The UK’s Role & Relations with Europe (Edexcel GCSE Citizenship Studies): Revision Note

The European Union

• The European Union (EU) is a political and economic partnership made up of 27 European countries

  • It aims to encourage cooperation rather than conflict between member states

• Member states agree to work together in certain areas

  • These include trade, environmental policy, workers’ rights and consumer protection

A brief history of the EU

• The EU developed after World War Two

  • European countries wanted to prevent further wars and promote peace

• It began as the European Coal and Steel Community, focused on sharing key industries to reduce conflict

• It became the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957, with a wider goal to create a common market with free trade

• Over time, cooperation increased and the European Union (EU) was formally created in 1993

  • A common currency - the Euro - was introduced in most member states in 2002

How the UK was involved

• The UK joined the EEC in 1973

  • Membership allowed the UK to trade freely with other member states

• UK citizens elected Members of the European Parliament (MEPs)

  • These represented UK interests in EU decision-making and helped agree key laws and policies

• In 2016, the UK voted in a referendum to leave the EU

  • This process is known as Brexit

  • The UK officially left the EU in 2020 and EU laws no longer automatically apply in the UK

What the EU seeks to achieve

How the EU works

• The EU has several main institutions that share power

The Council of Europe

• The Council of Europe is Europe’s main human rights organisation, with 46 member states

• The UK was a founding member and helped create the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which all members must uphold

  • Citizens can take cases to the European Court of Human Rights once they have used all legal options in their own country

  • The Court is made up of judges nominated by each member state

Articles of the European Convention on Human Rights

• Some UK politicians argue the Court has exceeded its original purpose and want a British Bill of Rights so UK courts make the final decisions

  • In October 2024, the Reform Party attempted to bring forward a bill for the UK to leave the ECHR, but it was defeated in Parliament

The UK and the EU after Brexit

• In 2016, the UK held a referendum on membership

  • The Leave campaign argued the UK should take back control of its laws, borders and trade

  • The Remain campaign focused on the economic risks of leaving, the benefits of free trade, and the stability that came from staying in the EU

• The result was extremely close: 51.9% voted Leave and 48.1% voted Remain

• After several years of negotiations, the UK officially left the EU in 2020

How Brexit changed UK trade

• The UK is no longer in the single market or customs union, so trading with the EU now involves more checks, forms and border delays

• The UK can now make its own trade deals with countries around the world, such as Australia and New Zealand

• Some industries (like farming, fishing and car manufacturing) have struggled with new rules and extra costs

• Northern Ireland has a special trading arrangement to avoid a hard border with the Republic of Ireland, which continues to be a sensitive political issue

How Brexit changed politics in the UK

• Brexit became one of the most divisive political issues in recent UK history, shaping elections and leadership changes

• The UK government has had to create new laws to replace those that came from the EU, including new rules on immigration and agriculture

• The UK no longer takes part in EU decision-making, so it has less influence over European policies that may still affect it

How Brexit affected democracy in the UK

• The referendum showed the impact of direct democracy, where the public votes on a single issue

• Parliament then had the difficult job of turning the result into law, even when many MPs disagreed with the outcome

• Devolved nations reacted differently

  • Scotland voted strongly to Remain, raising questions about its future in the UK

  • Northern Ireland faced new discussions about borders and identity

• Brexit changed debates about sovereignty, with many people focusing on who should make laws for the UK

How Brexit has changed the EU

• The EU lost one of its largest economies and a major diplomatic and military power when the UK left

• Remaining EU countries have since become more united on some issues, especially trade and security

• The EU has strengthened its focus on common policies, such as climate change and economic cooperation, partly to show the value of staying together

• Brexit also encouraged the EU to review how it works, leading to discussions about future reforms and how to prevent similar exits