastricht Treaty.
332.1 -> The European Union is created and gets new
powers.
335.94 -> The Treaty envisages an economic union and
the future creation of a common European currency.
342.74 -> All countries ratify the treaty, including
Denmark where two referendums and negotiations
348.52 -> to be exempted from the common currency are
required.
351.9 -> A new wave of countries request membership
to the Union, but Switzerland, and then Norway,
357.78 -> oppose potential candidacy via referendums.
361.38 -> On the other hand, in Austria, Sweden and
Finland, negotiations succeed and in 1995,
368 -> the EU grows to 15 members.
374.88 -> Signed in Schengen, Luxembourg in 1985, the Schengen Agreement is gradually introduced from 1995.
383.12 -> Its objective is to abolish border controls
and therefore
387.02 -> have total freedom of movement within the European Union.
390.64 -> The Agreement is incorporated into the European
Union through the Treaty of Amsterdam.
396.06 -> In addition, the common currency project advances,
which would be called the Euro.
401.7 -> However, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Denmark
do not want it.
406.68 -> Remaining member countries set up the European
Central Bank.
411.2 -> The Euro is officially launched on the market
in 1999,
414.9 -> although the currency would be put into circulation only from January 1, 2002.
421.04 -> As negotiations take place to enlarge the
European Union,
424.02 -> heads of state meet in Nice to try to improve the structure of the Union.
428.72 -> The outcome of the Treaty of Nice is considered
mixed.
432.5 -> Two referendums are needed in Ireland for
it to come into force.
440.4 -> On 1 May 2004, 10 new countries are included
in the European Union.
445.979 -> All new members join the Schengen area with
the exception of Cyprus,
449.944 -> as part of the island is controlled by the Turkish army since 1974.
454.92 -> After the half-failure of the Treaty of Nice,
the 25 heads of state meet in Rome to again
460.58 -> try to streamline the functioning of the European
Union.
464.36 -> This time they aim to create a constitutional treaty that would replace all existing treaties with a single text.
471.56 -> This sparks heated debate across Europe.
474.44 -> Fearing an overly powerful European Union
at the expense of national sovereignty,
479.2 -> the French and Dutch populations oppose the Treaty
via referendums.
483.97 -> This triggers a period of reflection and in-depth
consultations within member states.
489.74 -> On January 1, 2007, Romania and Bulgaria join
the European Union.
495 -> The same year, 27 heads of state sign the
Treaty of Lisbon, which aims to strengthen
500.71 -> and improve the functioning of the European
Union after enlargement.
504.64 -> Notably, it is agreed that the EU’s role
is to promote peace, support sustainable development,
510.86 -> fight against social exclusion and discrimination,
and safeguard cultural heritage.
516.59 -> The Treaty is ratified by all states but Ireland,
which holds a referendum and rejects it.
522.6 -> Yet again, more negotiations and a second referendum would be needed in Ireland for it to take effect.
532.68 -> The global economic and financial crisis has repercussions on the euro zone,
537.36 -> which enters a recession.
539.3 -> After the rout of major European banks, many
countries find themselves in difficulty;
544.74 -> in particular Greece, part of whose public debt
had been kept hidden
549.16 -> with the help of consultants from Goldman Sachs bank.
552.68 -> The country is forced to ask for financial
aid from the euro zone and the IMF
557.56 -> in exchange for which it must implement austerity measures.
561.58 -> Ireland, coming to the aid of its banks, also
sees its public debt explode.
567.24 -> But the country does not want to ask for aid
from the euro zone, fearing it may in return
572.27 -> be forced to raise its low corporate tax rates.
575.54 -> The country finally receives aid all the same
in exchange for which it must adopt a strict plan.
581.68 -> Subsequently, Portugal, Greece a second time,
Spain, and then Cyprus
586.52 -> obtain financial aid from the eurozone;
589.02 -> while almost everywhere
on the continent, austerity plans are put in place.
597.68 -> In 2013, Croatia joins the European Union.
601.28 -> At the borders of the continent, the so-called
Arab Spring creates instability in many countries.
607.46 -> The civil war in Syria, a second civil war
in Libya and in Iraq, and other events
612.78 -> such as war in Afghanistan and violence in the
Horn of Africa push many people to migrate to Europe.
619.34 -> Despite the construction of walls at the Turkish
border, in 2015,
623.72 -> over a million migrants enter the Schengen area.
627.56 -> Europe tries to slow the flow of migration.
630.44 -> Security patrols are reinforced on the Mediterranean Sea,
633.96 -> while certain countries temporarily reintroduce controls at their borders.
638.92 -> In addition, the European Union signs agreements
with Turkey and then with Libya,
643.64 -> where the political situation is very unstable,
646.68 -> so that they control and block the so-called illegal migration routes in exchange for financial aid.
653.52 -> Migrant processing centers are funded, mainly
in Italy and Greece,
657.72 -> where migrants find themselves awaiting regularization in overcrowded conditions.
663.46 -> The migration crisis divides European countries
and fuels the rise of nationalist and Eurosceptic parties.
674.18 -> In June 2016, the United Kingdom through a referendum votes in favor of leaving the European Union.
681.54 -> The country then enters long and difficult
negotiations with the European Union
686.18 -> to define the conditions of their withdrawal.
689.18 -> After numerous failures, an agreement for
Brexit is finally reached
693.58 -> and the United Kingdom exits the EU on January 31, 2020.
699.08 -> While the UK no longer has any decision-making
power in the bloc,
702.7 -> it continues to contribute to the European budget and receive funding at least until the end of the year.
709.02 -> By this deadline, it is meant to negotiate
future agreements with the EU,
713.58 -> in particular concerning customs duties, free movement,
716.88 -> the status of Europeans living in the United Kingdom and vice versa,
720.86 -> and the status of the border that separates Ireland from Northern Ireland.
728.96 -> After the departure of the United Kingdom,
the European Union has 27 member states
734.42 -> with a population of about 450 million.
737.82 -> Negotiations are underway for the accession
of new countries, mostly in the Balkans.
743.48 -> Negotiations for Turkey's accession, which
started in 2005, are stalled.
748.64 -> 19 countries are members of the eurozone,
while six others countries have adopted the euro
753.62 -> without being a member of the eurozone or the EU.
758.14 -> Finally, the Schengen area now comprises 26
States,
761.86 -> including 4 non-members of the European Union,
765.08 -> with Cyprus, Croatia, Bulgaria and
Romania expected to integrate soon.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VCYHTGjr-U