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Europe in 12 lessons
Find out what the European Union does, what it’s for and how it works in 12 easy lessons here on the EU’s official website.
Each lesson answers key questions about the EU such as:
Why do we need the EU?
• How does it affect us?
• What powers does it have?
• What does the future hold for the EU?
1. Why the European Union?
The EU was set up in the aftermath of World War Two to bring peace, stability and prosperity to Europe. How has it adapted its mission and core values to the 21st century? | 
2. Ten historic steps
The story of EU in 10 steps, from the Schuman Declaration and the six-nation EU of the 1950s to its 2007 enlargement to include 27 countries. |
3. Enlargement and neighbourhood policy
Chapter three explains the criteria for EU membership and identifies which countries are waiting to join. It also sets out the benefits and challenges of enlargement and how the EU manages relations with its neighbours. | 
4. How does the EU work?
Learn about the roles and responsibilities of the three main decision-making bodies in the EU: the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, and the European Commission. Find out how the other institutions fit into the process. |
5. What does the EU do?
Solidarity and innovation are two watchwords of the EU’s activities. Find out what it does with its annual budget of over €120 billion in fields like regional and social development, agriculture, research and energy. | 
6. The single market
The single market is one of the EU's biggest achievements. The benefits of the single market, how it came about and the new challenges it faces in today's EU are explained in chapter six. |
7. Economic and monetary union (EMU) and the euro
The euro is the EU’s single currency. This chapter retraces the history of the euro and EMU, explains how it works and identifies the countries that use the single currency. | 
8. Towards a knowledge-based society
Growth and jobs are the priorities of today's EU. The EU aims to become more competitive while exercising social responsibility and promoting sustainable development. Find out how it intends to do this in chapter eight. |
9. A citizens’ Europe
Citizenship of the EU brings with it a series of fundamental and political rights, including the right to travel, live and work anywhere in the EU. Millions of young people have already studied abroad. Find out what this means for you. | 
10. Freedom, security and justice
EU citizens have more freedom than ever to travel throughout the EU. But mobility brings new challenges so that police and judicial authorities have to work more closely together to make Europe safer and more secure. |
11. The European Union on the world stage
Europeans have more influence on the world stage when they speak with a single voice. EU countries work closely together on trade issues and development policy. The EU is also developing a common foreign and defence policy. | 
12. What future for Europe?
Today’s EU covers a whole continent. It has to represent the interests of European citizens in a globalised world. To make the EU act more effectively on our behalf, a new treaty, the Lisbon Treaty, has been prepared.. |
Key dates in the history of European integration | |
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