EU Tops and Flops

EU, die Tops und die Flops

Lo mejor y lo peor de la UE

Unione europea: i top e i flop

Les tops et les flops de l'UE

Topy i klapy Unii Europejskiej

The European Union is more than just Brexit, the migrant crisis and populism. It has also kept the peace in Europe and given Europeans freedom of movement. A look at the best and worst of the EU.

The United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union has been hot and cold over the years with Tony Blair’s Europhilia contrasting with Margaret Thatcher’s Euroscepticism.

Flops of the EU

Great Britain

With nationalist sentiment rising in many member states, Europe has been incapable of agreeing a common policy to deal with the migration crisis of recent years.

The Migrant Crisis

The European Union can’t seem to shake the image of an overbearing, bureaucratic, faceless regime.

Technocracy

Since 1992 the EU has made many attempts at fiscal harmonisation but with limited results.

Fiscal Harmonisation

From its beginnings with 6 members to today’s 28, peace has been central to the European project with the Franco-German partnership proving crucial in building the European Union.

Tops of the EU

Peace and the Franco-German Partnership

Support for the euro is at an all-time high across the continent. After 20 years, even the far-right no longer supports a return to national currencies although the single currency is not without its critics.

Support for the euro is at an all-time high across the continent. After 20 years of the single currency even the far-right no longer supports a return to national currencies although it is not without its critics.

The Euro

The European Union has broken down barriers between member states with the free movement of people, goods, services and capital. Border posts were taken down across the continent after the signing of the Schengen agreement.

Free Movement

Launched between 1985 and 1987, the Erasmus programme has allowed around 4 million students to study in another European country, an EU success story.

ERASMUS

The European Union Media Programme was created in the late 1980s to support the film and audio-visual sector across Europe. It has proved very successful: For every euro invested by the EU six euros is invested by the private sector.