European Union

Members                       -

The Origins 1945-1957
Necessity of a European integration







*Three realities toward the integration:
1) Europeans awareness of their own weakness
2) Avoid confrontation among European States
3) Create a free, fair, and prosperous continent with international relationships

The European Union ( EU ) is a political community of law constituted regime sui generis of international organization created to encourage and accommodate the integration and governance in common of the States and peoples of Europe .





It consists of twenty-eight States and Europe was established by the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), the 1st November of 1993 .

Important dates:

*In 1948 the OEEC was established, one of the first institutions that involved a great part of Western European countries.

*In 1949, most of Western European democratic States founded the NATO, the Westerm military alliance confronted with the Soviet Union.

*In 1948, the Benelux had started working by introducing a common external tarrif.

Schumann proposed that France, Germany, and any other European country wishing to join them pool their coal and steel resources.











The French government proposed the establishment of EDC. This project was aborted in 1954, and substituted by the WEU.

The six: France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Low countries and Luxemburg




The Treaty of Paris was signed in April 1951, establishing the ECSC.




The six made up the first European Community, and the 25th of March 1957, they signed the Treaties of Rome, establishing the EEC and the EURATOM.

Countries pay membership dues

Members vote on laws

Citizens of countries are EU citizens

European Economic Area

Eurozone

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• Inflation less than 1.5% higher than the average
• Debt to GDP ratio less than 60%
• Government deficit less than 3%

Lisbon Treaty

Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community: Signed: 18 April 1951
Entered into force: 23 July 1952
Expired: 23 July 2002




Purpose: to create interdependence in coal and steel so that one country could no longer mobilise its armed forces without others knowing. This eased distrust and tensions after WWII. The ECSC treaty expired in 2002.

Merger Treaty - Brussels Treaty: igned: 8 April 1965


Entered into force: 1 July 1967
Purpose: to streamline the European institutions.

Main changes: creation of a single Commission and a single Council to serve the then three European Communities (EEC, Euratom, ECSC).

Treaty of Nice
Signed: 26 February 2001




Entered into force: 1 February 2003
Purpose: to reform the institutions so that the EU could function efficiently after reaching 25 member countries.

Main changes: methods for changing the composition of the Commission and redefining the voting system in the Council.

EU operates delegations all over the world

The Outermost regions

Overseas territories

Mexico

• EU-Mexico free trade area. 
• Major boost to bilateral trade and investment.
• EU´s strategic partner.

Economic Partnership, Political coordination and Cooperation agreement





* Took effect in 2000
* Covers: Political dialogue, trade and cooperation

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How European Union decisions are made:
The EU’s standard decision-making procedure is known as Ordinary Legislative procedure (ex "codecision").
This means that the directly elected European Parliament has to approve EU legislation together with the Council (28 countries)



Drafting de EU laws:
Before the Commission proposes new initiatives it assesses the potential economic,social and environmental consequences that they may have
(advantages and disavantages)
They also consult interested parties such as non-governmental org., local authorities and representatives of industry and civil society.

Review and adoption:
The European Parliament and the Council review proposals by the Commission and propose amendments. If the Council and the Parliament cannot agree upon amendments, a second reading takes place.









If the two institutions agree on amendments, the proposed legislation can be adopted. If they cannot agree, a conciliation committee tries to find a solution