[127] The lowest points in the EU are Lammefjorden, Denmark and Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands, at 7 m (23 ft) below sea level. In 2002, the currency was fully put into place, when euro notes and coins were issued and national currencies began to phase out in the eurozone, which by then consisted of 12 member states. Until the 1990s, the policy accounted for over 60% of the then European Community's annual budget, and as of 2013[update] accounts for around 34%. [261] The policy has the objectives of increasing agricultural production, providing certainty in food supplies, ensuring a high quality of life for farmers, stabilising markets, and ensuring reasonable prices for consumers. [116] The most religious countries were Malta (95%, predominantly Catholic) as well as Cyprus and Romania (both predominantly Orthodox) each with about 90% of citizens professing a belief in their respective god. The new plan was expected to provide the European Union with greater flexibility to target and sanction those responsible for serious human rights violations and abuses around the world.[180]. The judicial branch of the EU—formally called the Court of Justice of the European Union—consists of two courts: the Court of Justice and the General Court. Fideris-Bad GR 0 Einwohner. Article 256(1) (ex article 225(1)) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, on. It is more integrated than a traditional confederation of states because the general level of government widely employs qualified majority voting in some decision-making among the member states, rather than relying exclusively on unanimity. The eurozone (constituted by the EU member states which have adopted the euro) has since grown to 19 countries. "[177] The Court of Justice has long recognised fundamental rights and has, on occasion, invalidated EU legislation based on its failure to adhere to those fundamental rights.[178]. To become a member, a country must meet the Copenhagen criteria, defined at the 1993 meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen. Brings together ministers of member states governments' departments. The anthem was adopted by European Community leaders in 1985 and has since been played on official occasions. [57], The EEC and Euratom were created separately from the ECSC and they shared the same courts and the Common Assembly. ", Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Treaty establishing the European Defence Community, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, a debt crisis in some of the Eurozone countries, increasing migration from Africa and Asia, referendum in the UK on its membership of the European Union, formal withdrawal procedure for leaving the EU, List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, list of urban areas in the European Union, European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, different compositions depending on the policy area being addressed, Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department, European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, UN Conference on Environment and Development, 500 largest corporations in the world measured by revenue, Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, the free circulation of goods, capital, people, and services within the EU, Directive on services in the internal market, Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union, European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority, European Securities and Markets Authority, European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, Environmental Impact Assessment Directive, European Commissioner for the Environment, Institute for European Environmental Policy, Educational policies and initiatives of the European Union, Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development, research and technological framework programmes, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, Directorate-General for Health and Consumers, Special member state territories and the European Union, List of multilateral free-trade agreements, European Union–United Kingdom free trade agreement, Van Gend en Loos v Nederlandse Administratie der Belastingen, Article 4 of the Statute of the Council of Europe, "European Commission – Frequently asked questions on languages in Europe", "Cyrillic, the third official alphabet of the EU, was created by a truly multilingual European", "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2020", "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2020 (EU countries)", "Gini coefficient of equivalised disposable income - EU-SILC survey", "Inequalities in Human Development in the 21st Century", "The EU Single Market: Fewer barriers, more opportunities", "Activities of the European Union: Internal Market", "Less than a State, More than an International Organization: The Sui Generis Nature of the European Union", "Brexit day: end of an era as United Kingdom leaves EU – as it happened-GB", "European Union reaches 500 Million through Combination of Accessions, Migration and Natural Growth", "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2019 (global)", "A European Cultural Identity? "Partnership and cooperation agreement (PCA) - EU monitor", "EUR-Lex - 22018A0126(01) - EN - EUR-Lex", "EU-Armenia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement", "EU and Kyrgyz Republic initial Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement", "EU-Korea FTA Will Be a Long Process: Greek Ambassador", "3.17E+14 USD to EUR | Convert US Dollars to Euros | XE", "Compositional Analysis of Foreign Currency Reserves in the 1999–2007 Period. [261] One of these reforms entailed the modification of the EU's sugar regime, which previously divided the sugar market between member states and certain African-Caribbean nations with a privileged relationship with the EU. The largest metropolitan area in the EU is Paris,[89] followed by Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, the Ruhr, Rome, and Milan, all with a metropolitan population of over 4 million. 65,993 km (41,006 mi) coastline dominates the European climate (Natural Park of Penyal d'Ifac, Spain), Mont Blanc in the Alps is the highest peak in the EU, The Danube (pictured in Budapest), is the longest river in the European Union, Repovesi National Park in Finland, where there are some 187,888 lakes larger than 500 square metres (5,382 sq ft), Nuorgam, a village in the Utsjoki municipality, is the northernmost point of the European Union, Including the overseas territories of France which are located outside the continent of Europe, but which are members of the union, the EU experiences most types of climate from Arctic (north-east Europe) to tropical (French Guiana), rendering meteorological averages for the EU as a whole meaningless. Carte des alliances militaires en Europe à la veille de la Première Guerre mondiale (1914). The only institution empowered to propose legislation, serves as the "Guardian of the Treaties". EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services and capital within the internal market;[11] enact legislation in justice and home affairs; and maintain common policies on trade,[12] agriculture,[13] fisheries and regional development. In 1992, having negotiated the structure and procedures of a currency union, the member states signed the Maastricht Treaty and were legally bound to fulfil the agreed-on rules including the convergence criteria if they wanted to join the monetary union. [174] Decisions from the General Court can be appealed to the Court of Justice but only on a point of law. [x] In more recent years, these have been supplemented by powers to legislate against discrimination based on race, religion, disability, age, and sexual orientation. To complement this framework, there is also a European Systemic Risk Board under the responsibility of the ECB. The Court of Justice primarily deals with cases taken by member states, the institutions, and cases referred to it by the courts of member states. Regulations become law in all member states the moment they come into force, without the requirement for any implementing measures,[v] and automatically override conflicting domestic provisions. your own Pins on Pinterest The European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumers seeks to align national laws on the protection of people's health, on the consumers' rights, on the safety of food and other products. Since the end of World War II, sovereign European countries have entered into treaties and thereby co-operated and harmonised policies (or pooled sovereignty) in an increasing number of areas, in the so-called European integration project or the construction of Europe (French: la construction européenne). [128] The budget may still be approved if Hungary and Poland withdraw their vetos after further negotiations in the Council and the European Council. It consolidates many rights which were previously recognised by the Court of Justice and derived from the "constitutional traditions common to the member states. Statistics Explained is an official Eurostat website presenting statistical topics in an easily understandable way. Il prépare une réforme agraire et une réforme électorale [66]. [193], The aims of the CFSP are to promote both the EU's own interests and those of the international community as a whole, including the furtherance of international co-operation, respect for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. There is a strong dependence on Russian energy that the EU has been attempting to reduce. Against the blue sky of the Western world, the stars symbolise the peoples of Europe in a form of a circle, the sign of union. Discover (and save!) [182] Any EU citizen or entity may appeal to the ombudsman to investigate an EU institution on the grounds of maladministration (administrative irregularities, unfairness, discrimination, abuse of power, failure to reply, refusal of information or unnecessary delay). In some policies, there are several member states that ally with strategic partners within the Union. The EU offers financial assistance to countries within the European Neighbourhood, so long as they meet the strict conditions of government reform, economic reform and other issues surrounding positive transformation. The Allies divided the city into occupation zones, setting up a military administration in December. On 1 December 1918, Prince Regent Alexander of Serbia proclaimed the unification of Serbia with the S.S.C.S. [1] Similarly, the Court of Justice of the European Union uses French as the working language,[98] while the European Central Bank conducts its business primarily in English. Due to its global influence, the European Union has been described by some scholars as an emerging superpower.[23][24][25]. [104] The three official alphabets of the European Union (Cyrillic, Latin, and modern Greek) all derive from the Archaic Greek scripts. [267] The euro area unemployment rate was 8.1%. [319], The majority of media in the European Union are national-oriented, although some EU-wide media focusing on European affairs have emerged since the early 1990s, such as Euronews, Eurosport, EUobserver, EURACTIV or Politico Europe. The non-EU member states of Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland participate in the single market but not in the customs union. The European Court of Auditors has signed off the European Union accounts every year since 2007 and, while making it clear that the European Commission has more work to do, has highlighted that most of the errors take place at national level. See Craig and de Búrca, p. 115. The EU uses foreign relations instruments like the European Neighbourhood Policy which seeks to tie those countries to the east and south of the European territory of the EU to the Union. These included the Working Time Directive and the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive. The EU and European citizenship were established when the Maastricht Treaty came into force in 1993. [21][better source needed] Additionally, all EU countries have a very high Human Development Index according to the United Nations Development Programme. [49] In a radio address in March 1943, with war still raging, Britain's leader Sir Winston Churchill spoke warmly of "restoring the true greatness of Europe" once victory had been achieved, and mused on the post-war creation of a "Council of Europe" which would bring the European nations together to build peace. Case 11/70, Internationale Handelsgesellschaft v. Einfuhr und Vorratstelle für Getreide und Futtermittel; Article 6(2) of the Maastricht Treaty (as amended). [297] In 2018, the EU region with the highest life expectancy was Madrid, Spain at 85.2 years, followed by the Spanish regions of La Rioja and Castilla y León both at 84.3 years, Trentino in Italy at 84.3 years and Île-de-France in France at 84.2 years. The distribution of competences in various policy areas between Member States and the Union is divided in the following three categories: The EU is based on a series of treaties. The European Commission acts both as the EU's executive arm, responsible for the day-to-day running of the EU, and also the legislative initiator, with the sole power to propose laws for debate. [ad], The Competition Commissioner, currently Margrethe Vestager, is one of the most powerful positions in the commission, notable for the ability to affect the commercial interests of trans-national corporations. The European Council should not be mistaken for the Council of Europe, an international organisation independent of the EU based in Strasbourg. HMS Europa , le nom de plusieurs navires de la Royal Navy. Both treaties came into force in 1958. [258] The Polish road network was upgraded such as the A4 autostrada. "[74][75] In 2013, Croatia became the 28th EU member. They also signed another pact creating the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for co-operation in developing nuclear energy. In 1957, when the EEC was founded, it had no environmental policy. Although this theoretically revoked Soviet recognition of the independence of Finland, Poland, the Baltic states, and Ukraine, most of this area was either still under German occupation or de facto independent.in wikipedia, Following the terms of the Armistice with Germany, Allied troops moved in to occupy German territory in the Rhineland. It serves to represent the various governments directly and its approval is required for any proposal to enter into law. [287] EU research and technological framework programmes deal in a number of areas, for example energy where the aim is to develop a diverse mix of renewable energy to help the environment and to reduce dependence on imported fuels. [77] A referendum in the UK on its membership of the European Union was held in 2016, with 51.9% of participants voting to leave. The European Constitution in the Making. Examples of such alliances include the Visegrad Group, Benelux, the Baltic Assembly, the New Hanseatic League, the Weimar Triangle, the Lublin Triangle, EU Med Group and the Craiova Group. [276] In subsequent years, the environment became a formal policy area, with its own policy actors, principles and procedures. [307], The flag used is the Flag of Europe, which consists of a circle of 12 golden stars on a blue background. The legal basis for EU environmental policy was established with the introduction of the Single European Act in 1987. [110], The EU has no formal connection to any religion. 80% of its programming are provided in equal proportion by the two member companies, while the remainder is being provided by the European Economic Interest Grouping ARTE GEIE and the channel's European partners. [48] His ideas influenced his contemporaries, among which then Prime Minister of France Aristide Briand. [s] Previously, the EU itself could not accede to the convention as it is neither a state[t] nor had the competence to accede. [107], Besides the 24 official languages, there are about 150 regional and minority languages, spoken by up to 50 million people. [53] The 1948 Hague Congress was a pivotal moment in European federal history, as it led to the creation of the European Movement International and of the College of Europe, where Europe's future leaders would live and study together.[54]. In 1979, the first direct elections to the European Parliament were held.[64]. Such regions are primarily located in the states of central and southern Europe. The most visible of these has been the Erasmus Programme, a university exchange programme which began in 1987. The other sports with the most participants in clubs are tennis, basketball, swimming, athletics, golf, gymnastics, equestrian sports, handball, volleyball and sailing. Belgian forces were based in Aachen, the British in Cologne, the French in Mainz, and the Americans—who departed in 1923—in Koblenz. [278] The EU has adopted an emissions trading system to incorporate carbon emissions into the economy. There are similar programmes for school pupils and teachers, for trainees in vocational education and training, and for adult learners in the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007–2013. Catholics are the largest Christian group, accounting for 45.3% of the EU population, while Protestants make up 11.1%, Eastern Orthodox make up 9.6%, and other Christians make up 5.6%. [194] The CFSP requires unanimity among the member states on the appropriate policy to follow on any particular issue. The assembly unanimously decreed the unification of Transylvania and all the Hungarian territories inhabited by Romanians with the Kingdom of Romania.in wikipedia, Following internal issues—including Syrmia declaring its secession in favor of Serbia—the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (S.S.C.S.) [245][aa], The euro, and the monetary policies of those who have adopted it in agreement with the EU, are under the control of the European Central Bank (ECB). Centre for European Policy Studies. [179], On 19 October 2020, the European Union revealed new plans to create a legal structure to act against human rights violations worldwide. Euratom was to integrate sectors in nuclear energy while the EEC would develop a customs union among members. Initially, these reforms included the introduction of set-aside in 1988, where a proportion of farm land was deliberately withdrawn from production, milk quotas and, more recently, the 'de-coupling' (or disassociation) of the money farmers receive from the EU and the amount they produce (by the Fischler reforms in 2004). [55] This community helped to economically integrate and coordinate the large number of Marshall Plan funds from the United States. On 26 February 2016 it was made public that Cyprus has asked to make Turkish an official EU language, in a "gesture" that could help solve the division of the country. It raised great hopes of further European integration, and there were fevered debates in the two years that followed as to how this could be achieved. [o] The EU's highest peak is Mont Blanc in the Graian Alps, 4,810.45 metres (15,782 ft) above sea level. [62], In 1973, the Communities were enlarged to include Denmark (including Greenland, which later left the Communities in 1985, following a dispute over fishing rights), Ireland, and the United Kingdom. 9 novembre 1918 : L'Allemagne devient une République La révolution allemande, pour aller plus loin sur internet : - Le 9 novembre 1918 en Allemagne . The aim of this financial control system is to ensure the economic stability of the EU.[248]. [79], As of 1 February 2020[update], the population of the European Union was about 447 million people (5.8% of the world population). [213], The European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department, or "ECHO", provides humanitarian aid from the EU to developing countries. The SDGs recognize that all countries must stimulate action in the following key areas - people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership - in order to tackle the global challenges that are crucial for the survival of humanity. [242] Until the drive towards economic and monetary union the development of the capital provisions had been slow. [188] Prohibitions against sexual and nationality discrimination have a long standing in the treaties. In 2020, the first ever European Union Strategy on LGBTIQ equality was approved under Helena Dalli mandate.[271]. On 1 December 2009, the Lisbon Treaty entered into force and reformed many aspects of the EU. The collection is composed of three major elements. [197] The EEAS will serve as a foreign ministry and diplomatic corps for the European Union. Heritage and shared histories in the European Union", "Ein britischer Patriot für Europa: Winston Churchills Europa-Rede, Universität Zürich, 19. In particular, it changed the legal structure of the European Union, merging the EU three pillars system into a single legal entity provisioned with a legal personality, created a permanent President of the European Council, the first of which was Herman Van Rompuy, and strengthened the position of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Mais son poids économique dépassant largement les frontière… The EU is independent from the Council of Europe, although they share purpose and ideas, especially on the rule of law, human rights and democracy. [280], Proposals to reach a zero carbon economy in the European Union by 2050 were suggested in 2018 - 2019. This lacuna has been addressed by the recently passed Directive on services in the internal market which aims to liberalise the cross border provision of services. [323], The European Union has had a significant positive economic impact on most member states. In other policy areas the EU can only co-ordinate, support and supplement member state action but cannot enact legislation with the aim of harmonising national laws.[166]. Federalism and European union: The building of Europe, 1950–2000. Notwithstanding its different configurations, it is considered to be one single body. [237] In 2016, unemployment in the EU stood at 8.9%[238] while inflation was at 2.2%, and the current account balance at −0.9% of GDP. [228], The European Union has concluded free trade agreements (FTAs)[229] and other agreements with a trade component with many countries worldwide and is negotiating with many others. [116], Through successive enlargements, the European Union has grown from the six founding states (Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands) to the current 27. It elects the commission's president, must approve the College of Commissioners, and may vote to remove them collectively from office. 22–26); Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation (OJ L 303, 2 December 2000, pp. Social security main legislation is found in the Equal Treatment in Occupational Social Security Directive 86/378, the Equal Treatment in Social Security Directive 79/7/EEC, the Social Security Regulation 1408/71/EC and 883/2004/EC and the Directive 2005/36/EC. The anthem of the Union is an instrumental version of the prelude to the Ode to Joy, the 4th movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's ninth symphony. 1914-1918: l'Europe surprise par la guerre malgré des années de tensions A la veille de la Première Guerre mondiale, l'Europe est au sommet de sa puissance.