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European Union

Why the European Union?

Europe’s mission in the 21st century is to:

  • provide peace, prosperity and stability for its peoples;
  • overcome the divisions on the continent;
  • ensure that its people can live in safety;
  • promote balanced economic and social development;
  • meet the challenges of globalisation and preserve the diversity of the peoples of Europe;
  • uphold the values that Europeans share, such as sustainable development and a sound environment, respect for human rights and the social market economy.

Accademia Eruopeista Gorizia

Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy

  • The European Union is open to any European country that fulfils the democratic, political and economic criteria for membership.
  • Following several enlargements, the EU has increased from six to 27 members. Several other countries are candidates to join.
  • Each treaty admitting a new member requires the unanimous approval of all member states. In addition, in advance of each new enlargement, the EU will assess its capacity to absorb the new member(s) and the ability of its institutions to continue to function properly.

How does the EU work?

  • The Council of the European Union, which represents the member states, is the EU’s main decision-taking body. When it meets at Heads of State or Government level, it becomes the European Council whose role is to provide the EU with political impetus on key issues.
  • The European Parliament, which represents the people, shares legislative and budgetary power with the Council of the European Union.
  • The European Commission, which represents the common interest of the EU, is the main executive body. It has the right to propose legislation and ensures that EU policies are properly implemented.

The single market

  • The single market is one of the European Union’s greatest achievements. Restrictions between member countries on trade and free competition have gradually been eliminated, with the result that standards of living have increased.

Economic and Monetary Union (UEM) and the Euro

  • The euro is the single currency of the European Union. Twelve of the then 15 countries adopted it for non-cash transactions from 1999 and for all payments in 2002 when euro notes and coins were issued. Later, other countries joined the Euro area, Slovenia (2007), Malta and Cyprus (2008), Slovakia (2009) and Estonia (2011).
  • Three countries (Denmark, Sweden and United Kingdom) haven’t joined this monetary union.