The EU at a glance - European treaties
A treaty is a binding agreement between EU member countries. It sets out EU objectives, rules for EU institutions, how decisions are made and the relationship between the EU and its member countries. Treaties are amended to make the EU more efficient and transparent, to prepare for new member countries and to introduce new areas of cooperation – such as the single currency. Under the treaties, EU institutions can adopt legislation, which the member countries then implement. The main treaties are: Treaty of Lisbon Signed: 13 December 2007 Entered into force: 1 December 2009 Purpose: to make the EU more democratic, more efficient and better able to address global problems, such as climate change, with one voice. Main changes: more power for the European Parliament, change of voting procedures in the Council, citizens' initiative, a permanent president of the European Council, a new High Representative for Foreign Affairs, a new EU diplomatic service. The Lisbon treaty clarifies which powers:
The budget of the EU : how is your money spent?
Where does the money come from? The EU obtains revenue not only from contributions from member countries but also from import duties on products from outside the EU and a percentage of the value-added tax levied by each country. How is the money spent? The EU budget pays for a vast array of activities from rural development and environmental protection to protection of external borders and promotion of human rights. The euro The euro – used every day by some 332 million Europeans – is the most tangible proof of cooperation between EU countries. The Economic and Financial Crisis The economic crisis has prompted intense and sustained action by the EU's national governments, the European Central Bank and the Commission since it erupted worldwide in 2008.
EU institutions and other bodies
Quick links to EU institutions Direct access to institution and body websites Setting the agenda The European Council sets the EU's overall political direction – but has no powers to pass laws. Law-making There are 3 main institutions involved in EU legislation: the European Parliament, which represents the EU’s citizens and is directly elected by them; the Council of the European Union, which represents the governments of the individual member countries. Together, these three institutions produce through the "Ordinary Legislative Procedure" (ex "co-decision") the policies and laws that apply throughout the EU. Decision-making in the EU – more on EU law-making procedures List of Presidencies of the Council of the EU – 2011-2020 Other EU institutions Two other institutions play vital roles: the Court of Justice of the EU upholds the rule of European law the Court of Auditors checks the financing of the EU's activities.
The EU at a glance - The History of the European Union
The Founding Fathers of the EU The following visionary leaders inspired the creation of the European Union we live in today. Without their energy and motivation we would not be living in the sphere of peace and stability that we take for granted. From resistance fighters to lawyers, the founding fathers were a diverse group of people who held the same ideals: a peaceful, united and prosperous Europe. Beyond the founding fathers described below, many others have worked tirelessly towards and inspired the European project. This section on the founding fathers is therefore a work in progress. A peaceful Europe – the beginnings of cooperation The European Union is set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbours, which culminated in the Second World War. The ‘Swinging Sixties’ – a period of economic growth A growing Community – the first Enlargement The changing face of Europe - the fall of the Berlin Wall A Europe without frontiers Further expansion 2010 – today
European integration
European integration is the process of industrial, political, legal, economic, social and cultural integration of states[citation needed] wholly or partially in Europe. European integration has primarily come about through the European Union and the Council of Europe. History[edit] One of the first to conceive of a union of European nations was Count Richard Nikolaus von Coudenhove-Kalergi, who wrote the Pan-Europa manifesto in 1923.[1] His ideas influenced Aristide Briand, who gave a speech in favour of a European Union in the League of Nations on 8 September 1929, and who in 1930 wrote a "Memorandum on the Organization of a Regime of European Federal Union" for the Government of France,[2] which became the first European government formally to adopt the principle. Theories of integration[edit] The question of how to avoid wars between the nation-states was essential for the first theories. Citizens' organisations calling for further integration[edit] Most integrated countries[edit]
European Civil Service
The European Civil Service is the civil service serving the institutions of the European Union, of which the largest employer is the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union. It is the permanent bureaucracy that implements the decisions of the Union's government. Civil servants are recruited directly into the institutions after being selected by competitions set by the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO), the official selection office. They are allocated to departments, known as Directorates-General (DGs), each covering one or more related policy areas. Directorates-General[edit] The Commission is divided into departments known as Directorates-General (DGs or the services), each headed by a director-general, and various other services. List of Directorates-General[edit] The Directorates-General are divided into four groups: Policy DGs, External relations DGs, General Service DGs and Internal Service DGs. List of services[edit] Hierarchy[edit] Grades[edit]
