The European Union aims to create a strong social model to improve its global position and work on projects for development, poverty reduction, and environmental protection. This model was introduced in 2002 and is part of a broader strategy to make the EU the most competitive economic region in the world with full employment and social cohesion. The EU is moving towards a political union to support its economic and social goals, following historic events in 2004 that brought Eastern and Western Europe closer together.