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EU - European Union
From ZuluNotes - Free Leaving Cert Notes
European Union
1. Ireland
2. The United Kingdom
3. France
4. Germany
5. Spain
6. Portugal
7. Netherlands
8. Belgium
9. Luxemburg
10. Sweeden
11. Finland
12. Estonia
13. Latvia
14. Lithuania
15. Poland
16. Italy
17. Czech Republic
18. Slovakia
19. Austia
20. Hungary
21. Slovenia
22. Romania
23. Bulgaria
24. Malta
25. Cyprus
26. Greece
27. Denmark
History of The EU
1951 - The European Coal and Steel Community (6 members)
1957 - The Treaty of Rome
1973 - Joined : Ireland, UK, Denmark (9 members)
1979 - European Monetary System (EMS)
1981 - Joined : Greece (10 members)
1986 - Joined : Spain, Portugal (12 members)
1992 - The Treaty of Maastricht
1993 - The Single European Market
1995 - Joined : Austria, Finland and Sweeden (15 members)
1997 - Amsterdam Treaty
2002 - Euro notes and coins are introduced
2003 - Treaty of Nice
2004 - EU Constitution signed
2004 - Joined : The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta (25 members)
2007 - Joined : Bulgaria, Romania (27 members)
2007 - The Lisbon Strategy
Institutions of EU
> Previously known as Council of Ministers
> Meet 4 times a year in the country who has the six months presidency (Slovenia)
> The relevan Council meet e.g. if and Education issue is being discussed, then the 27 Education ministers from the 27 EU states meet
> The role of the Council of the EU is to pass laws and take policy decisions
> Ireland has 7 out of 345 votes
> Jose Manuel Barossa - President
> Meet in Brussels, Belgium
> It is independent of national governments
> It drafts proposals for new laws (then presents to the Council and Parliament)
> It implements EU policies
> It spends EU funds
> It ensures treaties and laws are abided by the States
> One commissioner from each state for a 5 year term (Charlie McCreevy - Internal Market and Services)
> Hans-Gert Pottering - President
> Meet in Strasbourg, France
> Ireland has 13 out of 785 seats - called MEP's (5 year term)
> Elected by voters in each member state
> Its main role is to pass laws
> It approves the EU budget along with the European Commission
> Examples: Mary-Lou McDonald, Gay Mitchell, Proinsias de Rossa
> Its role is to ensure that EU laws are interpreted and applied the same way in each member state
> One Judge from each country
> Located in Luxemburg
> To ensure EU funds are spent legally, economically and as intended
> Jean Claude Trichet - President
> Located in Frankfurt, Germany
> Central Bank for the Euro- Eurozone currency (Used by 15 countries)
> Its role is to maintain purchasing power of Euro - Price Stability (keep inflation low)
> Defines and implements Monetary policy for Eurozone
> It conducts foreign exchange operations
> It holds and manages official foreign reserves
--Yuugib 23:06, 20 February 2008 (UTC)
