The EU & Global Politics (Edexcel A Level Politics): Revision Note

The EU is the world’s number 1 donor of humanitarian aid (1.7 billion Euros in 2023) providing emergency food, shelter and education

During the Covid pandemic, the EU dispersed vaccines and over €40 bn of support to over 150 countries

The EU is a strong advocate of human rights within the United Nations and other arenas

Maintaining peace is a priority of the EU, which benefits the global community

The EU lacks a central authority or figure

• In a crisis, the member states of Germany and France (and formally the UK) are called upon to represent the EU

When the EU does act like a central voice on the world stage, it can cause friction amongst member states that disagree

Member states have been reluctant to support further political integration, which would further erode their sovereignty

From its beginnings the EU  did not prioritise foreign policy and was focused on regional issues

The EU has significantly increased its economic power since establishing its free trade zone and introducing a central currency

It has established trade agreements with states from across the world

It is the single biggest source of development aid globally

From its beginnings internal economic concerns were prioritised over international economic influence 

The expansion of the EU has included many less economically developed states, which has created an economic burden on stronger states

It is difficult to get all countries to agree on trade policies 

The EU is widely seen as a global model for regionalism

The EU embodies the principles of globalisation 

Since its inception many states have expressed a desire to join the EU even at the expense of their own sovereignty 

The UK leaving the EU was a blow to global perceptions of the structural power of the EU

The expansion of the EU has led to questions regarding its ability to work well as a collective

The level of diverse cultures, history and economies of states within the EU weakens the idea of a unified Europe

Germany has the largest economy of the EU and is often equated as the representative of the EU, undermining its structural integrity