The European Union and International Organization

In 1957, the Treaty of Rome was signed by six countries: Italy, France, West Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands. By this treaty, they established the European Economic Community. The aim was to facilitating trade between the member countries, this was to be achieved by the abolition of taxes on goods imported from other member countries and the subsiding of certain industries. Other European countries not initially wishing to join the EEC and set up the EFTA in 1960, the member countries were Norway, the UK, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. In 1973 the UK, Ireland and Denmark join the EEC followed by Greece, in 1981, and Spain and Portugal, in 1986. Austria, Finland and Sweden had also joined in 1995. Now there are 15 member.

With the Maastricht Treaty (EU Treaty, Feb 1992) the EEC was develop into a political union, the European Union. The Treaty implied a large shift in power from national governments to the European Parliament. It fixed a standard tax rates across the EU, the setting up of a centralised banking system, the standardisation of labour laws and workers' rights. The EU would become a Single Market without trading restrictions between the member countries. The existing barriers: physical (national frontiers), technical and financial were delete. The EU is now the largest single trading unit in the world, with many states. In 1994 USA, Canada and Mexico established the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) looking for a reduction of barriers to free trade between the members.

European Council is made up of the different heads of the states of the member countries; they meets at least twice a year and discuss the EU policy.

European Commission that ensures that the rules of common market are sustained, it can impose fines and can negotiates trade agreement with the extra-community countries. It is in Brussels and implements the decisions of the European council; then it makes proposals to the Council Minister.

European Parliament which is in Strasbourg; the members are elected every 5 years, the number of members is proportional to the population of each country; they discuss about the proposal of the Commission.

European Council of Ministers takes decisions, based on the proposal of the Commission.

Court of Justice which ensures that European common law is observed.

Court of Auditors which regulates the EU's financial management