The European Union (EU), as we know it today, is the result of decade-long integration efforts, and officially came into being with the Schuman Declaration on 9 May 1950. The process of the European construction has been a lengthy one; the primary goal behind a European entity was to prevent the continent from being plunged into war once again. Indeed, the brutality and the utter chaos of the two world wars contributed immensely to the desire of political pundits and European statesmen for a unified political organization in their midst.
The forerunner of the EU was the ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community), an organization established in 1951 by France, Germany, Benelux and Italy. In 1957, the EEC (European Economic Community) was set up with the objective of realizing economic integration among the aforementioned six European nations. Finally, with the Treaty of Maastricht of 1992, the European Union was created. Thus, in a span of 60 years, the organization has evolved from its original six members to reach an impressive tally of 27.
The EU functions through a network of supranational independent institutions, and have been routinely amended by a series of treaties, including the Lisbon Treaty and the Nice Treaty. However, the enlargement of the EU is accompanied by problems regarding sovereignty and individuality. It can even be said that the superposition of the treaties hampers the proper functioning of the European Union.
It has now become difficult for the member states to speak with one voice, particularly because of the unanimity principle, which requires unanimity of member countries in adopting a decision. In 2004, the Rome Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was rejected by the French and Dutch, which plunged Europe into an unprecedented institutional crisis.
Tags: European Union, Schuman Declaration, European Economic Community, European Coal and Steel Community, European entity, France, Germany, Benelux and Italy, independent institutions, Rome Treaty
[...] Until the Treaty of Nice, there was no real coherent system of competences between the EU and Member States. However, let us note that "the community shall act within the limits of the powers conferred and objectives assigned by the treaty." The EU can only act if it has jurisdiction. So, for every action of the Community, it is imperative to determine a provision of the treaty that allows it to act in this area. This is known in EU as the legal basis of Community acts. [...]
[...] Several skills are the domain of the EU; we can cite the example of the common commercial policy or conservation of biological resources of the sea The principle of subsidiarity does not apply to exclusive jurisdiction (it applies only to shared competences).This principle promotes the idea that when a State is unable to achieve its action, and the EU can, then the EU will. In other words, if an action/deed cannot be carried out effectively at a certain level, then it is moved on to the next level which can effectively do it. [...]
[...] One might wonder how the Lisbon Treaty envisages the division of powers between the EU and member countries? We'll see how the powers are currently divided between the EU and the Member States. On the division of powers The issue of distribution of competences between Community and Member States is politically sensitive because sharing skills can affect the sovereignty of member states. The EU's competences are skills that originally belonged to the States and have been attributed to the community. [...]
[...] II) Collaboration between the EU and member states The Lisbon Treaty seeks to redefine the powers of the EU and Member States. It will increase the area of shared competence, and it wants collaborations between national parliaments and the EU to strengthen European institutions.The EU retains its national competences, it must then necessarily be connected with them. Skills linking the EU and EU Member States When there are shared responsibilities, states remain relevant as long as the Community does not intervene in this area. [...]
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