yesbut.org

bbc news bbc news daily mail The organisation oversees co-operation among its members in diverse areas, including trade, the environment, transport and employment. The EU promotes economic, political integration of Europe through: A common currency; Freedom of movement between member states Trading market without frontiers; Enlargement; Development of common foreign, security policy. On 1 May 2004 the EU took in 10 new members, most of them former communist countries, in a huge step along the road towards dismantling the post-World War II division of Europe. The new joiners were the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. However, plans to introduce a constitution – intended to ensure the smooth running of the enlarged EU – faltered repeatedly at various national referenda until the revised “Lisbon” reform treaty was adopted. It came into force in December 2009. Over half a century earlier, it was the devastation caused in Europe by World War II which underlay the imperative to build international relationships to guard against any such catastrophe recurring. EU single currency, the euro, became legal tender in 2002. French statesmen Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman are regarded as the architects of the principle that the best way to start the European bonding process was by developing economic ties. This philosophy was the foundation for the Treaty of Paris which was signed in 1951. It established the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) which was joined by France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Under the Treaty of Rome which came into force in 1958, these six countries founded the European Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community to work alongside the ECSC. In 1967 the three communities merged to become collectively known as the European Communities (EC) whose main focus was on cooperation in economic and agricultural affairs. Denmark, Ireland and the UK became full EC members in 1973, Greece joined in 1981, Portugal and Spain in 1986, Austria, Finland and Sweden in 1995. The Treaty on European Union, signed at Maastricht in 1991, formally established the European Union as the successor to the EC. At the same time, Maastricht expanded the concept of European union into new areas. It introduced a Common Foreign and Security Policy and moved towards an EU coordinating policy on asylum, immigration, drugs and terrorism. EU citizenship was brought into being for the first time, allowing people from member countries to move freely between member states. The treaty included a Social Chapter, from which the UK opted out, laying down EU policies on workers’ rights and other social issues. Crucially, Maastricht established the timetable for economic and monetary union and specified the economic and budgetary criteria which would determine when countries were ready to join.fat burning furnace review The subsequent Stability and Growth Pact tightened up the approach to these criteria, stressing that strict fiscal discipline and coordination would be vital to the success of economic and monetary union. Commissioners appointed on five-yearly basis by Council in agreement with member states Appointments confirmed by parliament to which commission is answerable.Starcraft 2 guide It also laid down penalties for members failing to control budget deficits. The single European currency, the euro, was officially adopted by 11 member states in 1999. Greece, which took longer to meet convergence criteria, joined two years later. Denmark, Sweden and the UK have chosen not to join, at least for the time being. After a transition period, the euro completely replaced the former national currencies in 2002. Supporters of enlargement view it as the best way of building economic and political bonds between the peoples of Europe in order to end the divisions of the past.DJ Controller They look forward to sharing the world’s largest single market and so to expanding and consolidating stability and prosperity. Critics highlight the fact that average GDP per head for the new member states is 40% of the average for existing EU countries, making them an economic burden. Some also contend that the EU decision-making process will become bogged down as the number of countries round the table increases.DJ Equipment Fears have been expressed in some quarters that established EU members will see a huge influx of immigrants from former communist states seeking better job and benefit prospects. The response from supporters of enlargement is that new talent is to be welcomed – and that immigration is unlikely to occur on a large scale as most people will want to stay put.scholarships for moms In the short term, existing members are allowed to limit employment rights for people from new member states. Expansion is almost certain to continue. Bulgaria and Romania joined in January 2007, entry talks are ongoing for Croatia and an application from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is in the pipeline. Talks over Turkey’s possible accession began in October 2005.free stuff With enlargement approaching, a convention was established in 2002 to draft a constitution for the EU intended to streamline and replace the complex array of treaties and agreements which govern it at present, and to define the powers of the body. After intensive negotiation, the final text of the constitution was approved at a meeting of the 25 EU heads of state in Brussels in June 2004. However, every EU country had to ratify the constitution – through national parliament or public referendum – before it could take effect.Groom Speeches The charter was dealt a severe blow in May and June 2005 when it was spurned by French and Dutch voters. The constitution was put on hold, but with Germany’s assumption of the EU presidency in January 2007 it was placed firmly back on the agenda. Negotiations on a new Reform Treaty took place throughout 2007, and what has become known as the Lisbon Treaty was signed in the Portuguese capital on 13 December. Most European leaders acknowledged that the main substance of the constitution would be preserved, but they argued that Lisbon simply amended previous European treaties, rather than marking any fundamental new shift in powers.Best Man Speeches All 27 EU countries were expected to ratify the Treaty in 2008 with a view to it coming into force in 2009. However, it was thrown into turmoil in June 2008 after voters in Ireland – the only country to hold a referendum on it – delivered a resounding “no” vote. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso urged other countries to continue ratifying the Treaty, and Ireland approved it in a second referendum in October 2009.healthy living The ratification process was completed the following month when the eurosceptic Czech President Vaclav Klaus finally signed it. In November the Council of Ministers approved Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy as the first president of the European Council after rejecting several other higher-profile candidacies, including that of former British prime minister Tony Blair. Mr Van Rompuy took office in January 2010. The European Union Trade Commissioner, Britain’s Baroness Ashton, was appointed High Representative for foreign affairs at the same time. She took office when the Lisbon Treaty came into force in December 2009.good health Mr Van Rompuy was elected for a two-and-a-half-year term, to replace a six-monthly rotating presidency and usher in a redistribution of power among the Commission, Parliament and Council. The number of Commissioners will fall in 2014, so that not every member-state has its own Commissioner. Parliament will be put on an equal footing with the Council for most issues, including the crucial areas of the budget and agriculture, under a system dubbed the “co-decision”. The Commission and Court of Justice will have enhanced powers in justice and home affairs.wrinkle cream National vetoes will be removed in some areas, although they will remain on tax, foreign policy, defence and social security. In addition there will be a redistribution of voting weights among member-states, to be phased in between 2014 and 2017, with 55% of member-states being entitled to pass certain measures as they account for 65% of the EU population. What the constitution says: The Union is said to be subsidiary to member states and can act only in those areas where “the objectives of the intended action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the member states but can rather… be better achieved at Union level.press release distribution” The principle is established that the Union derives its powers from the member states. What it means: The idea is to stop the Union from encroaching on the rights of member states other than in areas where the members have given them away. Critics say that the EU can act in so many areas that this clause does not mean much but supporters say it will act as a brake and is an important constitutional principle.wholesale silver jewellery What the constitution says: The EU already has rights to legislate over external trade and customs policy, the internal market, the monetary policy of countries in the eurozone, agriculture and fisheries and many areas of domestic law including the environment and health and safety at work. The constitution will extend its rights into some new areas, perhaps most importantly into justice policy, especially asylum and immigration.diy repair It does away with the old structure of pillars under which some policies came under the EU and some under “inter-governmental” arrangements. What it means: It means a greater role for the EU in more aspects of life. In some areas, the EU will have exclusive competence, in others a shared competence and in yet more, only supporting role. What the constitution says: The principle of voting by qualified majority will be generally applied.solar power systems It is felt that otherwise getting the agreement of all 25 members would be a recipe for inaction. There will however be a veto for members in foreign policy, defence and taxation. And there is to be what’s called an “emergency brake” in which a country outvoted on an issue can take its case to the European Council, though it can still be outvoted there.USPS change of address The European Parliament will have an equal say on decisions requiring majority voting. What the constitution says: “A qualified majority shall be defined as at least 55% of the members of the Council, comprising at least 15 of them and representing Member States comprising at least 65% of the population of the Union.” What it means: This system replaces the old one under which countries got specific numbers of votes. There were objections that Spain and Poland had too many votes and this methods is felt to represent a fairer balance between large and small countries.Business Intelligence Software The new one will still lead to complicated permutations of voting but the final results of the “double majority” should command more general respect. An amendment does away with a proposed procedure under which the European Council could have changed an area of policy to QMV. Now such a proposal will have to go before national parliaments and if one objects the measure fails.free iphone What the constitution says: The European Council, that is the heads of state or government of the member states, “shall elect its President, by qualified majority, for a term of two and a half years, renewable once.” The candidate will then have to be approved by the European Parliament.baby gift baskets The President will “chair (the Council) and drive its work forward and ensure, at his level, the external representation of the Union.” What it means: This is a new post. At the moment, the Council presidency rotates through the member states every six months, so continuity is lost. The new President will therefore be a permanent figure with much greater influence and symbolism. But since he or she will be subject to the Council, the powers of the post are limited.cash advance What the constitution says: “The European Council, deciding by qualified majority, with the agreement of the president of the Commission, shall appoint the Union Minister of Foreign Affairs… shall conduct the Union’s common foreign and security policy.” What it means: It sounds grand, but the minister will only be able to speak on the EU’s behalf when there is an agreed or common policy, for example over the Middle East roadmap which members have accepted.pyxism The post will combine the present roles of the external affairs member of the Commission with the High Representative on foreign policy so it will be more prominent, especially in negotiating trade and aid agreements. The EU is also to set up its diplomatic service which will strengthen the Minister’s hand. What the constitution says: “The Union shall have competence to define and implement a common foreign and security policy, including the progressive framing of a common defence policy.auto glass mn” What it means: It does not mean that a common foreign or defence policy will be imposed on member states. Each one will retain a right of veto and can go its own way. There is nothing that could stop divisions over Iraq for example. The aim however is to agree on as much as possible. Defence is even more sensitive and has been ring-fenced by references to the primacy of Nato for relevant members.Diamond Engagement Rings What it says: The Commission, the body which proposes and executes EU laws, “will consist of one national from each Member State” for its first term of five years starting in November 2004. After that it will be slimmed down to “a number of members… corresponding to two thirds of the number of Member States, unless the European Council, acting unanimously, decides to alter this figure.” What it means: As a transitional measure to reduce the fears of small states that they will be ignored, each member state will have a Commissioner (only one each) from November. The idea after five years is to slim down the Commission from 25 to 18 (or one or two more if there are more member states by then).Houston Personal Injury Lawyer It is felt that the current Commission is too big with not enough jobs to go round. What the constitution says: The European Parliament is to have powers of “co-decision” with the Council of Ministers for those policies requiring a decision by qualified majority. What it means: The European Parliament has over the years acquired real power and the constitution confirms this. If the parliament does not agree to a piece of relevant legislation, it will not pass. This idea is to strengthen democracy because the parliament is the only EU institution in which voters have a direct say.louis vuitton handbags What the constitution says: It sets out “rights, freedoms and principles.” These include a whole list from the right to life and the right to liberty down to the right to strike. What it means: The Charter is wide-ranging but has to be tested in the courts before its exact status is established. The British government says that rules for interpreting the Charter mean, for example, that national laws on industrial relations will not be affected.chanel handbags What the constitution says: The EU will for the first time have a “legal personality” and its laws will trump those of national parliaments: “The Constitution and law adopted by the Union institutions in exercising competence conferred upon it by the Constitution shall have primacy over the law of the member states.” What it means: This really just confirms the status quo, which is that if the EU is allowed to legislate in an area of policy, its law will overtake any national laws.Tax Attorney pointing Equally in areas where it does not legislate, national law prevails. By having a “legal personality”, the EU will be able, as an organisation, to enter into international agreements. The old European Community had this right but the EU as a whole did not so its status in world diplomacy increases.Internet Income What the constitution says: A new procedure describes how a member would leave the EU: ” A member state which decides to withdraw shall notify the Council of its intention… The Union shall negotiate and conclude an agreement with that state, setting out the arrangements for its withdrawal.” What it means: It was always the case that a member state could leave by simply repealing its own legislation. Now there is a formal procedure designed to show that the EU is a voluntary association.logo polo shirts However a departing member would have to agree terms so there is an implied threat that it would not be that easy. Democracy could ‘collapse’ in Greece, Spain and Portugal unless urgent action is taken to tackle the debt crisis, the head of the European Commission has warned. In an extraordinary briefing to trade union chiefs last week, Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso set out an ‘apocalyptic’ vision in which crisis-hit countries in southern Europe could fall victim to military coups or popular uprisings as interest rates soar and public services collapse because their governments run out of money.Fitted Wardrobes The stark warning came as it emerged that EU chiefs have begun work on an emergency bailout package for Spain which is likely to run into hundreds of billions of pounds. John Monks, former head of the TUC, said he had been ‘shocked’ by the severity of the warning from Mr Barroso, who is a former prime minister of Portugal. Mr Monks, now head of the European TUC, said: ‘I had a discussion with Barroso last Friday about what can be done for Greece, Spain, Portugal and the rest and his message was blunt: “Look, if they do not carry out these austerity packages, these countries could virtually disappear in the way that we know them as democracies.Hair Transplant They’ve got no choice, this is it.” Greece, Spain and Portugal, which only became democracies in the 1970s, are all facing dire problems with their public finances. All three countries have a history of military coups. Greece has been rocked by a series of national strikes and riots this year following the announcement of swingeing cuts to public spending designed to curb Britain’s deficit.prostate treatment Spain and Portugal have also announced austerity measures in recent weeks amid growing signs that the international markets are increasingly worried they could default on their debts. Other EU countries seeing public protests over austerity plans include Hungary, Italy and Romania, where public sector pay is to be slashed by 25 per cent.green marketing Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who visited Madrid last week, said the situation in Spain should serve as a warning to Britain of the perils of failing to tackle the deficit quickly. He said the collapse of confidence in Spain had seen interest rates soar, adding: ‘As the nation with the highest deficit in Europe in 2010, we simply cannot afford to let that happen to us too.’ Mr Barroso’s warning lays bare the concern at the highest level in Brussels that the economic crisis could lead to the collapse of not only the beleaguered euro, but the EU itself, along with a string of fragile democracies.reverse phone lookup But it risks infuriating governments in southern Europe which are already struggling to contain public anger as they drive through tax rises and spending cuts in a bid to avoid disaster. Mr Monks yesterday warned that the new austerity measures themselves could take the continent ‘back to the 1930s’. In an interview with the Brussels-based magazine EU Observer he said: ‘This is extremely dangerous.golf swing ‘This is 1931, we’re heading back to the 1930s, with the Great Depression and we ended up with militarist dictatorship. ‘I’m not saying we’re there yet, but it’s potentially very serious, not just economically, but politically as well.’ Mr Monks said union barons across Europe were planning a co-ordinated ‘day of action’ against the cuts on 29 September, involving national strikes and protests. David Cameron will travel to Brussels on Thursday for his first summit of EU leaders since the election. Leaders are expected to thrash out a rescue package for Spain’s teetering economy.hovercraft for sale Spain is expected to ask for an initial guarantee of at least ?100 billion, although this figure could rise sharply if the crisis deepens. News of the behind-the-scenes scramble in Brussels spells bad news for the British economy as many of our major banks have loaned Spain vast sums of money in recent years. Germany’s authoritative Frankfurter Allgemeine Newspaper reported that Spain is poised to ask for multi-billion pound credits. Mr Barroso and Jean-Claude Trichet of the European Central Bank are united on the need for a rescue plan. The looming bankruptcy of Spain, one of the foremost economies in Europe, poses far more of a threat to European unity and the euro project than Greece. Greece contributes 2.5 percent of GDP to Europe, Spain nearly 12 percent. Yesterday’s report quoted German government sources saying: ‘We will lead discussions this week in Brussels concerning the crisis. It has intensified to the point that the states do not want to wait until the EU summit on Thursday in Brussels.”’ At the end of last month the credit rating agency Fitch downgraded Spain, triggering sharp falls on stock markets. On Friday the administration in Madrid continued to insist no rescue package was necessary. But Greece said the same thing before it came close to disaster. Yesterday the European Commission and the statistics authority Eurostat met to consider Spain‘s plight as many EU countries consider the austerity package proposed by the Madrid administration insufficient to deal with the country‘s problems. The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 member states which are located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht in 1993 upon the foundations of the European Communities. With over 500 million citizens, the EU combined generated an estimated 28% share (US$ 16.5 trillion) of the nominal and about 21% (US$14.8 trillion) of the PPP gross world product in 2009. The EU has developed a single market through a standardised system of laws which apply in all member states, and ensures the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital, including the abolition of passport controls by the Schengen Agreement between 22 EU states. It maintains common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. Sixteen member states have adopted a common currency, the euro, constituting the eurozone. As a legal personality the EU is able to conclude treaties with countries and enacts legislation in justice and home affairs. It has devised the Common Foreign and Security Policy, thus developing a limited role in European defence and foreign policy. Permanent diplomatic missions of the EU are established around the world and representation at the WTO, G8, G-20 and the United Nations is maintained. As an international organisation, the EU operates through a hybrid system of supranationalism and intergovernmentalism. In certain areas, decisions are taken by independent supranational institutions, while in others, they are made through negotiation between member states. Important institutions of the EU include the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Council, the Court of Justice of the European Union, and the European Central Bank. The European Parliament is elected every five years by EU citizens . The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community formed among six countries in 1951 and the Treaty of Rome formed in 1957 by the same states. Since then, it has grown in size through enlargement, and in power through the addition of policy areas to its remit. The last amendment to the constitutional basis of the EU came into force in 2009 and was the Lisbon Treaty, by virtue of which the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union was elevated to legally binding status. After World War II, moves towards European integration were seen by many as an escape from the extreme forms of nationalism which had devastated the continent. One such attempt to unite Europeans was the European Coal and Steel Community which, while having the modest aim of centralised control of the previously national coal and steel industries of its member states, was declared to be “a first step in the federation of Europe”. The originators and supporters of the Community include Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, Paul Henri Spaak, and Alcide de Gasperi. The founding members of the Community were Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany. In 1957, these six countries signed the Treaties of Rome, which extended the earlier cooperation within the European Coal and Steel Community and created the European Economic Community, (EEC) establishing a customs union and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for cooperation in developing nuclear energy. In 1967 the Merger Treaty created a single set of institutions for the three communities, which were collectively referred to as the European Communities (EC), although commonly just as the European Community. In 1973, the Communities enlarged to include Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Norway had negotiated to join at the same time but Norwegian voters rejected membership in a referendum and so Norway remained outside. In 1979, the first direct, democratic elections to the European Parliament were held. Greece joined in 1981, and Spain and Portugal in 1986. In 1985, the Schengen Agreement led the way toward the creation of open borders without passport controls between most member states and some non-member states. In 1986, the European flag began to be used by the Community and the Single European Act was signed. The Iron Curtain’s fall enabled eastward enlargement. (Berlin Wall) In 1990, after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the former East Germany became part of the Community as part of a newly united Germany. With enlargement towards Eastern and Central Europe on the agenda, the Copenhagen criteria for candidate members to join the European Union were agreed. The European Union was formally established when the Maastricht Treaty came into force on 1 November 1993, and in 1995 Austria, Sweden, and Finland joined the newly established EU. In 2002, euro notes and coins replaced national currencies in 12 of the member states. Since then, the eurozone has increased to encompass sixteen countries. In 2004, the EU saw its biggest enlargement to date when Malta, Cyprus, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, and Hungary joined the Union. On 1 January 2007, Romania and Bulgaria became the EU’s newest members. In the same year Slovenia adopted the euro, followed in 2008 by Cyprus and Malta, and by Slovakia in 2009. In June 2009, the 2009 Parliament elections were held leading to a renewal of Barroso’s Commission Presidency, and in July 2009 Iceland formally applied for EU membership. On 1 December 2009, the Lisbon Treaty entered into force after a protracted and controversial birth. This reformed many aspects of the EU but in particular created a permanent President of the European Council, the first of which is Herman van Rompuy, and a strengthened High Representative, Catherine Ashton. The European Union is composed of 27 sovereign Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The Union’s membership has grown from the original six founding states—Belgium, France, (then-West) Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands—to the present day 27 by successive enlargements as countries acceded to the treaties and by doing so, pooled their sovereignty in exchange for representation in the institutions. To join the EU a country must meet the Copenhagen criteria, defined at the 1993 Copenhagen European Council. These require a stable democracy that respects human rights and the rule of law; a functioning market economy capable of competition within the EU; and the acceptance of the obligations of membership, including EU law. Evaluation of a country’s fulfilment of the criteria is the responsibility of the European Council. No member state has ever left the Union, although Greenland (an autonomous province of Denmark) withdrew in 1985. The Lisbon Treaty now provides a clause dealing with how a member leaves the EU. There are four official candidate countries, Croatia, Iceland, Macedonia, and Turkey. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia are officially recognised as potential candidates. Kosovo is also listed as a potential candidate but the European Commission does not list it as an independent country because not all member states recognise it as an independent country separate from Serbia. Four Western European countries that have chosen not to join the EU have partly committed to the EU’s economy and regulations: Iceland, which is a candidate country, Liechtenstein and Norway, which are a part of the single market through the European Economic Area, and Switzerland, which has similar ties through bilateral treaties. The relationships of the European microstates, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican include the use of the euro and other areas of co-operation. The territory of the EU consists of the combined territories of its 27 member states with some exceptions, outlined below. The territory of the EU is not the same as that of Europe, as parts of the continent are outside the EU, such as Switzerland, Norway, European Russia, and Iceland. Some parts of member states are not part of the EU, despite forming part of the European continent (for example the Isle of Man and Channel Islands (three Crown Dependencies), and the Faroe Islands (a territory of Denmark)). The island country of Cyprus, a member of the EU, is closer to Turkey than to continental Europe and is often considered part of Asia. Several territories associated with member states that are outside geographic Europe are also not part of the EU (such as Greenland, Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, and all the non-European British overseas territories). Some overseas territories are part of the EU even though geographically not part of Europe, such as the Azores, the Canary Islands, Madeira, Lampedusa, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Saint Barthélemy, Martinique, Réunion, Ceuta and Melilla. As well, although being technically part of the EU, EU law is suspended in Northern Cyprus as it is under the de facto control of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, a self-proclaimed state that is recognised only by Turkey. The EU’s climate is influenced by its 65,993 km (41,006 mi) coastline. (Crete) The EU’s member states cover an area of 4,422,773 square kilometres (1,707,642 sq mi). 4] The EU is larger in area than all but six countries, and its highest peak is Mont Blanc in the Graian Alps, 4,810.45 metres (15,782 ft) above sea level.[44] The landscape, climate, and economy of the EU are influenced by its coastline, which is 65,993 kilometres (41,006 mi) long. The EU has the world’s second-longest coastline, after Canada. fat burning furnace review The combined member states share land borders with 19 non-member states for a total of 12,441 kilometres (7,730 mi), the fifth-longest border in the world. Including the overseas territories of member states, the EU experiences most types of climate from Arctic to tropical, rendering meteorological averages for the EU as a whole meaningless. The majority of the population lives in areas with a Mediterranean climate (Southern Europe), a temperate maritime climate (Western Europe), Bistro MD or a warm summer continental or hemiboreal climate (Eastern Europe). corporate entertainment The EU’s population is also highly urbanised, 18th birthday ideas with some 75% of people (and growing, projected to be 90% in 7 states by 2020) living in urban areas. tourbillon watches Cities are largely spread out across the EU, although with a large grouping in and around the Benelux. outdoor table tennis table An increasing percentage of this is due to low density urban sprawl which is extending into natural areas. fish oil In some cases this urban growth has been due to the influx of EU funds into a region.The institutions of the EU operate solely within those competencies conferred on it upon the treaties and according to the principle of subsidiarity (which dictates that action by the EU should only be taken where an objective cannot be sufficiently achieved by the member states alone). loans bad credit Law made by the EU institutions is passed in a variety of forms, primarily that which comes into direct force and that which must be passed in a refined form by national parliaments. table tennis Competencies in scrutinising and amending legislation are divided equally, cars forum with some exceptions, between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union while executive tasks are carried out by the European Commission and in a limited capacity by the European Council (not to be confused with the aforementioned Council of the European Union). Funny t-shirts The interpretation and the application of EU law and the treaties are ensured by the Court of Justice of the European Union. bedroom furniture There are also a number of ancillary bodies which advise the EU or operate in a specific area. The European Council gives direction to the EU, Group Halloween Costumes and convenes at least four times a year. seo company It comprises the President of the European Council, CD replication the President of the Commission and one representative per member state; portable staging either its head of state or head of government. The European Council has been described by some as the Union’s “supreme political authority”. nature sounds It is actively involved in the negotiation of the treaty changes and defines the EU’s policy agenda and strategies. coats of arms The European Council uses its leadership role to sort out disputes between member states and the institutions, and to resolve political crises and disagreements over controversial issues and policies. family coat of arms It acts externally as a “collective Head of State” and ratifies important documents (e.g. international agreements and treaties). golden wedding anniversary gifts On 19 November 2009, Herman Van Rompuy was chosen as the first permanent President of the European Council. christening gift ideas On 1 December 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force and he assumed office. christening presents Ensuring the external representation of the EU, driving consensus and settling divergences among members are tasks for the President both during used car prices the convocations of the European Council and in the time periods between them. longboard deck The European Council should not be mistaken for the Council of Europe, an international organisation independent from the EU. Godaddy Coupon Code The European Commission acts as the EU’s executive arm and is responsible for initiating legislation and the day-to-day running of the EU. The commission is also seen as the motor of European integration. PLR Articles The Commission operates as a cabinet government, with 27 Commissioners for different areas of policy, mma training one from each member state, though Commissioners are bound to represent the interests of the EU as a whole rather than their home state. discount tents for sale One of the 27 is the Commission President (currently José Manuel Durão Barroso) appointed by the European Council. cheap car insurance The other 26 Commissioners are subsequently appointed by the Council of the European Union in agreement with the nominated President, project management and then the 27 Commissioners as a single body are subject to a vote of approval by the European Parliament. After the President, the most prominent Commissioner is the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy who is ex-officio Vice President of the Commission. stickers The European Parliament (EP) forms one half of the EU’s legislature (the other half is the Council of the European Union, see below). deal of the day The 736 (soon to be 751) Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are directly elected by EU citizens every five years. 25th wedding anniversary gifts Although MEPs are elected on a national basis, they sit according to political groups rather than their nationality. coat of arms Each country has a set number of seats and in some cases is divided into sub-national constituencies. daily deals The Parliament and the Council of the European Union pass legislation jointly in nearly all areas under the ordinary legislative procedure. silver wedding anniversary gifts This also applies to the EU budget. Finally, cna certification the Commission is accountable to Parliament, requiring its approval to take office, medical assistant training having to report back to it and subject to motions of censure from it. free website templates The President of the European Parliament carries out the role of speaker in parliament and represents it externally. Local Realtors The EP President and Vice Presidents are elected by MEPs every two and a half years. T1 line The ordinary legislative procedure of the European Union. The Council of the European Union (also called the “Council” and sometimes referred to as the “Council of Ministers” forms the other half of the EU’s legislature. It consists of a government minister from each member state and meets in different compositions depending on the policy area being addressed. purity rings Notwithstanding its different compositions, it is considered to be one single body. In addition to its legislative functions, the Council also exercises executive functions in relations to the Common Foreign and Security Policy. weight benches The judicial branch of the EU—formally called the Court of Justice of the European Union—consists of three courts: the Court of Justice, buy Twitter followers the General Court, and the European Union Civil Service Tribunal. offerte viaggi Together they interpret and apply the treaties and the law of the EU. realizzazione siti biella The Court of Justice primarily deals with cases taken by member states, the institutions, and cases referred to it by the courts of member states. Free iPhone 4 The General Court mainly deals with cases taken by individuals and companies directly before the EU’s courts, and the European Union Civil Service Tribunal adjudicates in disputes between the European Union and its civil service. article submission Decisions from the General Court can be appealed to the Court of Justice but only on a point of law. learn forex The member states of the EU retain all powers not explicitly handed to the Union, as in most federations. new baby gifts However in some areas the EU does not have exclusive competence, it only plays a supporting role. women seeking men In such middle ground member states may enact legislation only where the EU has not, or they may elaborate the laws of the EU. Different competencies may also be used in different ways. For example, on foreign and defence issues the Parliament has a smaller role and the Council decides by unanimity rather than by majority. The distribution of competences in various policy areas between Member States and the Union is divided in the following three categories: The EU is based on a series of treaties. car insurance These first established the European Community and the EU, and then made amendments to those founding treaties. These are power-giving treaties which set broad policy goals and establish institutions with the necessary legal powers to implement those goals. hair loss treatment These legal powers include the ability to enact legislation 5] which can directly affect all member states and their inhabitants. 6] Under the principle of supremacy, national courts are required to enforce the treaties that their member states have ratified, gas fire pit and thus the laws enacted under them, even if doing so requires them to ignore conflicting national law, and (within limits) even constitutional provisions. National courts within the member states play a key role in the EU as enforcers of EU law, and a “spirit of cooperation” between EU and national courts is laid down in the Treaties. best acne treatment National courts can apply EU law in domestic cases, and if they require clarification on the interpretation or validity of any EU legislation related to the case it may make a reference for a preliminary ruling to the Court of Justice. seo The right to declare EU legislation invalid however is reserved to the EU courts.Article 1 and 2 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union: As a product of efforts to establish a written fundamental rights code, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union was drawn up in 2000. By virtue of the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, the EU is now legally bound by the Charter, which consolidates a large array of citizens’ rights and liberties. ricostruzione unghie The EU has also created a Fundamental Rights Agency by expanding the remit of a former monitoring centre. turf supplies The treaties declare that the EU itself is “founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities … in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail.” Also, the Court of Justice gives judgements on fundamental rights derived from the “constitutional traditions common to the member states,” and may even invalidate EU legislation based on its failure to adhere to these fundamental rights. EU Member States have a standardised passport design, burgundy coloured with the name of the member state, Coat of Arms and with the words “European Union” given in their official language(s). (Ireland model) Although signing the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is a condition for EU membership, 9] the EU itself is not covered by the Convention as it is neither a state 10] nor, prior to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, had the competence to accede. stamped concrete fort worth 11] Lisbon Treaty and Protocol 14 to the ECHR have changed this: the first binding the EU to accede to the Convention and the second formally allowing it. The Court of Justice thus treats the European Court of Human Rights (which rules on the ECHR and covers the whole of Europe) as a de facto upper court in order to keep case law aligned. Therefore the two courts co-operate to ensure their case law does not conflict. The EU opposes the death penalty and promotes its world wide abolition. Abolition of the death penalty is a condition for EU membership. Regulations become law in all member states wealthy affiliate review the moment they come into force, without the requirement for any implementing measures, 12] and automatically override conflicting domestic provisions. 5] Directives require member states to achieve a certain result while leaving them discretion as to how to achieve the result. The details of how they are to be implemented are left to member states. When the time limit for implementing directives passes, they may, under certain conditions, have direct effect in national law against member states. Decisions offer an alternative to the two above modes of legislation. They are legal acts which only apply to specified individuals, companies or a particular member state. They are most often used in Competition Law, or on rulings on State Aid, but are also frequently used for procedural or administrative matters within the institutions. Regulations, directives, and decisions are of equal legal value and apply without any formal hierarchy. Foreign policy cooperation between member states dates from the establishment of the Community in 1957, when member states negotiated as a bloc in international trade negotiations under the Common Commercial Policy. Steps for a more wide ranging coordination in foreign relations began in 1970 with the establishment of European Political Cooperation which created an informal consultation process between member states with the aim of forming common foreign policies. It was not, however, until 1987 when European Political Cooperation was introduced on a formal basis by the Single European Act. EPC was renamed as the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) by the Maastricht Treaty. The aims of the CFSP are to promote both the EU’s own interests and those of the international community as a whole, including the furtherance of international co-operation, respect for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. The CFSP requires unanimity among the member states on the appropriate policy to follow on any particular issue. The unanimity and difficult issues treated under the CFSP makes disagreements, such as those which occurred over the war in Iraq, not uncommon. The EU participates in all G8 and G20 summits. (Heiligendamm, Germany) The co-ordinator and representative of the CFSP within the EU is the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (currently Catherine Ashton) who speaks on behalf of the EU in foreign policy and defence matters, and has the task of articulating the positions expressed by the member states on these fields of policy into a common alignment. The High Representative heads up the European External Action Service (EEAS), a unique EU department that is being established following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. The EEAS will serve as a foreign ministry and diplomatic corps for the European Union. Besides the emerging international policy of the European Union, the international influence of the EU is also felt through enlargement. The perceived benefits of becoming a member of the EU act as an incentive for both political and economic reform in states wishing to fulfil the EU’s accession criteria, and are considered an important factor contributing to the reform of former Communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe. This influence on the internal affairs of other countries is generally referred to as “soft power”, as opposed to military “hard power”. In the UN, as an observer and working together, the EU has gained influence in areas such as aid due to its large contributions in that field. In the G8, the EU has rights of membership besides chairing/hosting summit meetings and is represented at meetings by the presidents of the Commission and the Council. In the World Trade Organisation (WTO), where all 27 member states are represented, the EU as a body is represented by Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht The Eurofighter is built by a consortium of four EU countries. The European Union does not have one National army. The predecessors of the European Union were not devised as a strong military alliance because NATO was largely seen as appropriate and sufficient for defence purposes. Twenty-one EU members are members of NATO while the remaining member states follow policies of neutrality.However the compatibility of their neutrality with EU membership is questioned (including by the Prime Minister of Finland) and with mutual solidarity in the event of disasters, terrorist attacks and armed aggression covered by TEU Article 42 (7) and TFEU Article 222 of the EU treaties; the Western European Union, a military alliance with a mutual defence clause, was disbanded in 2010 as its role had been transferred to the EU. In 2000, France, the UK, Spain, and Germany accounted for 97% of the total military research budget of the then 15 EU member states. Following the Kosovo War in 1999, the European Council agreed that “the Union must have the capacity for autonomous action, backed by credible military forces, the means to decide to use them, and the readiness to do so, in order to respond to international crises without prejudice to actions by NATO”. To that end, a number of efforts were made to increase the EU’s military capability, notably the Helsinki Headline Goal process. After much discussion, the most concrete result was the EU Battlegroups initiative, each of which is planned to be able to deploy quickly about 1500 personnel. EU forces have been deployed on peacekeeping missions from Africa to the former Yugoslavia and the Middle East. EU military operations are supported by a number of bodies, including the European Defence Agency, satellite centre and the military staff.[97] In an EU consisting of 27 members, substantial security and defence cooperation is increasingly relying on great power cooperation. The European Commissions Humanitarian Aid Office, or “ECHO”, provides humanitarian aid from the EU to developing countries. In 2006 its budget amounted to €671 million, 48% of which went to the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. Counting the EU’s own contributions and those of its member states together, the EU is the largest aid donor in the world. The EU’s aid has previously been criticised by the eurosceptic think-tank Open Europe for being inefficient, mis-targeted and linked to economic objectives. coffee pods Furthermore, some charities such as ActionAid have claimed European governments have inflated the amount they have spent on aid by incorrectly including money spent on debt relief, foreign students, and refugees. Under the de-inflated figures, the EU as a whole did not reach its internal aid target in 2006 and is expected not to reach the international target of 0.7% of gross national income until 2015. However, four countries have reached that target, most notably Sweden, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Denmark. In 2005 EU aid was 0.34% of the GNP which was higher than that of either the United States or Japan. Free iPhone The previous commissioner for aid, Louis Michel, has called for aid to be delivered more rapidly, to greater effect, and on humanitarian principles. comforter sets Over the years the EU has established a strong relationship with the UN. Co-operation takes place on a broad range of areas: development, addressing climate change, peace building in conflict ridden countries, humanitarian assistance in crises, fighting corruption and crime, global health concerns such as AIDS/HIV, labour issues and culture. The EU and its Member States also play a crucial role as the major contributor to the UN system. Co-operation is based not only in the form of the policy dialogue, but also goes further by generating financial support of the UN programmes and project E.UThe European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 member states which are located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht in 1993 upon the foundations of the European Communities. With over 500 million citizens, the EU combined generated an estimated 28% share (US$ 16.5 trillion) of the nominal and about 21% (US$14.8 trillion) of the PPP gross world product in 2009. Labradoodle The EU has developed a single market through a standardised system of laws which apply in all member states, and ensures the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital, including the abolition of passport controls by the Schengen Agreement between 22 EU states. custom band merchandise It maintains common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. Sixteen member states have adopted a common currency, the euro, constituting the eurozone. As a legal personality the EU is able to conclude treaties with countries and enacts legislation in justice and home affairs. dubai SEO It has devised the Common Foreign and Security Policy, thus developing a limited role in European defence and foreign policy. Permanent diplomatic missions of the EU are established around the world and representation at the WTO, G8, G-20 and the United Nations is maintained. As an international organisation, the EU operates through a hybrid system of supranationalism and intergovernmentalism. motion detector alarm In certain areas, decisions are taken by independent supranational institutions, while in others, they are made through negotiation between member states. Important institutions of the EU include the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Council, the Court of Justice of the European Union, and the European Central Bank. The European Parliament is elected every five years by EU citizens . The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community formed among six countries in 1951 and the Treaty of Rome formed in 1957 by the same states. Since then, it has grown in size through enlargement, and in power through the addition of policy areas to its remit. The last amendment to the constitutional basis of the EU came into force in 2009 and was the Lisbon Treaty, by virtue of which the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union was elevated to legally binding status. After World War II, moves towards European integration were seen by many as an escape from the extreme forms of nationalism which had devastated the continent. One such attempt to unite Europeans was the European Coal and Steel Community which, while having the modest aim of centralised control of the previously national coal and steel industries of its member states, was declared to be “a first step in the federation of Europe”. stuffing envelopesThe originators and supporters of the Community include Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, Paul Henri Spaak, and Alcide de Gasperi. video converter The founding members of the Community were Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany. contractor marketing In 1957, these six countries signed the Treaties of Rome, which extended the earlier cooperation within the European Coal and Steel Community and created the European Economic Community, (EEC) establishing a customs union and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for cooperation in developing nuclear energy. video converter In 1967 the Merger Treaty created a single set of institutions for the three communities, which were collectively referred to as the European Communities (EC), although commonly just as the European Community. Jobs Bridgend In 1973, the Communities enlarged to include Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Norway had negotiated to join at the same time but Norwegian voters rejected membership in a referendum and so Norway remained outside. In 1979, the first direct, democratic elections to the European Parliament were held. public car auctions Greece joined in 1981, and Spain and Portugal in 1986. In 1985, the Schengen Agreement led the way toward the creation of open borders without passport controls between most member states and some non-member states. In 1986, the European flag began to be used by the Community and the Single European Act was signed. Pop Up Trailers The Iron Curtain’s fall enabled eastward enlargement. (Berlin Wall) In 1990, after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the former East Germany became part of the Community as part of a newly united Germany. With enlargement towards Eastern and Central Europe on the agenda, the Copenhagen criteria for candidate members to join the European Union were agreed. The European Union was formally established when the Maastricht Treaty came into force on 1 November 1993, and in 1995 Austria, Sweden, and Finland joined the newly established EU. In 2002, euro notes and coins replaced national currencies in 12 of the member states. Since then, the eurozone has increased to encompass sixteen countries. backlinks In 2004, the EU saw its biggest enlargement to date when Malta, Cyprus, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, and Hungary joined the Union. On 1 January 2007, Romania and Bulgaria became the EU’s newest members. In the same year Slovenia adopted the euro, followed in 2008 by Cyprus and Malta, and by Slovakia in 2009. In June 2009, the 2009 Parliament elections were held leading to a renewal of Barroso’s Commission Presidency, and in July 2009 Iceland formally applied for EU membership. teeth grinding mouth guard On 1 December 2009, the Lisbon Treaty entered into force after a protracted and controversial birth. Kent Wedding Photographer This reformed many aspects of the EU but in particular created a permanent President of the European Council, the first of which is Herman van Rompuy, and a strengthened High Representative, Catherine Ashton. The European Union is composed of 27 sovereign Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, text message marketing Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The Union’s membership has grown from the original six founding states—Belgium, France, (then-West) Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands—to the present day 27 by successive enlargements as countries acceded to the treaties and by doing so, pooled their sovereignty in exchange for representation in the institutions. To join the EU a country must meet the Copenhagen criteria, Walking Shoes defined at the 1993 Copenhagen European Council. These require a stable democracy that respects human rights and the rule of law; a functioning market economy capable of competition within the EU; and the acceptance of the obligations of membership, including EU law. small business ideas Evaluation of a country’s fulfilment of the criteria is the responsibility of the European Council. how to deal with panic attacks No member state has ever left the Union, although Greenland (an autonomous province of Denmark) withdrew in 1985. The Lisbon Treaty now provides a clause dealing with how a member leaves the EU. There are four official candidate countries, Croatia, Iceland, Macedonia, and Turkey. stained concrete fort worth Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia are officially recognised as potential candidates. how to get rid of a yeast infection Kosovo is also listed as a potential candidate but the European Commission does not list it as an independent country because not all member states recognise it as an independent country separate from Serbia. Four Western European countries that have chosen not to join the EU have partly committed to the EU’s economy and regulations: Iceland, which is a candidate country, Liechtenstein and Norway, which are a part of the single market through the European Economic Area, and Switzerland, which has similar ties through bilateral treaties. rain sounds The relationships of the European microstates, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican include the use of the euro and other areas of co-operation. The territory of the EU consists of the combined territories of its 27 member states with some exceptions, outlined below. The territory of the EU is not the same as that of Europe, as parts of the continent are outside the EU, such as Switzerland, Norway, European Russia, and Iceland. Some parts of member states are not part of the EU, despite forming part of the European continent (for example the Isle of Man and Channel Islands (three Crown Dependencies), and the Faroe Islands (a territory of Denmark)). affordable seo services The island country of Cyprus, a member of the EU, is closer to Turkey than to continental Europe and is often considered part of Asia. Several territories associated with member states that are outside geographic Europe are also not part of the EU (such as Greenland, Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, and all the non-European British overseas territories). Some overseas territories are part of the EU even though geographically not part of Europe, such as the Azores, the Canary Islands, Madeira, Lampedusa, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Saint Barthélemy, Martinique, Réunion, Ceuta and Melilla. As well, although being technically part of the EU, EU law is suspended in Northern Cyprus as it is under the de facto control of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, a self-proclaimed state that is recognised only by Turkey. The EU’s climate is influenced by its 65,993 km (41,006 mi) coastline. (Crete) The EU’s member states cover an area of 4,422,773 square kilometres (1,707,642 sq mi). 4] The EU is larger in area than all but six countries, and its highest peak is Mont Blanc in the Graian Alps, 4,810.45 metres (15,782 ft) above sea level.[44] The landscape, 1 christian books climate, and economy of the EU are influenced by its coastline, which is 65,993 kilometres (41,006 mi) long. The EU has the world’s second-longest coastline, after Canada. link building service The combined member states share land borders with 19 non-member states for a total of 12,441 kilometres (7,730 mi), the fifth-longest border in the world. Including the overseas territories of member states, the EU experiences most types of climate from Arctic to tropical, rendering meteorological averages for the EU as a whole meaningless. christian book store The majority of the population lives in areas with a Mediterranean climate (Southern Europe), a temperate maritime climate (Western Europe), or a warm summer continental or hemiboreal climate (Eastern Europe). The EU’s population is also highly urbanised, with some 75% of people (and growing, projected to be 90% in 7 states by 2020) living in urban areas. colon cleanse Cities are largely spread out across the EU, although with a large grouping in and around the Benelux. An increasing percentage of this is due to low density urban sprawl which is extending into natural areas. hard money lenders In some cases this urban growth has been due to the influx of EU funds into a region. contact lenses The institutions of the EU operate solely within those competencies conferred on it upon the treaties and according to the principle of subsidiarity (which dictates that action by the EU should only be taken where an objective cannot be sufficiently achieved by the member states alone). loan Law made by the EU institutions is passed in a variety of forms, primarily that which comes into direct force and that which must be passed in a refined form by national parliaments. sell my car Competencies in scrutinising and amending legislation are divided equally, with some exceptions, tatuaggi between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union while executive tasks are carried out by the European Commission and in a limited capacity by the European Council (not to be confused with the aforementioned Council of the European Union). succession planning The interpretation and the application of EU law and the treaties are ensured by the Court of Justice of the European Union. There are also a number of ancillary bodies which advise the EU or operate in a specific area. cast iron wok The European Council gives direction to the EU, and convenes at least four times a year. backlink checker It comprises the President of the European Council, the President of the Commission and one representative per member state; either its head of state or head of government. kids furniture The European Council has been described by some as the Union’s “supreme political authority”. tinnitus treatment It is actively involved in the negotiation of the treaty changes and defines the EU’s policy agenda and strategies. wedding photographer Berkshire The European Council uses its leadership role to sort out disputes between member states and the institutions, and to resolve political crises and disagreements over controversial issues and policies. It acts externally as a “collective Head of State” and ratifies important documents (e.g. international agreements and treaties). wedding photographer Hampshire On 19 November 2009, Herman Van Rompuy was chosen as the first permanent President of the European Council. muscle building On 1 December 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force and he assumed office. Ensuring the external representation of the EU, driving consensus and settling divergences among members are tasks for the President both during the convocations of the European Council and in the time periods between them. The European Council should not be mistaken for the Council of Europe, an international organisation independent from the EU. iPhone deals The European Commission acts as the EU’s executive arm and is responsible for initiating legislation and the day-to-day running of the EU. The commission is also seen as the motor of European integration. The Commission operates as a cabinet government, with 27 Commissioners for different areas of policy, one from each member state, though Commissioners are bound to represent the interests of the EU as a whole rather than their home state. One of the 27 is the Commission President (currently José Manuel Durão Barroso) appointed by the European Council. The other 26 Commissioners are subsequently appointed by the Council of the European Union in agreement with the nominated President, and then the 27 Commissioners as a single body are subject to a vote of approval by the European Parliament. After the President, the most prominent Commissioner is the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy who is ex-officio Vice President of the Commission. The European Parliament (EP) forms one half of the EU’s legislature (the other half is the Council of the European Union, see below). The 736 (soon to be 751) Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are directly elected by EU citizens every five years. Although MEPs are elected on a national basis, they sit according to political groups rather than their nationality. Each country has a set number of seats and in some cases is divided into sub-national constituencies. The Parliament and the Council of the European Union pass legislation jointly in nearly all areas under the ordinary legislative procedure. This also applies to the EU budget. Finally, the Commission is accountable to Parliament, requiring its approval to take office, having to report back to it and subject to motions of censure from it. The President of the European Parliament carries out the role New Orleans Saints Merchandise of speaker in parliament and represents it externally. The EP President and Vice Presidents are elected by MEPs every two and a half years. The ordinary legislative procedure of the European Union. The Council of the European Union (also called the “Council” and sometimes referred to as the “Council of Ministers” forms the other half of the EU’s legislature. It consists of a government minister from each member state and meets in different compositions depending on the policy area being addressed. Notwithstanding its different compositions, it is considered to be one single body. In addition to its legislative functions, the Council also exercises executive functions in relations to the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The judicial branch of the EU—formally called the Court of Justice of the European Union—consists of three courts: the Court of Justice, the General Court, and the European Union Civil Service Tribunal. Together they interpret and apply the treaties and the law of the EU. The Court of Justice primarily deals with cases taken by member states, the institutions, and cases referred to it by the courts of member states. The General Court mainly deals with cases taken by individuals and companies directly before the EU’s courts, and the European Union Civil Service Tribunal adjudicates in disputes between the European Union and its civil service. Decisions from the General Court can be appealed to the Court of Justice but only on a point of law. The member states of the EU retain all powers not explicitly handed to the Union, as in most federations. However in some areas the EU does not have exclusive competence, it only plays a supporting role. In such middle ground member states may enact legislation only where the EU has not, or they may elaborate the laws of the EU. Different competencies may also be used in different ways. For example, on foreign and defence issues the Parliament has a smaller role and the Council decides by unanimity rather than by majority. The distribution of competences in various policy areas between Member States and the Union is divided in the following three categories: The EU is based on a series of treaties. These first established the European Community and the EU, and then made amendments to those founding treaties. These are power-giving treaties which set broad policy goals and establish institutions with the necessary legal powers to implement those goals. These legal powers include the ability to enact legislation 5] which can directly affect all member states and their inhabitants. 6] Under the principle of supremacy, national courts are required to enforce the treaties that their member states have ratified, and thus the laws enacted under them, even if doing so requires them to ignore conflicting national law, and (within limits) even constitutional provisions. National courts within the member states play a key role in the EU as enforcers of EU law, and a “spirit of cooperation” between EU and national courts is laid down in the Treaties. National courts can apply EU law in domestic cases, and if they require clarification on the interpretation or validity of any EU legislation related to the case it may make a reference for a preliminary ruling to the Court of Justice. The right to declare EU legislation invalid however is reserved to the EU courts.Article 1 and 2 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union: As a product of efforts to establish a written fundamental rights code, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union was drawn up in 2000. By virtue of the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, the EU is now legally bound by the Charter, which consolidates a large array of citizens’ rights and liberties. The EU has also created a Fundamental Rights Agency by expanding the remit of a former monitoring centre. The treaties declare that the EU itself is “founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities … in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail.” Also, the Court of Justice gives judgements on fundamental rights derived from the “constitutional traditions common to the member states,” and may even invalidate EU legislation based on its failure to adhere to these fundamental rights. EU Member States have a standardised passport design, burgundy coloured with the name of the member state, Coat of Arms and with the words “European Union” given in their official language(s). (Ireland model) Although signing the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is a condition for EU membership, 9] the EU itself is not covered by the Convention as it is neither a state 10] nor, prior to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, had the competence to accede. 11] Lisbon Treaty and Protocol 14 to the ECHR have changed this: the first binding the EU to accede to the Convention and the second formally allowing it. The Court of Justice thus treats the European Court of Human Rights (which rules on the ECHR and covers the whole of Europe) as a de facto upper court in order to keep case law aligned. Therefore the two courts co-operate to ensure their case law does not conflict. The EU opposes the death penalty and promotes its world wide abolition. Abolition of the death penalty is a condition for EU membership. Regulations become law in all member states the moment they come into force, without the requirement for any implementing measures, 12] and automatically override conflicting domestic provisions. 5] Directives require member states to achieve a certain result while leaving them discretion as to how to achieve the result. The details of how they are to be implemented are left to member states. When the time limit for implementing directives passes, they may, under certain conditions, have direct effect in national law against member states. Decisions offer an alternative to the two above modes of legislation. They are legal acts which only apply to specified individuals, companies or a particular member state. They are most often used in Competition Law, or on rulings on State Aid, but are also frequently used for procedural or administrative matters within the institutions. Regulations, directives, and decisions are of equal legal value and apply without any formal hierarchy. Foreign policy cooperation between member states dates from the establishment of the Community in 1957, when member states negotiated as a bloc in international trade negotiations under the Common Commercial Policy. Steps for a more wide ranging coordination in foreign relations began in 1970 with the establishment of European Political Cooperation which created an informal consultation process between member states with the aim of forming common foreign policies. It was not, however, until 1987 when European Political Cooperation was introduced on a formal basis by the Single European Act. EPC was renamed as the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) by the Maastricht Treaty. The aims of the CFSP are to promote both the EU’s own interests and those of the international community as a whole, including the furtherance of international co-operation, respect for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. The CFSP requires unanimity among the member states on the appropriate policy to follow on any particular issue. The unanimity and difficult issues treated under the CFSP makes disagreements, such as those which occurred over the war in Iraq, not uncommon. The EU participates in all G8 and G20 summits. (Heiligendamm, Germany) The co-ordinator and representative of the CFSP within the EU is the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (currently Catherine Ashton) who speaks on behalf of the EU in foreign policy and defence matters, and has the task of articulating the positions expressed by the member states on these fields of policy into a common alignment. The High Representative heads up the European External Action Service (EEAS), a unique EU department that is being established following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon. The EEAS will serve as a foreign ministry and diplomatic corps for the European Union. Besides the emerging international policy of the European Union, the international influence of the EU is also felt through enlargement. The perceived benefits of becoming a member of the EU act as an incentive for both political and economic reform in states wishing to fulfil the EU’s accession criteria, and are considered an important factor contributing to the reform of former Communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe. This influence on the internal affairs of other countries is generally referred to as “soft power”, as opposed to military “hard power”. In the UN, as an observer and working together, the EU has gained influence in areas such as aid due to its large contributions in that field. In the G8, the EU has rights of membership besides chairing/hosting summit meetings and is represented at meetings by the presidents of the Commission and the Council. In the World Trade Organisation (WTO), where all 27 member states are represented, the EU as a body is represented by Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht The Eurofighter is built by a consortium of four EU countries. The European Union does not have one National army. The predecessors of the European Union were not devised as a strong military alliance because NATO was largely seen as appropriate and sufficient for defence purposes. Twenty-one EU members are members of NATO while the remaining member states follow policies of neutrality.However the compatibility of their neutrality with EU membership is questioned (including by the Prime Minister of Finland) and with mutual solidarity in the event of disasters, terrorist attacks and armed aggression covered by TEU Article 42 (7) and TFEU Article 222 of the EU treaties; the Western European Union, a military alliance with a mutual defence clause, was disbanded in 2010 as its role had been transferred to the EU. In 2000, France, the UK, Spain, and Germany accounted for 97% of the total military research budget of the then 15 EU member states. Following the Kosovo War in 1999, the European Council agreed that “the Union must have the capacity for autonomous action, backed by credible military forces, the means to decide to use them, and the readiness to do so, in order to respond to international crises without prejudice to actions by NATO”. To that end, a number of efforts were made to increase the EU’s military capability, notably the Helsinki Headline Goal process. After much discussion, the most concrete result was the EU Battlegroups initiative, each of which is planned to be able to deploy quickly about 1500 personnel. EU forces have been deployed on peacekeeping missions from Africa to the former Yugoslavia and the Middle East. EU military operations are supported by a number of bodies, including the European Defence Agency, satellite centre and the military staff.[97] In an EU consisting of 27 members, substantial security and defence cooperation is increasingly relying on great power cooperation. The European Commissions Humanitarian Aid Office, or “ECHO”, provides humanitarian aid from the EU to developing countries. In 2006 its budget amounted to €671 million, 48% of which went to the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. Counting the EU’s own contributions and those of its member states together, the EU is the largest aid donor in the world. The EU’s aid has previously been criticised by the eurosceptic think-tank Open Europe for being inefficient, mis-targeted and linked to economic objectives. Furthermore, some charities such as ActionAid have claimed European governments have inflated the amount they have spent on aid by incorrectly including money spent on debt relief, foreign students, and refugees. Under the de-inflated figures, the EU as a whole did not reach its internal aid target in 2006 and is expected not to reach the international target of 0.7% of gross national income until 2015. However, four countries have reached that target, most notably Sweden, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Denmark. In 2005 EU aid was 0.34% of the GNP which was higher than that of either the United States or Japan. The previous commissioner for aid, Louis Michel, has called for aid to be delivered more rapidly, to greater effect, and on humanitarian principles. Over the years the EU has established a strong relationship with the UN. Co-operation takes place on a broad range of areas: development, addressing climate change, peace building in conflict ridden countries, humanitarian assistance in crises, fighting corruption and crime, global health concerns such as AIDS/HIV, labour issues and culture. The EU and its Member States also play a crucial role as the major contributor to the UN system. Co-operation is based not only in the form of the policy dialogue, but also goes further by generating financial support of the UN programmes and project.