Uneven development within the EU

Countries within the EU have different levels of development. In general, the older members of the EU have higher levels of GNPGNP: Gross National Product - Total value of all the good and services produced in a country in a year along with income from abroad. It is one way of measuring the wealth of a country. than those that have joined the EU recently. These countries form the economic coreeconomic core: An area which has more employment and economic opportunities than the surrounding area. It may not be at the geographical centre of the area. of Europe. The UK and France are two examples. Countries forming the economic peripheryeconomic periphery: Areas which have less employment opportunities and a weaker economy. This may not be on the physical edge of a region, just an economic edge. of the EU tend to be newer members of the EU, such as Bulgaria.

Measuring development in other ways (such as using the Human Development IndexHuman Development Index: A statistical index used to rank the 'human development' of countries, on a scale between 0 and 1. Covers life expectancy, education and living standards.) also shows these differences between countries in the EU, but not as clearly.

The map below shows the countries which were members of the EU in 2011.

Countries in the EU.

Policies that help even out differences in countries' levels of development within the EU

• The Common Agricultural Policy: this is given to ensure a minimum level of food production for Europe's population. It helps to give farmers a good standard of living. It also requires farmers to meet environmental and animal welfare standards. Critics say it is expensive.
• Structural Funds: a region qualifies for this if it has less than 75 per cent of the average GDPGDP: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures the wealth or income of a country. It is the total value of goods and services produced by a country in a year. for Europe. It gives money to help with the region's infrastructureinfrastructure: The basic structures needed for an area to function, for example roads and communications., especially transport.
• European Regional Development Fund: this includes the Urban II fund, which targets deprived areas in cities. The level of deprivation is calculated by the rate of unemployment in the area. It helps to provide social and economic regeneration in a sustainable way.