European Economic Area

Module: The European Economic Area of the Western Civilisation. Syllabus:

The module: “The European Economic Area of the Western Civilisation” is composed of four parts:

1. Introduction to the European Economic Area of the Western Civilisation
2. Influence of Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism) in the European Economic Area
3. The European Economic Integration of the Western Christian Civilisation (institutions, agreements)
   1. The European Union (EU)
      1. The European Union: the largest single market in the World
      2. International Relations of the European Union (EU)
      3. The EU interactions with other civilisations
   2. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
4. Other economic institutions in Europe

Aims of the module:

1. To define the characteristics of the European Economic Area of the Western Christian Civilisation
2. To analyse the influence of Christianity (Catholic and Protestant) in the European Economic Area
3. To know the economic profile of the European countries
4. To understand the processes of the European economic integration of the Western Civilisation
5. To explore the economic relations with other civilisations (Sinic, Hindu, Islamic, African, and Buddhist) and other areas of the Western Civilisation (Latin America, the United States)
6. To analyse the main economic institutions related to the European Economic Area

Subjects of the module “The European Economic Area.”

1- Introduction to the European Economic Area of the Western Christian Civilisation

1. Characterisation of the European Economic Area
2. Economic Profile of the region

2- Christianity in Europe

1. Catholicism in Europe
2. Protestantism in Europe
3. Anglicans
4. Judaism and Agnosticism in Europe

3- The Economic Integration in Europe of the Western Christian Civilisation (Institutions, agreements)

European Union (EU).

1. The economic profile of the EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Romania, and Sweden.
2. Foreign trade of the European Union
3. European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
4. European Investment Bank (EIB)
5. Amancio Ortega, one of the richest men in the world

International Relationships of the European Union (EU).

1. European Union Enlargement
2. European Union's Free Trade Agreements (FTA)
3. Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) of the EU

Interactions of the EU with other Civilisations.

1. The EU with other economic areas of the Western Civilisation:
   1. Europe (Non EU)
      1. European Economic Area (with the EFTA)
      2. Central European Initiative (CEI)
      3. European Neighbourhood Policy
         1. Black Sea Synergy
         2. The European Union and the South Caucasus
         3. The European Union and the Western Balkans
   2. Latin America. Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with the Andean Community, the MERCOSUR, Chile, Mexico, Central America, and the CARIFORUM
   3. The United States. The relationships between the European Union and the United States. The future Free trade agreement (FTA).
2. The EU with the African Civilisation
   1. Cotonou Agreement (Association European Union-Africa)
   2. Association Agreement European Union-Algeria
   3. Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with South Africa, Ivory Coast, and Cameroon
3. The EU with the Islamic Civilisation
   1. Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EUROMED)
   2. Agadir Agreement
   3. The European Union-Turkey Customs Union
   4. Free Trade Agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Algeria
4. The EU with the Orthodox Civilisation:
   1. Relationships between the European Union and Russia
5. The EU with the Hindu Civilisation:
   1. European Union-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
6. The EU with the Sinic Civilisation:
   1. Relationships between the European Union and China
   2. FTA with South Korea
7. Other inter-Civilisations agreements:
   1. FTA with the ASEAN
   2. Asia-Europe Economic Meeting (ASEM)
   3. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) (The EU is an observer of the SAARC)

European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

1. Economic Profile of EFTA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland
2. EFTA's Free Trade Agreements (FTA): Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Canada, Singapore, India, Chile, and South Korea

4- Other economics Institutions in Europe.

1. Council of the Baltic Sea States
2. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
3. Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)

Map of the European economic integration of the Western Civilisation.

Subject Description: The European Economic Area of the Western Christian Civilisation.

Europe is mainly composed of Christian countries (Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox)

European countries that are part of the European Economic Area of the Christian Western Civilisation:

1. Member States of the European Union (EU) with Catholic or Protestant majorities: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the UK and Sweden.
2. EFTA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland
3. Other European countries: Andorra, Monaco, and San Marino.

Germany is the Central State of the European Economic Area of the Western Christian Civilisation, while France and the United Kingdom have a significant influence.

The European Union is the largest trading bloc in the World (19% of the total world trade).

European countries that are not part of the European Economic Area of the Western Christian Civilisation.

1. Countries with Orthodox majorities of the European Union (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece and Romania) are integrated economically in the European area of the Western Christian Civilisation, but from a cultural, religious and historical point of view fit better with the Orthodox Civilisation.
2. Other European countries with Orthodox majorities (Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine) and consider as part of the Orthodox Civilisation.
3. European countries with Muslim majorities (Albania -62% Muslim-, Azerbaijan, Turkey) consider them as members of the Islamic Civilisation