European Union (EU) Formation
What is the EU and How was it Formed?
The EU is an Economic and Political Union. As a single market dedicated to the relative free movement of labor, capital, goods and services the EU establishes common policy towards the aim of political, economic and monetary union.
To govern and set policy for the union, member countries have given over the law-making power to the EU as a whole for certain areas such as agriculture and fisheries. In other areas, such as monetary policy, many members adhere to a common policy, while others choose to opt-out.
A distinct advantage from this union is gained by combining into one body: The members of the EU benefit from their competitive advantage in the global marketplace.
EU Membership
As of 2007, the EU comprised 27 member states or countries. The members are listed and illustrated in the figure below.
In addition to these member states, as of 2009 there are three countries which are candidates for EU membership. In various stages of the accession negotiations, Turkey, Croatia and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are on the road to joining the EU.
Formation of a European Community
In order to raise Europe from the ashes left by World War II, the major governments of postwar continental Europe committed themselves to work on reducing the competitive pressures that lead to conflict.
Identified as the engine behind the manufacture of munitions, the first step was to unify the European coal and steel industries. Inspired by the French foreign minister at the time, Robert Schuman, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was born through ratification of the 1951 Treaty of Paris by France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and West Germany.
Six years later, the community of unification was extended beyond the coal and steel industries. The resulting union was called the EEC; born through ratification of the 1957 Treaty of Rome by the same six countries. Through a separate treaty, ratified in Rome at the same time, the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC) was created. Together these treaties are referred to as the Treaties of Rome.
Birth of the European Union
By 1957 there were three organizations; ECSC, EEC and EAEC (Euratom), collectively known as the European Communities. As a first step to consolidate the operations of these communities, the Treaty of Merger was signed on April 8 1965 in Brussels. This treaty created a single commission and a single council for the three communities.
Following the expansion of membership in the European Communities from the original six to 12 members between 1973 and 1986 (see figure below), a move to redefine and expand the influence of the communities was made in 1992 with the ratification of the Treaty on European Union—Maastricht Treaty. The treaty changed the name of the EEC to the European Community, merged certain aspects of the three communities into one Union: The European Union.
Clarifying and Consolidating the EU
The most recent step to secure the union is taking shape through ratification to the Treaty of Lisbon. Signed on December 13 2007, according to the Europa.eu (the web portal of the EU):
Its main objectives are to make the EU more democratic, meeting the European citizens’ expectations for high standards of accountability, openness, transparency and participation; and to make the EU more efficient and able to tackle today's global challenges such as climate change, security and sustainable development.
Countries of The European Union
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