Joining a bloc opens markets and gives members a stronger voice.
Why countries join
Larger markets
Selling freely to every member: economies of scale.
More jobs
In a common market workers can move to where the jobs are.
Bargaining power
The EU negotiates trade deals for all its members as one.
Stability
Countries that trade closely rarely go to war.
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Membership also has costs.
What members give up
Sovereignty
Rules are set jointly. "Take back control" was a slogan of the 2016 UK vote to leave the EU.
Weaker world talks
Countries focus on their blocs instead of WTO agreements.
Losers inside
Firms that cannot compete with partners' firms shrink or close.
The points to remember
- Write it like this: "Members gain larger markets and economies of scale, but lose some sovereignty."
- Judge for this country: big or small, efficient or not.
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Paper 1 asked this in November 2025, as part (b) for 15 marks.
Using real-world examples, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of membership of a trading bloc.
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How the 15 marks are given
| Marks | What your answer needs |
|---|---|
| 13–15 | Theory fully explained, terms right all the way through, balanced evaluation, real examples fully developed to support the argument |
| 10–12 | Theory explained, terms mostly right, evaluation mostly balanced, real examples developed |
| 7–9 | Theory partly explained, some evaluation but one-sided, examples partly developed |
| 4–6 | Theory only described, evaluation superficial, examples only named |
| 1–3 | Theory stated but not relevant, no evaluation |