WELCOME

History Comparisons

with other world powers

The Treaties The

Institutions

Agenda

Decision Making

The EU's Budget

EU on the web Final words

The European Coal and Steel Community (Paris 1951)

The European Economic Community (EEC) – Rome 1957

EFTA 1960 Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK;Finland (Associated 1961; full member 1986); Iceland (1970); Liechtenstein (1991)

1973: EEC-9 Denmark; Ireland; UK

1981: EEC-10 Greece

1986: EEC-12 Spain and Portugal

1995: EU-15Finland, Sweden and Austria

2004: EU-25Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus

2007: EU-27Romania and Bulgaria

EU-27, 28 ,29, 30……

(million m2) 

Surface: EU-25, Japan, USA and Russia

(in millions)

Population

(billion euros, in 2005)

Gross National Product

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

USA Japan EU-27

Year 2007 (EU-27 = 100)

GNP per Person

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Lu

xem

b

Irel

an

d

Net

her

l

Au

stri

a

Sw

eden

Den

ma

rk

Bel

giu

m

Fin

lan

d

UK

Ger

ma

ny

Fra

nce

Sp

ain

Ita

ly

Gre

ece

Cy

pru

s

Slo

ven

ia

Cze

ch R

epu

bli

c

Ma

lta

Po

rtu

ga

l

Est

on

ia

Slo

va

kia

Hu

ng

ary

Lit

hu

an

ia

La

tvia

Po

lan

d

Ro

ma

nia

Bu

lga

ria

US

A

Ja

pa

n

Year 2007 (EU-27 = 100)

GNP per person

The main Treaties

The European Coal and Steel Community - Paris 1951

The European Economic Community (EEC) – Rome 1957

The European Atomic Energy Community – Rome 1957

The Maastricht Treaty 1992 –> The European Union (EU)

The Nice Treaty 2001 A new treaty in 2009 ???

The Pillars of the EU

First pillar:EC

Second pillar: EU

Third pillar: EU

Customs Union, CAP, Structural policy, Trade

policy, Education and Culture, Consumer protection,

health, environment,

research, social policy, asylum

policy, immigration

policy, EMU, etc.

The European Union

Foreign policy,

Peacekeeping, Human rights,

disarmament, financial

aspects of defence, Europe’s long-term security

framework

Cooperation between judicial

authorities, Police

cooperation, fight against drugs, arms

trade, xenophobia, terrorism,

trafficking in human beings

EU Institutions

European Commission

Council of theEuropean Union

European Parliament

Court of Justice of the European Communities

European Court of Auditors

European Commission:Headquarter in Brussels. Some departments in Luxembourg, and delegations in all EU Member States and most other parts of the world.

Council of the European Union:Headquarter in Brussels, but many meetings take place in president country.

European Parliament: Most plenary sessions in Strasbourg, but also some plenary sessions plus most other meetings in Brussels. Some secretariat functions are located in Luxembourg.

EU Institutions

Court of Justice:The Court of Justice ensures that Community law is uniformly interpreted and effectively applied. It has jurisdiction in disputes involving Member States, EU

institutions, businesses and individuals. Headquarter in Luxembourg.

Court of Auditors:

The Court of Auditors checks that all the Union's revenue has been received and all its expenditure incurred in a lawful and regular manner and that financial management of the EU budget has been sound. Headquarter in Luxembourg.

European Ombudsman:All individuals or entities (institutions or businesses) resident in the Union can apply to the European Ombudsman if they consider that they have been harmed by an act of "maladministration" by an EU institution or body.His seat is that of the European Parliament, in Strasbourg.

EU Institutions

European Economic and Social Committee:The European Economic and Social Committee represents the views and interests of organised civil society vis-à-vis the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament. The Committee has to be consulted on matters relating to economic and social policy; it may also issue opinions on its own initiative on other matters which it considers to be importantHeadquarter in Brussels.

Committee of the Regions:The Committee of the Regions ensures that regional and local identities and prerogatives are respected. It has to be consulted on matters concerning regional policy, the environment and education. It is

composed of representatives of regional and local authorities.Headquarter in Brussels.

EU Bodies

European Central Bank:Frames and implements European monetary policy; it conducts foreign exchange operations and ensures the smooth operation of payment systems. Headquarter in Frankfurt.

European Investment Bank:The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the European Union's financial institution. It finances investment projects which contribute to the

balanced development of the Union. The seat is in Luxembourg

EU Bodies

The EU Council

adopts regulations, directives and decisions together with Parliament;

adopts the EU's budget; coordinates the Member States' economic

policies.

The European CouncilThe Prime Ministers meet at a "summit" (2-4 times a year)

Council meetings for specific policiesAll the Member States' Ministers in a specific area

(finance, agriculture,…) meet to make decisions (several different meetings a month)

CoreperThe Member States' ambassadors meet every week

in the "Committee of the Permanent Representatives"

The Presidency in the Council rotates between Member States twice a year

The EU Council

Germany, France, Italy and the UK: 29

Spain, Poland: 27

Netherlands: 13

Romania: 14

Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Hungary, Czechia: 12

Sweden, Austria, Bulgaria: 10

Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Slovakia, Lithuania: 7

Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Cyprus: 4

Malta: 3

Total: 345

Number of votes in Council

From 1/1/2007

The President of the Commission: José Manuel Barroso

The Commission

http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/index_en.htm

Link to the photo gallery of the Commissioners:

The European Commission

The Commission has four main rights: propose legislative acts to Parliament

and Council; implement the EU policies; act as a representative of the EU and

negotiate international agreements (in the trade and cooperation areas);

supervise the implementation of the EU law.

The European Commission

Its Directorates General and Services:Policy areas:• Regional Policy• Employment and Social affairs• Education and Culture• Energy and Transport• Agriculture• Maritime policy• Health and Consumer Protection• Environment• Research• Information Society• Enterprise• The Single Market• Competition• Economic and Financial affairs• Justice and Home affairs• Customs and taxation

External relations:• External relations• Trade• Cooperation aid / EuropeAid• The Office for humanitarian aid• Enlargement

Support services:• The General Secretariat• Personnel and Administration• Budget• Press and communication • Group of political advisors• Legal service

• Conference and interpretation service

• Translation service • Publications office• Statistical office• Internal audit service• Fraud prevention office

The EU's Decision Making

1. Proposal (regulation, directive etc)

- from the Commission

2. Adoption

- by Council and Parliament

3. Implementation

- by the Commission

Staff in European Institutions (budget 2007)

Institution 2007

  Permanent posts: Temporary posts: TOTAL

European Parliament 4 998 9355 933

Council 3 461 363 497

Commission: 24 812 568 25 380

Court of Justice 1 453 4291 882

Court of Auditors 696 140836

European Economic and Social Committee 668 27695

Committee of the Regions 431 35466

European Ombudsman 13 4457

European Data-protection Supervisor 29  29

Total 36 561 2 214 38 775

11%1%

5,7% 5,8%31,6%

44,9%

What is the money spent on?

The EU's budget represents only 1.03% of EU's total GNP.

Average cost: 71 cents per day per EU citizen.

 

1. COMPETITIVENESS, knowledge-based economy and COHESION across regions

2. AGRICULTURE and FOOD quality

3. RURAL development, FISHERIES and the ENVIRONMENT

4. Other, including administration

5. DEVELOPMENT and peace in the world

6. HEALTH, consumer rights, SECURITY

 

EUR 129.1 billion

Revenue

Own resources

Customs & agricultural duties 16 %

VAT resources 16 %

Fourth resource (GNI) 67 %

Total budget 2008 = € 120 bn

Natural resources

43%

Natural resources

43%Sustainable

growth44%

Sustainable growth

44%

Citizenship

1%

Citizenship

1%

Other incl. administration6%

Other incl. administration6%

EU as a global player

6%

EU as a global player

6%

Financial framework

Ceilings: 2007-2013

2007-2013: More money for economic progress

Changes in expenditure 2006/2013, %

Research

Transport and energy

Competitiveness and Innovation

Education /training

Sustainable Transport+ 81%

+ 60 %

+ 52 %

+ 139 %

+ 75 %

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

-

2006

2013

Mrd. EUR

Budget balances: Benefits outweigh costs

Who manages the EU budget?

Commission SharedManagement

Third Countriesand International

Partners

18% 80% 2%

The bulk of EU expenditure is managed jointly between the Commission and the Member States (« shared

management »)

KEY SOURCES FOR INFO ON THE EU The Europa site:

http://europa.eu

http://europa.eu/geninfo/info/index_en.htm

Europe direct:http://ec.europa.eu/europedirect/

index_en.htm

EU on the web

Ypres Belgium 1917

E-mail:

margareta.olson@ec.europa.eu