Question

Analyse any three factors responsible for the European Union to be a highly influential regional organisation.

Answer 1

The EU has considerable political, military and diplomatic influence:-

Economic

1. The EU with a GDP of over $12 trillion (2005) is the largest economy in the world.
2. Its currency Euro can pose a serious threat to the hegemony of the US dollar.
3. The EU’s share of world trade is three times bigger than that of the US.
4. The economic power of the EU gives it power to influence its neighbours and Asian and African countries.

Political

1. France is a permanent member of the UNSC.
2. Several non-permanent members of UNSC are also from the EU. This has enabled the EU to influence US policies such as the US position on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Military

1. The EU’s combined armed forces are the second largest in the world.
2. Its total spending on defence is second after the US.