European Union
European Union
- Consists of 27 member states - from European continent.
- Established by Maastricht Treaty.
- Main goal of EU:
- To promote cooperation and integration among its member states.
- Enhance Economic & Political stability of Europe.
History of Formation
- After WW-II, European leaders understood the importance of co-operation.
- 1952 - European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) formed under Treaty of Paris, 1951.
- Created by 6 countries called “Six”
- Aim - place their coal & steel production in a common market.
- 1957 - Treaty of Rome (1957) created the European Economic Community (EEC).
- Aim - Bring economic integration, including a common market & customs union.
History of Formation (Continued)
- 1985 - Schengen Agreement (1985)
- Open borders amongst members without passport controls between them.
- 1992 - Maastricht Treaty or the Treaty on European Union
- Aim - to improve the European integration and creation of EU.
- Created EU citizenship, Common foreign and security policy, Single European currency called Euro.
Members of EU
- EU consists of 27 member countries.
- 2013 - Croatia joined the EU.
- 2020 - UK left the EU.
Process of Joining EU
- Submitting membership application to the European Council.
- European Council asks the European Commission to assess the ability of the applicant.
- Based on Commission’s Opinion - Council decides on mandate & admission happens.
EU Member states Organizational Structure
- European Council
- Consists of Heads of state or governments of Members.
- Role - political direction to the EU.
- European Commission
- Executive branch of EU.
- European Parliament
- Legislative body of EU.
- Members are elected based on proportional representation.
- Council of the EU
- Main decision-making body of the EU.
- Responsibility: Adopting the Various legislations, Coordinating the policies of EU.
Practice Question – Prelims
Which one of the following treaty deals with the creation of European Union?
(a) Treaty of Paris, 1951
(b) Treaty of Rome, 1957
(c) Treaty of Maastricht, 1992
(d) Treaty of Lisbon 2007
E-cigarettes
E-cigarettes
- Gadget that mimics smoking tobacco.
- Components - a mouthpiece, a cartridge, a heating element/atomizer, a microprocessor, a battery, and some of them have an LED light on the end.
- E-cigarettes types:
- Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS).
- Electronic Non-nicotine Delivery Systems (ENNDS).
Nicotine
Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the Nicotiana tabacum plant.
Practice Question – Prelims
Consider the following statements about E-cigarettes:
1. E-cigarettes are handy battery-powered devices that emit doses of vaporized caffeine.
2. Unlike regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes do not produce smoke.
3. The liquid solution used in E-cigarettes contains propylene glycol and glycerine.
How many of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
Rabi, Kharif, and Zaid Seasons
Rabi
- Sown in winter and harvested in summer.
- Crops - wheat, barley, peas, gram, and mustard.
- Western disturbance - Winter precipitation.
- States - Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand & UP.
- Green revolution - Punjab, Haryana, western UP, Rajasthan.
Kharif
- Grown - onset of monsoon.
- Harvested in September-October.
- Crops - paddy (rice), maize, jowar, bajra, tur, moong, urad, cotton, jute, groundnut, and soybean.
- Major rice producing states - Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, A.P, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Maharashtra, UP & Bihar.
Zaid
- In between the Rabi and the Kharif seasons.
- Short season during the summer.
- Crops - watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, etc.
Practice Question – Prelims
Consider the following statements:
1. The Kharif season starts with the onset of the southwest monsoon.
2. Rabi crops are sown in the winter season, mainly from October to March.
3. Zaid crops are typically grown between Rabi and Kharif seasons.
How many of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
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