European Union Law
What is the EU?
History
The European Union has its genesis in a post-war Europe which was suffering an economic, cultural and spiritual disintegration. The need to co-operate and integrate manufacturing, energy and economic industries saw the birth of the first three European Communities:
European Coal and
Steel Community, 1951 Apr. 18, 1951, 261 UNTS 140 (Treaty of Paris). This
Treaty expired in 2002.
European
Atomic Energy Community, 1957 Mar. 25, 1957, 298 UNTS 259 (Euratom Treaty)
European Economic
Community, 1957 Mar. 25, 1957, 298 UNTS 3 (Treaty of Rome)
Later amending treaties include:
Single European
Act, 1986 (SEA)
Treaty
on European Union, 1992 (Maastricht Treaty) (TEU)
Treaty
of Amsterdam, 1997
Treaty of Nice,
2001
Treaty Establishing
a Constitution for Europe, 2004 (Treaty of Rome)
Reform Treaty. This
treaty was approved by the European Council on October 2007 and will be signed
by member States in December 2007. It is created in the wake of the failed
Treaty of Rome.
Membership of the EU
There were 6 original members of the EC: France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Today there are 25 members.; Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Sloavkia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Institutions and Agenices The European Union at a Glance
How the European Union works : Your guide to the EU institutions, 2005
Process
and Players of the European Union
Executive
The European Commission
The Commission operates as the executive body of the EU, and represents EU policies and interests. It is ordered into departments known as Directorates-General.
* only institution which can propose new law
* implements adopted laws
* ensures Member States implement laws correctly
European Council
* composed of heads of state of Member States
* decision making body which refers decisions back to the Council of the EU
Presidency
* a six month role alternated between member States.
* from 1 July 2009, Sweden takes over the Presidency of the EU
* presidency programmes are a useful source of information on future EU policy
* Presidency sets the Agenda for Council of the European Union meetings
European Central Bank
implements monetary policy and is responsible for the issuance of the Euro
Legislative
Council of
the European Union (previously called the Council of Ministers)
* reflects Member State interests European Parliament
* represents Citizens interest
* has power of co-decision with the Council of the European Union
* meets for plenary sessions monthly, in Strasbourg, France
Committee of the Regions
- a consultative body of 317 members appointed by the Council of Ministers,
from the ranks of local, municipal and regional officials. The CoR must be
consulted on laws affecting trans-European infrastructure
European Economic and Social
Committee - a consultative body of 317 members appointed by the Council
of Ministers, which issues opinions on laws dealing with labour, transport,
consumer protection, public health, and education
Judicial
European Court
of Justice
Court of First Instance (first stage) - opinion of Advocate-General of the
ECJ on the matter. This is often a vital source of information as the AGs
are often academics or judges from Member States who survey all aspects of
a case.
Judicial decisions of the ECJ may or may not agree with the opinion of the
Advocate-General.
European Court
of Auditors
Examines the accounts of the Union's revenue and expenditure.
3 Pillars of the European Union (as per Maastricht Treaty)| 1st Pillar | European Community as begun by the 3 original treaties of the EC. Supranational | | 2nd Pillar | Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Intergovernmental. | | 3rd Pillar | Justice and Home Affairs, judicial co-operation in civil and criminal matters, police co-operation and immigration policy. Quasi-intergovernmental. |
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