European Years

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Every year, the European Union chooses to address a subject in order to encourage debate and dialogue within and between member states raising the awareness of European citizens to a specific problem. [1]

Contents

History

Beginning in 1983, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have chosen an annual theme of action each year, based on a European Commission proposal. European Years are an awareness campaign to educate European citizens and attract the attention of national governments of Member States to a particular issue, in order to change attitudes and behaviours at both the national and European level. [2]

Years

YearNameRef.
2023European Year of Skills
2022European Year of Youth
2021 European Year of Rail [3]
2018 European Year of Cultural Heritage [4]
2017None
2016None
2015 European Year for Development [5]
2014 European Year of Citizens [6]
2013
2012 European Year for Active Ageing [7]
2011 European Year of Volunteering [8]
2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion [9]
2009 European Year of Creativity and Innovation [10]
2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue [11]
2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All
2006 European Year of Workers' Mobility
2005 European Year of Citizenship through Education
2004 European Year of Education through Sport
2003 European Year of People with Disabilities
2002None
2001 European Year of Languages
2000None
1999European Year of Action to Combat Violence Against Women
1998European Year of Local and Regional Democracy
1997European Year against Racism and Xenophobia
1996European Year of Lifelong Learning
1995European Year of Road Safety and Young Drivers
1994European Year of Nutrition and Health
1993European Year of the Elderly and of Solidarity between Generations
1992European Year of Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work
1991None
1990European Year of Tourism
1989European Year of Information on Cancer
1988European Year of Cinema and Television
1987European Year of the Environment
1986European Year of Road Safety
1985European Year of Music
1984European Year for a People's Europe
1983European Year of SMEs and the Craft Industry

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Free Trade Association</span> Regional trade organization and free trade area

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is a regional trade organization and free trade area consisting of four European states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The organization operates in parallel with the European Union (EU), and all four member states participate in the European Single Market and are part of the Schengen Area. They are not, however, party to the European Union Customs Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Commission</span> Executive branch of the European Union

The European Commission (EC) is the primary executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission headed by a President. It includes an administrative body of about 32,000 European civil servants. The commission is divided into departments known as Directorates-General (DGs) that can be likened to departments or ministries each headed by a Director-General who is responsible to a Commissioner.

There are eight euro coin denominations, ranging from one cent to two euros. The coins first came into use in 2002. They have a common reverse, portraying a map of Europe, but each country in the eurozone has its own design on the obverse, which means that each coin has a variety of different designs in circulation at once. Four European microstates that are not members of the European Union use the euro as their currency and also have the right to mint coins with their own designs on the obverse side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viviane Reding</span> European politician

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of the European Union</span>

The economy of the European Union is the joint economy of the member states of the European Union (EU). It is the second largest economy in the world in nominal terms, after the United States, and the third largest at purchasing power parity (PPP), after China and the US. The European Union's GDP is estimated to be $19.35 trillion (nominal) in 2024 or $26.64 trillion (PPP), representing around one-sixth of the global economy. Germany has the biggest national GDP of all EU countries, followed by France and Italy. In 2022, the social welfare expenditure of the European Union (EU) as a whole was 19.5% of its GDP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cultural policies of the European Union</span>

European Union culture policies aim to address and promote the cultural dimension of European integration through relevant legislation and government funding. These policies support the development of cultural activity, education or research conducted by private companies, NGO's and individual initiatives based in the EU working in the fields of cinema and audiovisual, publishing, music and crafts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Union citizenship</span> Legal right conferred to citizens of EU member states

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign relations of the European Union</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Union Agency for Cybersecurity</span> Agency of the European Union

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenland and the European Union</span> Diplomatic relations between the European Union and Greenland

Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark is one of the EU members’ overseas countries and territories (OCT) associated to the European Union. Greenland receives funding from the EU for sustainable development and has signed agreements increasing cooperation with the EU.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Union roaming regulations</span> Overview of roaming regulations in the European Union

The Roaming Regulation 2022 bans roaming charges (Eurotariff) within the European Economic Area (EEA), which consists of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. This regulates both the charges mobile network operator can impose on its subscribers for using telephone and data services outside of the network's member state, and the wholesale rates networks can charge each other to allow their subscribers access to each other's networks. The 2012 Regulation was recast in 2022.

Intercultural dialogue has long been a principle supported by the European Union and its Institutions. The year 2008 was designated "European Year of Intercultural Dialogue" (EYID) by the European Parliament and the Member States of the European Union. It aimed to draw the attention of people in Europe to the importance of dialogue within diversity and between diverse cultures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Passports of the European Union</span> Passport issued to the European Union

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union for the Mediterranean</span> Intergovernmental organization

The Union for the Mediterranean is an intergovernmental organization of 43 member states from Europe and the Mediterranean Basin: the 27 EU member states and 16 Mediterranean partner countries from North Africa, Western Asia and Southern Europe. It was founded on 13 July 2008 at the Paris Summit for the Mediterranean, with an aim of reinforcing the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (Euromed) that was set up in 1995 as the Barcelona Process. Its general secretariat is located in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Citizens' Initiative</span> European Union mechanism aimed at increasing direct democracy

The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) is a European Union (EU) mechanism aimed at increasing direct democracy by enabling "EU citizens to participate directly in the development of EU policies", introduced with the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007. This popular initiative enables one million citizens of the European Union, with a minimum number of nationals from at least seven member states, to call directly on the European Commission to propose a legal act in an area where the member states have conferred powers onto the EU level. This right to request the commission to initiate a legislative proposal puts citizens on the same footing as the European Parliament and the European Council, who enjoy this right according to Articles 225 and 241 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TEFU). The commission holds the right of initiative in the EU. The first registered ECI, Fraternité 2020, was initiated on 9 May 2012, although the first submitted ECI was One Single Tariff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistan–European Union relations</span> Bilateral relations

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Area of freedom, security and justice</span> EUs home affairs and justice policies

The area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ) of the European Union (EU) is a policy domain concerning home affairs and migration, justice as well as fundamental rights, developed to address the challenges posed to internal security by collateral effects of the free movement of people and goods in the absence of border controls or customs inspection throughout the Schengen Area, as well as to safeguard adherence to the common European values through ensuring that the fundamental rights of people are respected across the EU.

Right2Water is a campaign to commit the European Union and member states to implement the human right to water and sanitation.

The Conference on the Future of Europe was a proposal of the European Commission and the European Parliament, announced at the end of 2019, with the aim of looking at the medium- to long-term future of the EU and what reforms should be made to its policies and institutions. It is intended that the Conference should involve citizens, including a significant role for young people, civil society, and European institutions as equal partners and last for two years. It will be jointly organised by the European Parliament, the EU Council and the European Commission. On 19 April 2021, the multilingual digital platform of the Conference futureu.europa.eu was launched.

References

  1. "European years". 16 June 2016.
  2. "European Years". en.strasbourg-europe.eu. Archived from the original on 2018-11-10. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  3. "The journey begins – 2021 is the European Year of Rail!".
  4. "Press corner". European Commission – European Commission.
  5. "European Year for Development". Archived from the original on 2017-07-16. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  6. "European Year of Citizens 2013 – European Commission". ec.europa.eu.
  7. "2012 to be the European Year for Active Ageing".
  8. "Home | European Year of Volunteering 2011".
  9. "Press corner".
  10. "Home EN - European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009 - EUROPA". Archived from the original on 2009-03-13. Retrieved 2009-10-01.
  11. "DG EAC - European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (2008) - Home". Archived from the original on 2007-12-31. Retrieved 2016-01-17.