Benefits of EU Membership
Joining the EU is said to provide member states with a list of advantages. These will include membership at the different European financial institutions. Generally, there are several European Financial Institutions. The European Central Bank (ECB) maintains the Euro's purchasing power and price stability. The European Investment Bank (EIB) raises funds for capital projects to the EU's objectives. The European Investment Fund (EIF) handles venture capital and serves as the guarantee agency of the EU. Reading this reference will help you understand some of the benefits of joining the EU. How would member states be affected if they decided to leave the union?
Non-monetary benefits of EU membership
Security
Transnational threats (e.g. terrorism, organised crime, human, arms and drug trafficking, money laundering) created the need for
intra-EU collaboration and pushed the EU to develop common responses and rules. Article 83 TFEU allows the European Parliament and the Council to "establish minimum rules concerning the definition of criminal offences and sanctions in the areas
of particularly serious crime with a cross-border dimension", including those mentioned above. For example, this legal basis has been used in the Council Framework Decision 2002/475/JHA on combating terrorism.
An example of European added value (EAV) in internal security is the European Arrest Warrant which allows a Member State to issue an arrest warrant that is valid throughout the EU. Consequently, Member States cannot refuse to surrender their citizens to another. This tool is necessary for a border-free zone where criminals can easily move to another country. Similarly, the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) provides operational support, analysis and expertise to Member States and ensures the correct exchange of information and data. These services are crucial to tackling crimes of a cross-border nature.