The EU has brought benefits in many areas, though certainly there are other areas where the UK government would like to see improvements.
Creating a level playing field for trade across Europe requires harmonised legislation in many areas of work and life, from health and safety legislation to the regulation of advertising. What looks fair to some can seem heavy-handed to others.
Getting the right balance demands constant constructive engagement. Successive British governments have had little doubt that the benefits to the UK economy outweigh any problems, and make it important to continue to push forward our role in the EU.
Freedom to trade and work
The single European market is the world’s largest free trade area. Europe’s businesses enjoy a “home” market of 490 million people, selling goods and services without tariffs or other trade restrictions, and to common safety standards. The market has created more competitive services, greater choice and lower prices, supporting wealth and job creation.
It has lowered business costs, and opened new opportunities, but for many it has also increased the burden of red tape. Such regulation is one of the areas where Britain is looking for improved performance. The Commission’s ‘better regulation’ agenda is starting to see results, assessing the impact of new regulations, simplifying and even cancelling existing ones.
Co-ordinated economic policies
The EU provides a forum where member countries can share best practice and learn from others' experiences
- helping to ensure that European businesses can compete effectively in global markets
- developing the right infrastructure for a successful modern economy
12 member countries have decided to share a single currency (the Euro). The UK government favours adopting the Euro in principle, but will only join when the economic conditions are right.
Freedom, security and justice
EU member countries are working together to create an area of freedom, security and justice across Europe.
All of the member countries, except the UK and Ireland, have agreed to scrap their border controls with each other. These are the “Schengen” arrangements – named after the village in Luxembourg where they were first agreed. They allow citizens to travel freely without checks at the internal borders.
The UK and Ireland have a right to choose whether to sign up to EU laws on border controls, immigration and asylum.
However, the UK and Ireland play a proactive role with other member states in working to tackle illegal immigration and abuse of the asylum system.
Member nations are also co-ordinating the co-operation of police and courts to pursue criminals across the EU, and enforce penalties imposed on them.
Help for poorer EU regions
The EU funds many programmes to support its poorer regions. The programmes work through direct spending on transport and other infrastructure, and on training people and helping them learn new skills.
Several parts of the UK have benefited from these funds, including Northern Ireland, the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Cornwall and the Scilly Isles, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, and West Wales and the Valleys.
Many well-known projects have been assisted by EU aid. For example, Cornwall's Eden Project received over £26 million, and the EU has given £30 million towards ferry and airport terminals and IT in the Highlands and Islands.
The UK regions get over £1 billion a year* to help parts of the country to restructure and to support economic regeneration, innovation, enterprise and training to help people learn new skills.
* Figures provided by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. For more information, see DBERR's European Structural and Cohesion Funds page.
Action on the environment
On the environment, it is vital to work together to tackle serious common problems that cross national borders, such as pollution. The EU is strongly committed to sustainable development and the Kyoto agreement on tackling climate change.
Co-operation with other European nations in the EU has brought us many benefits. Our beaches, rivers and drinking water are now cleaner. Many harmful emissions have been cut, making our streets less polluted and reducing acid rain. And many important habitats have been safeguarded, providing safe havens for endangered species.
Action to tackle environmental problems can create jobs and benefit the economy, for example by encouraging companies to make renewable-energy technologies like solar panels, hydrogen cells and wind turbines. This will help make the EU a leader in a growing global market.
A stronger voice in the world
When the whole of Europe speaks with one voice, we have more clout on the world stage. For example, sanctions or arms embargoes have more impact if imposed by 27 countries rather than one. We are stronger in trade negotiations if we negotiate as one economic bloc. And diplomatic initiatives, designed to improve our security, can be more effective with the support of European partners.
But all member countries have retained the right to pursue their own foreign policy, even after the common European foreign policy was established in 1993. Because foreign policy is a vital part of national sovereignty, there can only be a European policy if we all agree it. If not, each member country can go its own way.
When the 27 member countries agree a particular European policy, we commit ourselves to supporting it. This is known as the principle of loyal co-operation. It does not cause Britain problems, because if we had not agreed to a proposal, it would not have become a common policy in the first place. And if a common policy has been agreed, we would not want a partner to undermine it.
The EU is an important player in international development. Member countries, acting through the EU and on their own, provide more than half the world's official aid. The EU is the main trading partner of most developing countries. Collectively, the EU and its members can therefore play an important role in reducing global poverty and promoting a more stable, prosperous and democratic world.
Global security
Nato and the alliance with the United States remain the guarantee of defence for most European countries.
But to complement NATO, Europe has set up defence arrangements that allow European countries to take part effectively and quickly in peacekeeping and similar military operations where they want to work together. These have already been used to improve stability in the Balkans and Africa.
These arrangements do not create a European army. There is no such thing, any more than there is a UN army. No British soldiers can be sent anywhere without the British Government’s agreement. But these arrangements do help European countries to work together – voluntarily – to help boost peace and security in the world.
Co-operation extends not only to military operations, but to civilian activity too. Two examples of EU civilian missions contributing to peace and stability are the EU monitors helping the Palestinian Authority manage the border at Rafah and the monitoring of the Peace Accord in Aceh, Indonesia. Like military operations, decisions on these missions are reached through consensus.