Navigation
|
European Union
Introduction
History
The European Union is an association of soon to be 25 states in Europe that have agreed to integrate and coordinate much of their economic policy and some other policy areas. Until it crystallised into a political concept and became the long-term goal of many states, the European ideal was unknown to all but philosophers and visionaries.
Principles
The European Union is guided by two mutually reinforcing principles. The first is that local, regional, national and European authorities should cooperate and complement each other.
EU institutions
What sets the European Union apart from more traditional international organizations is its unique institutional structure. In accepting the European Treaties, member states relinquish a measure of sovereignty to independent institutions representing national and shared interests. The institutions complement one another, each having a part to play in the decision-making process.
Updated on at Thursday, June 14, 2007
|