European Union (EU)

The European Union (EU) is a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together for peace and prosperity. It is not a State intended to replace existing states, but it is more than any other international organization. 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. 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 . Background: Following the two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris. The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European

Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since. In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15. A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries (the European Monetary Union or EMU) began using the euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania joined, bringing the current membership to 27. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (in force as of 1 February 2003) set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An effort to establish an EU constitution, begun in October 2004, failed to attain unanimous ratification. A new effort, undertaken in June 2007, created an Intergovernmental Conference to formulate a political agreement - initially known as the Reform Treaty but subsequently referred to as the Treaty of Lisbon - which would serve as a constitution. Unlike the constitution, however, the Treaty of Lisbon sought to amend existing treaties rather than replace them. In October 2009, an Irish referendum approved the Treaty (overturning a previous rejection) and cleared the way for an ultimate unanimous endorsement - the Czech Republic signed on soon after. Treaty implementation began on 1 December 2009. In 2010, the prospect of a Greek default on its euro-denominated debt created severe strains within the EMU and raised the question of whether a member country might be removed. Geography: Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west and Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to the east. The total area of EU 4,324,782 sq km, which is less than one-half the size of the US. The population of EU is 492,387,344. The natural resources of EU are iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish.

Member states: The total member of EU are 27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; note - candidate countries: Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey. Constitution: Based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Erratum) in 1957; the Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in 2003; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October 2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in French and Dutch referenda in May-June 2005 dealt a severe setback to the ratification process; in June 2007, the European Council agreed on a clear and concise mandate for an Intergovernmental Conference to form a political agreement and put it into legal form; this agreement, known as the Reform Treaty, would have served as a constitution and was presented to the European Council in October 2007 for individual country ratification; it was rejected by Irish voters in June 2008, again stalling the ratification process; the Reform Treaty, more recently known as the Treaty of Lisbon, was again circulated for ratification, and by November 2009 was approved by all 27 countries; it came into effect on 1 December 2009. Development: Agriculture: EU farms are supported by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the largest budgetary expenditure. The policy has the objectives of increasing agricultural production, providing certainty in food supplies, ensuring a high quality of life for farmers, stabilising markets, and ensuring reasonable prices for consumers. It was, until recently, operated by a system of subsidies and market intervention. Infrastructure: The EU is working to improve cross-border infrastructure within the EU, for example through the Trans-European Networks (TEN). The resund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden is part of the Trans-European Networks. Environment: The first environmental policy of the European Community was launched in 1972. Since then it has addressed issues such as acid rain. They works of the ozone layer, air quality, noise pollution, waste and water pollution etc. Education and research: Education and science are areas where the EU's role is limited to supporting national governments. There are now similar programs for school pupils and teachers, for trainees in vocational education and training, and for adult learners in the Lifelong Learning Program 20072013.

Culture: Policies affecting cultural matters are mainly set by individual member states. Actions taken in the cultural area by the EU include the Culture 2000 7-year program, the European Cultural Month event, the Media Plus program, orchestras such as the European Union Youth Orchestra and the European Capital of Culture program where one or more cities in the EU are selected for one year to assist the cultural development of that city. Activities of European Union: To face up to this challenge, the European Union valorises national research activities and pools resources when research activities would otherwise be too weak and fragmented. In this sphere the EU offers, mainly to member States, the possibility of taking part in program that usually co-finance transnational projects in sectors within the sphere of Community competence as per the Treaty establishing the European Community and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). Among EU instruments expressly designed to improve competitiveness, program dedicated to the areas of research, energy and the environment are of particular importance. The key role of research and innovation in creating employment and growth and for ensuring that economic development is ecologically sustainable has been recognized with a 75% increase in the research budget for the period 2007-2013 in comparison with the period 2000-2006. For many years ENEA has participated not only as a project partner in European program but also in decision making processes to define program, making available its experts for working committees and groups and keeping in touch with EU bodies through its Liaison Office in Brussels ENEAs activities are thus focused chiefly on the following sectors: EURATOM Projects funded by EU Program European Technological Platforms Committees and Groups Associations and networks

Advantages of European Union: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Transaction costs will be eliminated. Price transparency. Uncertainty caused by Exchange rate fluctuations eliminated Single currency in single market makes sense. Rival to the "Big Two" Prevent war. Increased Trade and reduced costs to firms. The Political agenda

9. Inflation Disadvantages of European Union: 1. 2. 3. 4. The instability of the system Over estimation of Trade benefits Loss of Sovereignty Deflationary tendencies

The European Union (EU) is a monetary and political union of 27 member states. Which total area of EU 4,324,782 sq km. Which actions are divided by some institutions. Basically this organization recognized by world war II. After all EU helps to develop in many development sections. EU expended its activities widely through solving international politics and economic problem. It keeps a good relationship between each member of states.