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Like all countries, the United Kingdom has responsibilities to the world community. The government has signed the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gases. It is meeting its commitments to send aid to LEDCs, which should be 0.7% of GDP.
The United Kingdom is also a member of several International organisations. It was a founder member of NATO in 1949. This was set up to provide security in Europe after the Second World War.
The North Atlantic Treating Organisation was originally aimed at uniting the West during the Cold War. But it now undertakes military missions in Europe. NATO forces operated in the Balkans after the collapse of Yugoslavia.
The United Kingdom became a member of the European Union in 1973. It accepts European law but has not signed the Schengen Agreement. This would mean that people from other EU countries could enter the UK without any border controls.
The UK also has responsibilities under international law. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Human Rights Act have committed the UK to accept refugees. These are people who have been forces to flee from their own country and seek asylum in the UK.
If people are granted asylum, they can legally stay in the UK. Political refugees are people who have fled from their country for fear of persecution. Economic refugees are people who want to obtain a better standard of living.
Political refugees usually come from countries where human rights are ignored. They would have to prove that they would suffer persecution if they were forced to return to their own country. The UK has a responsibility to accept genuine political refugees.
Economic refugees usually come from countries where pay is low. They believe that they will have better opportunities in the UK. The UK does not have any responsibility to accept economic refugees but may do so if they are highly skilled.
