European Union

The European Union (French: L' Union européenne/UE) is a confederation of 27 member countries in Europe, formed in 1957 as the European Economic Community (EEC). It has created a common economic area with Europe-wide laws allowing people to move and trade in other EU countries almost the same as they do in their own. Seventeen of these countries also share a single currency; the euro (€). 495 million people live in the European Union.

At this point in time, the EU is largely dominated by the interests of capitalist corporations. Measures associated with the euro have seen cuts in welfare, stripped down regulation of business, increased labour flexibility and ease of expansion for multinationals.

However, the European Union has been to the benefit of the proletariat in some areas. A considerable advantage to individuals has been the freedom to travel, live, work, study and retire anywhere in the EU or EEA. It has also enabled market monopolies to be tackled in a way not seen before in Europe, for example with the European Commission’s actions against Microsoft.

History
After World War II, moves towards European integration were seen by many as an escape from the extreme forms of right-wing nationalism that had laid waste to the continent in the first half of the twentieth century. Instead of creating conflict over natural resouces, the first member countries (West) Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg formed the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952.

In 1957, in the Italian city of Rome, member countries signed a second treaty and created the European Economic Community. This created a trans-national community for coal, steel and for trade. It changed the name to simply the European Community.

In 1993, the Treaty of Maastricht created the European Union. Now the member countries work together not only in politics and economy (coal, steel and trade), but also in financial terms, justice, and foreign affairs. With the Schengen Agreement, 22 member countries of the EU opened their borders to each other, allowing citizens to travel from one country to the other without the need of a passport or identity card. The 2000's saw considerable expansion, with ten new countries becoming members of the EU in 2004 and two more in 2007. Today there are 27 member countries altogether, set to increase to 28 in the next few years after Croatia signed the EU accession treaty in 2011.

On 12 October 2012, the European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Member states
The European Union is composed of 27 sovereign Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The Union's membership has grown from the original six founding states—Belgium, France, (then-West) Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands—to the present day 27 by successive enlargements as countries acceded to the treaties and by doing so, pooled their sovereignty in exchange for representation in the institutions. To join the EU a country must meet the Copenhagen criteria, defined at the 1993 Copenhagen European Council. These require a stable democracy that respects human rights and the rule of law; a functioning market economy capable of competition within the EU; and the acceptance of the obligations of membership, including EU law. Evaluation of a country's fulfilment of the criteria is the responsibility of the European Council. No member state has ever left the Union, although Greenland (an autonomous province of Denmark) withdrew in 1985. The Lisbon Treaty now provides a clause dealing with how a member leaves the EU.

Croatia is expected to become the 28th member state of the EU on 1 July 2013 after a referendum on EU membership was approved by Croatian voters on 22 January 2012. The Croatian accession treaty still has to be ratified by all current EU member states.

There are five candidate countries: Iceland, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey. Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina are officially recognised as potential candidates. Kosovo is also listed as a potential candidate but the European Commission does not list it as an independent country because not all member states recognise it as an independent country separate from Serbia.

Four countries forming the EFTA (that are not EU members) have partly committed to the EU's economy and regulations: Iceland (a candidate country for EU membership), Liechtenstein and Norway, which are a part of the single market through the European Economic Area, and Switzerland, which has similar ties through bilateral treaties. The relationships of the European microstates, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican include the use of the euro and other areas of cooperation.

Main institutions
Institutions of the European Union

Council of the European Union


The Council of the European Union is the main decision-making group. The cabinet ministers of the member countries meet (Ministers for Foreign affairs, for Agriculture, for Justice, etc...) and discuss issues that are important to them.

Each member state takes a turn at being President of the Council for six months. For example, from January 2007 until July 2007, Germany held the presidency. The six months before that, Finland held the presidency. The President of the Council is the organiser and manager, he or she does not have the power to make decisions about the European Union like the President of the United States does for that country.

Member countries with a large population (Germany, France, United Kingdom, etc.) have more votes than countries with small populations (Luxembourg, Malta, etc.) but a decision cannot be made if enough countries vote against the decision.

Twice a year, the heads of government (Prime Ministers) and/or the heads of state (Presidents) meet to talk about the main issues and make decisions on different issues. This meeting is different and not as formal. It is known as a European Council.


 * Note: This is not the same thing as the Council of Europe, which is not part of the European Union.

European Commission
The European Commission runs the day to day running of the EU and writes laws, like a government. Laws written by the Commission are discussed and changed by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.

The Commission has one President and 27 Commissioners, selected by the European Council. The Commission President is appointed by the European Council with the approval of the European Parliament.

The Commission operates like a cabinet government. There is one Commissioner per member state, though Commissioners are bound to represent the interests of the EU as a whole rather than their home state.

European Parliament


The Parliament has a total of 785 members (called Members of the European Parliament, or MEP). They are elected in their countries every five years by the citizens of the European Union member countries. The Parliament can approve, reject or change proposed laws. It can also sack the European Commission. In that case, the entire commission would have to give up their jobs.