European Union, the benefit

EU: "peace, stability, prosperity."

European Union/Who we are, "What is the European Union?"  "The EU is unlike anything else—it isn’t a government, an association of states, or an international organization. Rather, the 28 Member States have relinquished part of their sovereignty to EU institutions, with many decisions made at the European level.

The European Union has delivered more than 60 years of peace, stability, and prosperity in Europe, helped raise our citizens’ living standards, launched a single European currency (the euro), and is progressively building a single Europe-wide free market for goods, services, people, and capital.

Brits persuaded to decline.
Elections matter.

We are engaged in rebuilding lives and communities in areas of conflict such as Afghanistan. We support efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East, promote sound environmental practices, and contribute to global efforts to control nuclear proliferation.  European judicial, law enforcement, and security officials cooperate with the US and other partners to combat terrorism and transnational crime.

The EU and our Member States are the largest providers of official development assistance around the world, and we are involved in other areas that support development and reduce poverty, such as peacekeeping, election observing, and providing humanitarian and reconstruction aid in the wake of natural disasters and conflict."

Reference. BBC News, 2/25/14 European Union maps, 28 countries, 10/2013. "The forerunner to the European Union was formed by six countries in 1952 and now has 28 members with a combined population of more than 500 million people.It is set to expand even further, with several countries being considered for membership. The European Union has its roots in the 1951 agreement by France, Germany and four other countries to pool coal and steel supplies, with the aim of ending "age-old rivalries". In 1993 EU leaders adopted the so-called Copenhagen criteria setting standards for democracy, human rights, the rule of law, minority protection and civilian control over the military that all candidate states must meet to become members."  Note: graphics map and other maps from the reference BBC article. European flag, minus one star from Times Higher Education/The Reporters, 6/24/16, "Brexit vote sparks huge uncertainty for UK universities."

Related article.  Pacifica Tribune/Letters to the Editor/Jim Heldberg, 6/22/16, "The long view." "England failed to take the long view, and lost the colonies that became the United State of America. If they fail to take the long view again, they will lose their influence over the coming United States of Europe."

Posted by Kathy Meeh