Introduction of European Union
Introduction of European Union
The European Union (EU) is a family of democratic European countries working together to improve life for their citizens and to build a better world. In just half a century it has delivered peace and prosperity in Europe, a single currency and a frontier-free 'single market ' where people, goods, services and capital can move around freely. It has become a major trading bloc, and a world leader in fields such as environmental protection and development aid.
The European Union 's success owes much to the unusual way in which it works. Unusual because the EU is not a federation like the United States; nor is it simply an organisation for cooperation between governments, like the United Nations. It is, in fact, unique. The countries that make up the EU remain independent sovereign nations but they pool their sovereignty in order to gain a strength and world influence none of them could have alone. Pooling sovereignty means, in practice, that the member states delegate some of their decision-making powers to shared European institutions they have created, so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level.
Europe 's three main decision making institutions are: The European Parliament (EP), which represents the EU 's citizens and is directly elected by them; The Council of the European Union, which represents the individual member states; The European Commission, which seeks to uphold the interests of the Union as a whole.
The 'institutions ', working together as a whole, create the policies and laws that apply throughout the EU. In principle, it is the Commission that proposes new European laws, but it is the Parliament and the Council that enact them.
It is the responsibility of the European Court of Justice to uphold the rule of European law, and the Court of Auditors to check the financing of the Union 's activities.
Objectives of European Union
The framework for
The European Union (EU) is a family of democratic European countries working together to improve life for their citizens and to build a better world. In just half a century it has delivered peace and prosperity in Europe, a single currency and a frontier-free 'single market ' where people, goods, services and capital can move around freely. It has become a major trading bloc, and a world leader in fields such as environmental protection and development aid.
The European Union 's success owes much to the unusual way in which it works. Unusual because the EU is not a federation like the United States; nor is it simply an organisation for cooperation between governments, like the United Nations. It is, in fact, unique. The countries that make up the EU remain independent sovereign nations but they pool their sovereignty in order to gain a strength and world influence none of them could have alone. Pooling sovereignty means, in practice, that the member states delegate some of their decision-making powers to shared European institutions they have created, so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level.
Europe 's three main decision making institutions are: The European Parliament (EP), which represents the EU 's citizens and is directly elected by them; The Council of the European Union, which represents the individual member states; The European Commission, which seeks to uphold the interests of the Union as a whole.
The 'institutions ', working together as a whole, create the policies and laws that apply throughout the EU. In principle, it is the Commission that proposes new European laws, but it is the Parliament and the Council that enact them.
It is the responsibility of the European Court of Justice to uphold the rule of European law, and the Court of Auditors to check the financing of the Union 's activities.
Objectives of European Union
The framework for
References: Internet site: 1. Wikipedia, European Union. Retrieved March 2, 2009. , from the World Wide Web http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union 2. Europa, The EU at a Glance. N.d, from the World Wide Web http://europa.eu/index_en.htm 3. European Commision, Business. N.d, from the World Wide Web http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/business/managing-business/keeping- accounts/index_en.htm 4. Consolidated version of the treaty establishing the European community. N.d, from the World Wide Web http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/treaties/dat/12002E/htm/C_2002325EN.003301.html#anArt43 5. Jimhiggins, In Europe. Jim Higgins, N.d, from the World Wide Web http://www.jimhiggins.ie/html/in_europe.html