The European Union (EU) is economic and political union which is located in Europe in Brussels. It consists of 785 members representing the 492 million citizens of the 27 Member States of The European Union. Countries which join EU are Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Cyprus, Estonia, Luxembourg, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Romania, Slovenia and Sweden. EU is elected every 5 years throughout all the Members States.
5 Institutions serve the European Community: Council of European Union, European Parliament, European Commission, European Court of Justice, European Court of Auditors.
Council of the European Union (also known as Council of Ministers) –main decision making and legislative body. Shares legislative power with the Parliament. Coordinates general economic policy. Concludes international agreements. Made up of ministers from member states. Current President is Herman Van Rompuy.
European Parliament – supervises the EC institutions; shares legislative power with the Council; shares budgetary power with the Council and is a directly elected representative body. The President is Martin Schulz, elected in January 2012.
European Commission- is executive of the community. Operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission – one from each member state. Each commissioner assigned a portfolio of responsibility. Guardian of the Treaties. President is José Manuel Durão Barroso.
European Court of Justice- is the highest court in the EU. The Court was established in 1952 and is based in Luxembourg. 1 judge from each member country. Court of first Instance. Court of Appeal. President is Vassilios Skouris since 2003.
European Court of Auditors - was established in 1975 in