European Union

When the European Economic Community was established in 1957 its aim was, in broad terms, to move towards closer political and economic co-operation. Today, the much [larger:bigger] European Union has a far- reaching [influence:importance] on many aspects of our lives, from the conditions we work under, to the safety standards we must adhere to, and the environment in which we live.In order to achieve the free flow of goods and services, [workers:employees] and capital between the member countries, they needed to establish mutual [policies:regulations] in areas as diverse as agriculture, transport, and working conditions. When they had agreed on these policies, they became [law:legal] . Now, though, the EU is concerned with a far wider range of issues.