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Book Content

See a detailed description and sample pages from The Ultimate EU Handbook.

Chapter 1 - The History of the European Union

Based on the idea that stronger economic integration was the foundation for development of closer political ties, in 1951 France, the Federal Republic of Germany (commonly referred to as West Germany), Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands signed the Treaty of Paris, creating the European Coal and Steel Community (or ECSC), aimed at coordinating the coal and steel trade between the founding members. Placing these industries under a supranational High Authority was essential in lowering the threat of war. This is considered the first step in economic as well as political European integration, and would be followed by stronger and tighter partnerships, enshrined in Treaties, as well as more members.

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Chapter 2 - The European Commission

The European Commission is one of the main EU institutions, the executive body of the European system of governance and one of the three pillars of the Union's "decision-making triangle" (together with the European Parliament and the Council of the EU). The European Commission, officially head- quartered in Brussels but with offices in Luxembourg and representations in all EU Member States, is legally independent from the Member States and their governments. This ensures that both national interests and collective European priorities are balanced throughout the policy-making process at European level.

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Chapter 3 - The Council of the European Union and the European Council

The Council of Ministers and the European Council are two cornerstone EU institutions that shape the path of EU policies and their implications for Member States. There are many “councils” in the European context, and it is essential to navigate the European landscape with precision. The Council of the European Union, also referred to as the Council of Ministers, has a distinct mandate from the European Council. These are markedly different from the Council of Europe, based in the French city of Strasbourg, which operates outside the EU framework, focusing primarily on human rights. It currently has 46 Member States, including many that are not EU members such as Armenia, Turkey, Iceland, or the United Kingdom.

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Chapter 4 - The European Parliament

The European Parliament is one of the main EU institutions and one of the three pillars of the “decision-making triangle” (together with the European Commission and the Council of the EU). The European Parliament is the voice of EU citizens on the European stage. With its members being directly elected since 1979, it holds a unique democratic legitimacy. In tandem with the Council of the EU, the Parliament has legislative authority, ensuring that the interests of the voters are properly represented.

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Chapter 5 - The Court of Justice of the EU

The Court of Justice of the European Union (Court or CJEU for short) is the EU’s judicial pillar. It plays a key role in conjunction particularly with the European Commission in ensuring the proper and uniform application of EU law across EU Member States. The Court plays a crucial role in ensuring that European law is interpreted and applied consistently across all Member States. This contributes to trust and cooperation among the various EU Member States. It also resolves legal disputes between national governments and EU institutions and may pass judgments against EU institutions on behalf of individuals, companies or organizations whose rights have been infringed.

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Chapter 6 - The Ordinary Legislative Procedure

The European Union’s Ordinary Legislative Procedure (OLP) is the standard decision-making process at the EU level, used for most policy areas by default, unless the EU Treaties specifically state that one of the special legislative procedures, such as the consent or consultation procedure, should be applied instead. In OLP, both the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament, commonly referred to as “co-legislators,” have a deciding vote in the legislative process, and both institutions may amend the European Commission’s legislative proposal.

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Chapter 7 - The Special Legislative Procedures

According to the Treaty of Lisbon, legislation at EU level may be adopted by means of two main procedures: the Ordinary Legislative Procedure (or OLP for short), and the special legislative procedures, whereby depending on the exact policy area under consideration, one of the legislators (that is, either the Parliament, or the Council of Ministers) adopts laws, with limited or significant participation and input from the other. The special legislative procedure includes the Consent Procedure, the Consultation Procedure, and certain other procedures that are used in more specific or unique circumstances, such as the budgetary procedure.

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Chapter 8 - Comitology

The word Comitology, originating from the French comité, only exists in the EU context and refers to a set of procedures through which the European Commission adopts by-laws to ensure that rules are implemented in a uniform way in all EU Member States, or certain “non-legislative” acts are adopted in a quick and timely manner. This “regulatory decision-making procedure” has a real and significant impact on people’s lives and businesses in and beyond Europe, across a wide range of sectors, such as the environment, food security, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, energy, and many others given that the detailed technical rules are adopted through this process.

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Chapter 9 - The European External Action Service

The European External Action Service (or EEAS for short) is the European Union’s diplomatic arm responsible for implementing the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). The EEAS was inaugurated on 1 January 2011, as a result of the Treaty of Lisbon, signed in 2007 and in force since December 2009, marking a turning point in the EU’s commitment to a unified foreign policy.

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Chapter 10 - Other institutions and bodies

This chapter explores the lesser-known yet vital EU institutions and bodies that significantly contribute to the functioning of the European Union, albeit in most cases with less media coverage than the European Commission, Council of the EU, European Council, and European Parliament. These include: consultative bodies, such as the Committee of the Regions, financial bodies, including the European Central Bank, itself an EU institution, and controlling bodies, like the European Ombudsman.

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Chapter 11 - EU Agencies

As the European Union extended its reach into domains such as research and environmental policy, specialised entities were established to manage the complex technicalities these new policy areas entail. This chapter introduces the agencies of the EU, which, while distinct from EU institutions, are integral to the EU’s institutional framework. Governed by European public law, these bodies possess their own legal personalities, enabling them to function with legal and financial autonomy within the Union’s system.

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Chapter 12 - Annex

As is often the case with history, the information in this section spills over a variety of adjacent topics. We follow a historical thread but you will soon notice the implications each piece of information has for various other dimensions, be they economic, security, or integration-related.

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