Final answer:
Members of the European Union have overcome cultural, political, and economic differences, underlined by the establishment of the euro and the removal of trade barriers, to ensure a more peaceful and economically integrated Europe.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many international trade experts have marveled at how members of the European Union have overcome cultural, political, and economic differences. Following World War II, European nations sought peaceful economic interdependence, beginning with a free trade association and evolving into the European Union. The EU introduced the euro as a common currency, and aimed to facilitate the free movement of goods, labor, and capital, while significantly reducing barriers like tariffs, import quotas, and non-tariff barriers that affect trade.
The European Union's success largely stems from technological advances in transportation, communication, and information management, which have facilitated the burgeoning of international trade and the ease with which countries can interact economically. Driven by a collective commitment to prevent future conflicts and to foster economic stability and prosperity, EU members have diligently worked to transcend their historic diversities for greater unity.