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Dec.26/04 - Jan.2, 2005 |
4 - European Union bridging ties
New political system suggests equality in common interests for countries
By Antonio Maglio
Originally Published: 2004-08-22
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Commission President Romano Prodi
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It is often said that the European Union (EU) has an institutional system unlike any other. It is not a new state replacing the old ones. Its member states have delegated a part of their sovereignty to common institutions representing the interests of the Union, of the States, and of individual citizens at the same time. This is achieved through the so-called 'institutional triangle': the Commission protecting common interests, the Council representing national governments, and the Parliament elected by universal suffrage.
Another peculiarity of the European Union is its lack of a Head of State, a figure found in every country of the world. Its presidency goes in six-month turns to every Member State (the second semester of 2003 will see Italy in this position, but we'll touch upon this later on). This formula was chosen in order to guarantee that each member would eventually represent the Union, both within and without its borders.
There are many differences with other state entities, but this is not the place fit for an essay on compared constitutional law. We shall therefore delve only on the Union's most important institutions, briefly illustrated for reasons of clarity.
We would like to underscore a final element: European integration has secured 50 years of peace and economic welfare to the Old World. This is the result of the efforts made by the Europeans, who managed to set aside their millenary nationalism in order to create a common structure. This is actually the real novelty of the past two centuries.
The history of the European Union will be dealt with in a future instalment. Let's just say, for the moment, that the idea of a unified Europe was born after World War II, on May 9, 1950, when France officially proposed "to lay the first concrete foundations for a European federation."
Six countries approved the idea (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands). In 1973 Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom joined in. In 1981 came Greece. In 1986, Spain and Portugal. In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden. New entries are later foreseen: on May 1, 2004 (Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Slovenia) and in 2007 (Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey). It is estimated that membership will eventually reach 28. The main objectives of the Union are fourfold: creating a European citizenship, with everything it entails (free circulation and recognition of civil and political rights); guaranteeing liberty, security, and justice; promoting economic and social progress (the common market, the Euro, job creation, regional development, environmental protection); and making Europe's voice heard (common foreign and security policies).
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