1. The origins and evolution of the european union

The European Union (EU) has evolved through several stages. One way to keep track of the changes in the structure and purpose of the EU described in the following paragraphs is to note the changes in the names of the successive organizations.

Economic Integration

The organizational genesis of the EU dates back to 1952 when Belgium, France, (West) Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands joined together to create a common market for coal, iron, and steel products called the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). It proved so successful that in 1957 the six countries signed the Treaties of Rome that created the European Economic Community (EEC) to facilitate trade in many additional areas and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) to coordinate matters in that realm. Both new communities came into being on January 1, 1958.

Interchange among the 6 countries expanded rapidly, and they soon felt that they should coordinate their activities even further. Therefore, the 6 created the European Communities (EC), which went into operation in 1967. Each of the three preexisting organizations became subordinate parts of the EU. Success brought new members. Most of the other countries of Europe have expressed interest in joining the EU, and as of early 2002 negotiations were under way between the EU and 13 applicants (Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Turkey).

The eventual, if not quite stated, goal of the EU is to encompass all the region’s countries. Jacques Santer, president of the European Commission (1995-1999), insisted that no country that met the EU economic and political standards should be kept out. "There will be no such things as ‘in countries’ and ‘out countries’; rather there will be ‘ins’ and ‘pre-ins’," he said. He might have added that within a decade or two, all the countries of Europe may well be "ins."

For about 30 years, the integrative process in Europe focused on economics. Members of the EU grew ever more interdependent as economic barriers were eliminated. In 1968 the members of the EU abolished the last tariffs on manufactured goods among themselves and established a common EU external tariff. The EU also began to bargain as a whole with other countries in trade negotiations. On another economic front, members agreed in 1970 to fund the EU with a virtually independent revenue source by giving it a share of each country’s value-added tax (VAT, similar to a sales tax) and all customs duties collected on imports from non-EU countries. The last major step in the рrе-EU evolution toward economic integration was the Single European Act (SEA) of 1987. The SEA amended the basic EU agreement and committed the EU to becoming a fully integrated economic unit.

Political Integration

There comes a point in economic integration when pressure builds to take steps toward political integration. One reason this occurs is that it is impossible to reach full economic integration among sovereign suites whose domestic and foreign political policies are sometimes in conflict. Moreover, as the people unite economically, it is easier to think of becoming one politically.

Europe entered a new, more political phase of integrative evolution in 1993 when the far-reaching Treaty on European Union (known as the Maastricht Treaty) went into effect. The treaty had important provisions to increase the EU’s economic integration even further. Of greater importance were the political changes that began under the treaty. The concept of European citizenship was expanded. Citizens of EU countries can now travel on either an EU or a national passport, and citizens of any EU country can vote in local and European Parliament elections in another EU country in which they live. In addition, the EU acts increasingly as a political unit. The Maastricht Treaty called for the eventual creation of a common foreign and defense policy and common policy relating to such issues as crime, terrorism, and immigration. Gradually, such ideas have begun to become reality. The EU and the United States exchange ambassadors.

Since the adoption of the Maastricht Treaty, EU integration and expansion has moved forward through other treaties including the Treaty of Amsterdam (1997). The Amsterdam treaty creates yet stronger political integration of the EU and strengthens the powers of the president of the EU Commission and the European Parliament (EP).