The European Union

The European Union

The basic principle, that lies behind the European integration is increasing economic integration and strengthening cooperation among its member states.

The EU has developed a single market through a system of laws which apply in all member states.

The European Union was established on the 1^st November 1993, when the Maastricht Treaty was ratified by the 12 members of the European Community (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom)

But the first step towards a united Europe was taken in 1950, after the end of World War II. The national authorities wanted to unite the European nations economically and to prevent another war among them.

This plan provided a basis for the Treaty of Paris in 1951, which led to the creation of the European Steel and Coal Community. It created a common market in coal and steel between the six founding members. (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxemburg and the Netherlands).

In 1957 the Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community. The founding countries came up with 4 freedom of movement for people, goods, services and capital. The success let other countries (Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom) to join the EEC.

The need for economic convergence (zbližovanie) and monetary union became important when the United States of America suspended dollar convertibility. This was the beginning of world monetary instability. It had been stabilized with the creation of the European Monetary System in 1979.

The end of communism and the disintegration of the Soviet Union changed the political structure of Europe. The Member States found out their strength and negotiated a new Treaty. The main characteristics of this Treaty were agreed with the Maastricht European Council in December 1991.

The Treaty on European Union or the Maastricht Treaty on 1^st of November 1993 set the member states an ambitious program: monetary union, creation of euro, new common policies, European citizenship. A single market was also created in 1993.

Today the European Union is consist of 27 independent countries which are known as member states. Our country is a member from the 1st May 2004. Member states have a common currency, the euro.

Important institutions and bodies of the EU include the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Council, the European Court of Justice and the European Central Bank. EU citizens elect the Parliament every five years.