~EuropeanUnion

EUROPEAN UNION
[European Union] [Chat] [Gallery] MEMBER LIST

...close co-operation, solidarity, common object, friendship, corporate work...
...this is Europe

[Presidency of the Council of the EU-Österreich 1 January 2006]
~austrians

admin: ~Cyric86

The European Union or the EU is an intergovernmental and supranational union of 25 European countries, known as member states. Two new member states will join in 2007 - Romania and Bulgaria. The European Union was established under that name in 1992 by the Treaty on European Union (the Maastricht Treaty). However, many aspects of the Union existed before that date through a series of predecessor relationships, dating back to 1951.

The European Union's activities cover all areas of public policy, from health and economic policy to foreign affairs and defence. However, the extent of its powers differs greatly between areas. Depending on the area in question, the EU may therefore resemble:

* a federation (for example, on monetary affairs, agricultural, trade and environmental policy, economic and social policy)
* a confederation (for example, on home affairs)
* an international organization (for example, in foreign affairs)

A key activity of the EU is the establishment and administration of a common single market, consisting of a customs union, a single currency (adopted by 12 of the 25 member states), a Common Agricultural Policy, a common trade policy, and a Common Fisheries Policy.

The most important EU institutions are the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice.

The members of the European Union have transferred to it considerable sovereignty, more than that of any other non-sovereign regional organisation. As has been mentioned, in certain areas the EU begins to take on the character of a federation or confederation. However, in legal terms, member states remain the masters of the Treaties, which means that the Union does not have the power to transfer additional powers from states onto itself without their agreement through further international treaties. Further, in many areas member states have given up relatively little national sovereignty, particularly in key areas of national interest such as foreign relations and defence. This unique structure means the European Union is perhaps best seen as a sui generis entity.

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Full text of the Constitution
Cultural Capital of Europe
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Institutions of the EU

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