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European Union
(EU)
The European Union (EU)
is the result of a process of cooperation and integration, which began in
1951 between six countries (Belgium,
Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the
Netherlands). After
nearly fifty years, with four waves of accessions (1973: Denmark,
Ireland and the United Kingdom; 1981: Greece;
1986: Spain and Portugal;
1995: Austria, Finland and
Sweden), the EU today has
fifteen Member States and is preparing for its fifth enlargement, this
time towards Eastern and Southern Europe.
The
European Union (EU) is the result of a process of cooperation and
integration, which began in 1951 between six countries (Belgium,
Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands). After
nearly fifty years, with four waves of accessions (1973: Denmark,
Ireland and the United
Kingdom; 1981: Greece;
1986: Spain and Portugal;
1995: Austria, Finland and
Sweden), the EU today has
fifteen Member States and is preparing for its fifth enlargement, this
time towards Eastern and Southern Europe.
The
European Union's mission is to organise relations between the Member
States and between their peoples in a coherent manner and on the basis of
solidarity. The main objectives are:
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to promote economic and social progress (the single market was established in 1993; the
single currency was launched in 1999); |
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to assert the identity of the European Union on the international scene (through European humanitarian aid to non-EU
countries, common foreign and security policy, action in international
crises; common positions within international organisations); |
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to introduce European citizenship
(which does not replace national citizenship but complements it and
confers a number of civil and politic rights on European citizens); |
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to develop an area of freedom, security and justice (linked to the operation of the internal market
and more particularly the freedom of movement of persons); |
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to maintain and build on established EU law (all the legislation adopted by the European
institutions, together with the founding treaties). |
There
are five institutions involved in running the European Union:
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the European
Parliament (elected by the peoples of the Member States), |
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the Council
(representing the governments of the Member States), |
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the
Commission (the executive and the body having the right to initiate
legislation), |
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the Court of
Justice (ensuring compliance with the law), |
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the Court of
Auditors (responsible for auditing the accounts). |
These
institutions are supported by other bodies: the Economic and Social
Committee and the Committee of the Regions (advisory bodies which help to
ensure that the positions of the EU's various economic and social
categories and regions respectively are taken into account), the European
Ombudsman (dealing with complaints from citizens concerning
maladministration at European level), the European Investment Bank (EU
financial institution) and the European Central Bank (responsible for
monetary policy in the euro-area).
General
Report on EU activities: http://www.europa.eu.int/abc-en.htm
EU
organs on women's issues: http://www.europa.eu.int/pol/equopp/index_en.htm
EU organs on environment
issues: http://www.europa.eu.int/pol/env/index_en.htm
EU organs on development
issues: http://www.europa.eu.int/pol/dev/index_en.htm
EU
organs on employment issues: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/employment_social/index_en.htm |