The European Union: History, Institutions, and Major Milestones, Appunti di Inglese

Scarica The European Union: History, Institutions, and Major Milestones e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! Mari Coppola EUROPEAN UNION INGLESE The European Union (EU) is the voluntary association of European states, in the economic and political fields, to ensure the maintenance of peace in Europe and to promote economic and social progress. Since 1 July 2013, the EU has 28 members: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta , Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. The Council of the EU (the Council of Ministers) is the main decision-making institution. It brings together the ministers of the EU member states according to the subject on the daily agenda. Each country of the Union presides over it by rotation, for a period of six months. The European Parliament, elected for five years by universal suffrage, now has 751 members. It shares legislative power with the Council, shares budgetary authority with the Council of Ministers and exercises democratic control over all European institutions. The European Commission is the institution that represents and defends the interests of the EU. It counts a commissioner by member State, is politically responsible before the Parliament and verifies if the European law is applied correctly. The Court of Justice ensure that EU law is interpreted and applied uniformly in all Member States. The European central bank manages Euro and economic and monetary policy, keeps prices and financial system stable and sets key interest rate for Eurozone. The European Council brings together the Heads of State or Government of all EU countries, the Commission’s President and the President of the European Council. It sets general political direction and meets in Brussels 4 times a year or on a special meeting. 1951 Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands sign the Treaty of Paris establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). 1957 The six members of the ECSC sign the Rome Treaties, which give birth to the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) and the EUROP EAN