Watching the video:

“The Great Single Market” 

available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC_xTs1PxAk

 

 

Before You Watch

1. Answer the questions as a group.

a) What is the Single Market? How is it related to the European Economic Community (EEC)?

b) What do you think the purpose of establishing the EEC was? Why was it so much important for the European Union?

c) Examine the diagram below. Which Treaty established the basics for the European Economic Community (EEC)?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While You Watch

2.  Watch the video “The Great Single Market” and compare your answers for the questions b) and c) from Exercise 1 with the ones on the recording.  Then complete the gaps (a–e) on the diagram.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

After You Watch

Use of language

3. Read the passage and complete the gaps (1–14) with the correct words (A–D) from the box which follows after the text.

Single European Act

 

The Single European Act (SEA), which (1) ________________ on July 1, 1987, significantly expanded the EEC’s (2) ______________. It gave the meetings of the EPC a legal basis, and it called for more intensive (3) ________________of foreign policy among members, though foreign policy decisions were made outside community institutions. The agreement brought the European Regional Development Fund formally into the community’s treaties as part of a new section on economic and social (4) _______________that aimed to encourage the development of economically depressed areas. As a result of the act, there was a substantial increase in funding for social and regional programs. The SEA also (5) ________________ the community’s economic policies to incorporate provisions for the protection of the environment, and it (6)_______________ a common research and technological development policy, which was aimed primarily at funding transnational research efforts.

More generally, the SEA set out a (7)_________________for the completion of a common market. A variety of legal, technical, fiscal, and physical barriers continued to limit the free movement of goods, labour, capital, and services. For example, differences in national health and safety standards for consumer goods were a potential (8) ______________________ to trade. To (9) __________________the completion of the common market (10) __________1992, the community’s legislative process was modified. Originally, the Commission proposed legislation, the Parliament was consulted, and the Council of Ministers made a final decision. The Council’s decisions generally needed (11) _______________, a requirement that gave each member a veto over all legislation. The SEA introduced (12) ________________voting for all legislation related to the completion of the common market. Under this system, each member was given multiple votes, the number of which depended on national population, and approval of legislation required roughly two-thirds of the votes of all members. The new (13) ________________ also increased the role of the European Parliament. Specifically, legislative proposals that (14) ________________ by the Parliament could be adopted by the Council of Ministers only by a unanimous vote.

Source: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/196399/European-Union-EU/224463/Single-European-Act

 

1.  A reinforced   B entered into force   C passed all bounds   D eliminated barriers

2.  A diversity   B purpose   C borders   D scope

3.  A coordination   B cooperation   C coalition   D surveillance

4.  A relevance   B cohesion   C spirit    D understanding

5.  A popularised   B required   C promoted   D prolonged

6.  A expanded   B required   C provided for   D provided with

7.  A deadline   B time resource   C timeline   D timetable

8.  A impediment   B stimulus   C contribution   D framework

9.  A facilitate   B meet   C better   D sponsor

10.  A at   B by   C during   D throughout

11.  A nothing   B advice   C power   D unanimity

12.  A qualified   B majoring qualified   C qualified majority   D estimated majority

13.  A market   B procedure   C approach   D legislation  

14. A were disrejected   B were rejecting   C were rejected   D has been rejected

Discussion

4. With your partner, read the below list of positive and negative consequences of the Single European Act adoption and decide which of them would encourage and which of those are likely to discourage the government of Ukraine to join the European Union. Explain your reasoning.

1. The instability of the system (It is impossible to maintain exchange rate stability within the exchange rate mechanism.)

2. Loss of Sovereignty.

3. Deflationary tendencies (To reduce the deficit and reduce inflation, the country has to deflate its economy.) 

4. Overestimation of trade benefits.

5. Rival to the "Big Two" (America and Japan both have strong economies and have millions of inhabitants. A newly found monetary union and a new currency in Europe could be a rival to the "BIG TWO".)

6. Uncertainty caused by exchange rate fluctuations eliminated.

7. Single currency in single market makes sense.

VIDEOTRANSCRIPT

 

Hi! Welcome to Eureka!  The European Union is the biggest market in the world. Its twenty seven countries bring together nearly half a billion consumers but it wasn't always like that. To become such a big internal market many obstacles between EU countries have to be eliminated. In 1957 six European countries come together: Belgium Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands create the European Economic Community or EEC. In 1951 they had already shared their coal and steel. With the EEC they want to go to further. Their aim is to develop a European common market and boost economic growth in Europe. Politically, it was also a way to bring nations together. To achieve this, Europeans will have to remove one-by-one all barriers to free circulation of goods, services, capital and people – the four Freedoms. In 1968 the first obstacle falls - customs duties disappear within the EEC. This was the Customs Union - the step towards the free movement of goods. But trade is limited by a whole series of obstacles: taxes, security rules, industrial and health standards vary between countries. And these differences prevent the free movement of goods because some countries use them as an excuse not to import products from neighbouring countries. It takes nearly 20 years for all countries in the community to agree to accept other country's rules. In 1986 member states signed The Single European Act. The aim is to finish building the single market by the 1 of January 1993. In 1993 the single market becomes a reality and the European Economic Community becomes the European Union. Services and capital begin to move freely from one country to the next - just as they have to within countries. Postal services, tourism, research - it'll take longer to do the same for telecommunications and transports. Europeans are still brainstorming their ideas to improve this huge market. And Eureka! They come up with a plan to create a single currency in 2002 called the Euro. The aim is make trade between countries even easier. 1995 sees passport for free travel between the countries. And no more police checks at borders. The Schengen agreements come in. These agreements were signed ten years before by five member states. They created an area without internal borders. After Schengen Europeans have been able to travel and work in other EU countries. Since it began the European single market has created several million jobs. It's also said to have produced €800bn of additional wealth. From 2002 it was strengthened by the single currency. The internal market is the glue that holds the European project together! Bye!

 

 

TEACHER’S NOTES

(ANSWER KEY)

Exercise 1.  a) The Single Market is the common area between the countries where goods, services, capital and persons can circulate freely. The Single Market also ensures that citizens are free to live, work, study and do business where they want in any member state; b) The Single Market is the core of the cooperation between the 27 Member States of the European Union; c) Rome Treaties.

Exercise 2. a. 1957  b. 1986 c. European Community (EC) d. 1985  e. Customs Union.

Exercise 3. 1B; 2C; 3A; 4B; 5B; 6C; 7D; 8A; 9A; 10B; 11D; 12C; 13B; 14C.