|
|
European Union
European Union
(EU), name given since the ratification (Nov., 1993) of
the Treaty of European Union, or Maastricht Treaty, to
the European Community. (EC), an economic and
political confederation of European nations, and other
organizations (with the same member nations) that are
responsible for a common foreign and security policy and
for cooperation on justice and home affairs.
Twenty-seven countries—Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany (originally West Germany), Great
Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and
Sweden—are full members of the organizations of the EU.
Organizational Structure
The EC, which is the core of the EU, originally
referred to the group of Western European nations that
belonged to each of three treaty organizations—the
European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European
Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic Energy
Community (Euratom). In 1967 these organizations were
consolidated under a comprehensive governing body
composed of representatives from the member nations and
divided into four main branches—the European Commission
(formerly the Commission of the European Communities),
the Council of the European Union (formerly the Council
of Ministers of the European Communities), the European
Parliament, and the European Court of Justice.
Although the EU has no single seat of
government, many of its most important offices are in
Brussels, Belgium. The European Commission, which has
executive and some legislative functions, is
headquartered there, as is the Council of the European
Union; it is also where the various committees of the
European Parliament generally meet to prepare for the
monthly sessions in Strasbourg, France. In addition to
the four main branches of the EU's governing body, there
are the Court of Auditors, which oversees EU
expenditures; the Economic and Social Committee, a
consultative body representing the interests of labor,
employers, farmers, consumers, and other groups; and the
European Council, a consultative but highly influential
body composed primarily of the president of the
Commission and the heads of government of the EU nations
and their foreign ministers.
1,
2,
3 |
