THE EUROPEAN UNION: A NEW TYPE OF INTEGRATION

The European Union is a family of democratic European countries committed to working together for peace and prosperity. Its population amounted to 487.297.627 people in 2007 when 27 countries became the EU Member States. The territory comes to 4.328.903 km².

The European Union is now regarded as a supranational legal and political entity, that is, in fact, unique. It is not a State intended to replace the existing states, but it is more than any international organization, it also contains some features of federation. The Community method involves a constant balancing of national and common interests, respect for the diversity of national traditions and the forging of a separate identity. It is an advanced form of integration. Its competence extends to the economy, industry, politics, citizen’s rights and foreign policy. The Member States have set up common institutions to which they delegate some of their sovereignty so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level. This pooling of sovereigntyis also called “European integration”.

The historical roots of the European Union lie in the Second World War. The idea of European integration was conceived to prevent such killing and destruction from ever happening again. It was first proposed by the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman in his speech on May, 9, 1950. This date, the “birthday” of what is now the European Union, is celebrated annually as the Europe Day.

The EU was first and foremost created as an economic union. It was founded as European Economic Community. Creation and maintaining the EU’s single market has been a prominent goal of the Community, ensuring the “four freedoms”: free movements of people, goods, services and capital. Considered as a single economy the European Union is the largest in the world with a nominal gross domestic product (GDP)amounting to 31% of world economic output.

Politically the European Union is built around a common foreign and security policy. The objectives are as follows: 1) to safeguard the commonvalues, fundamental interests and independence of the Union; 2) to strengthen the security of the Union and its Member States in all the ways; 3) to preserve peaceand strengthen international security; 4) to promote international cooperation; 5) to develop and consolidate democracy and the rule of law, and the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. These objectives can be successfully achieved in two ways: by cooperation between the Member States in conducting their policy defining common positions and by gradually implementing common measures in the areas where the Member States share common interests.

Peace and reconciliation are central to the process of European integration. Not once since the end of the Second World War has Europe sought to impose its ideas on the rest of the world, other than by setting an example of how to solve problems by negotiation. The European Union is increasingly called upon to act as a mediator and a stabilizing force in world affairs. Almost a half century of European integration has had a profound effect on the development of the continent and the attitudes of its inhabitants. It also has changed the balance of power. All governments, regardless of political complexion, now recognize that the era of absolute national sovereignty has gone. Only by joining forces and working towards a “destiny henceforward shared” can Europe’s old nations continue to enjoy economic and social progress and maintain their influence in the world.

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