European union

This PPT gives you an outline about the formation, organizations and the functions of the EU.

1. Power Point Presentation V. MURUGAN, Assistant Professor of History, Vivekananda College, Tiruvedakam West, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu.

2. The European Union

3. Introduction It is a Continental Organization. It is a Political and Economic Union. Located in Europe.

4. Member States It consists of 27 members at present.

5. Official Languages It has 23 official languages

6. History of Origin The idea of European integration was conceived to prevent such killing and destruction during II World War from ever happening again. It was first proposed by the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman in a speech on May 9, 1950. In 1950, he proposed integrating the coal and steel industries of Western Europe.

7. History of Origin … As a result, in 1951, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up. It had Six members: Belgium, West Germany, Luxembourg, France, Italy and the Netherlands. The power to take decisions about the coal and steel industry in these countries was placed in the hands of an independent, supranational body called the “High Authority”. In 1957 they signed the Treaties of Rome , creating the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) and the European Economic Community (EEC).

8. History of Origin … The member states set about removing trade barriers between them and forming a “common market”. In 1967 the institutions of the three European communities were merged. There was a single Commission and a single Council of Ministers as well as the European Parliament . European Union (EU) means that these countries have to take joint decisions on economic and political integration between the member states on many matters. So they have developed common policies in a very wide range of fields.

9. EU Institutions European Parliament. Council of the European Union. European Commission. Court of Justice. Court of Auditors.

10. European Parliament The European Parliament is the democratic voice of the people of Europe . The members are directly elected every five years. The members of the European Parliament sit not in national blocs but in seven political groups. Each group reflects the political ideology of the national parties to which its members belong. Some MEPs are not attached to any political group. In the European Parliament nearly 30 % of the MEPs elected were women.

11. The Council of European Union The Council of the European Union formerly known as the Council of Ministers. It is the main legislative and decision-making body in the EU. The Council together with the European Parliament sets the rules for all the activities of the European Community (EC). It covers the single market and most of the EU’s common policies , and guarantees freedom of movement for goods , persons, services and capital. It brings together the representatives of all the Member State governments, who are elected at national level.

12. The European Commission The European Commission does a lot of the day-to-day work in the European Union. It drafts proposals for new European laws . It presents laws in the European Parliament and the Council. The Commission makes sure that EU decisions are properly implemented and supervises the way EU funds are spent. It also keeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and European law.

13. Court of Justice When common rules are decided in the EU, it is of course vital that they are also followed in practice and that they are understood in the same way everywhere. The Court of Justice of the European Communities ensures this.

14. European Court of Auditors The funds available to the EU must be used legally, economically and for the intended purpose. The Court of Auditors , an independent EU institution located in Luxemburg . It is the body that checks how EU money is spent. These auditors help European taxpayers to get better value for the money that has been channelled into the EU.

15. The European Central Bank European Central Bank is in charge of the single currency , “the Euro”. The Bank independently manages European monetary policy. The Bank’s main objective is to ensure price stability. So that the European economy will not be damaged by inflation.

16. Conclusion In the early years, much of the co-operation between EU countries was about trade and the economy . Now the EU also deals with many other subjects of direct importance for everyday life. Such as citizens’ rights, ensuring freedom, security and justice, job creation, regional development, environmental protection, and making globalization work for everyone. The European Union has delivered half a century of stability, peace and prosperity. It has helped to raise living standards, built a single Europe wide market, launched the single European currency, the Euro, and strengthened Europe’s voice in the world.