Freedom, security and justice for all

We all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism. That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people. They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensure full cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts. 

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant, to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where they have been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning. EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU’s external frontiers. Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they must have equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member states have to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that court rulings in one country can be enforced in another.

The European Union has already done a lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage, separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civil disputes.

Ex.6. Translate into English:

Ex.7. Complete the sentences:

1. The European Union is…

2. This organization does not replace existing states. It is established for (to)…

3. The main EU’s institutions are…

4. The EU countries have common free market, external customs tariff,…

5. The euro is used in … member states.

6. The EU use … official languages.

7. The Constitution was ratified by 13 states and rejected by …

8. The official candidates to join the EU are…

9. European Union citizens are free to…

Ex.8. Read the text. Use the words (word-combinations) from the box and the text to speak about this problem.