The International Court of Justice.

The International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, is the main judicial organ of the UN. Its seat is in the Peace Palace at the Hague, Netherlands.

The Court’s workload is characterized by a wide range of judicial activity. There are 2 main functions: 1) to settle legal disputes submitted to it by states and 2) to give advisory opinions on legal questions.

The Court is open to the parties to its statute, which automatically includes all Members of the UN. Only states may be parties in cases before the court and submit cases to it.

Both the General Assembly and the Security Council can ask the Court for an advisory opinion on any legal question.

The ICJ is composed of 15 permanent judges elected by the General Assembly and the UN Security Council. Judges serve for 9 year terms and may be re-elected. No 2 judges may be nationals of the same country.

Judges of the ICJ are not able to hold any other post, nor act as counsel during their term of office. Besides permanent judges, so called judges ad hoc may participate in deliberations, hearing of cases and taking decisions. The composition of the Court is as follows: President, Vice-President, the ICJ judges are from Russia, China, Japan, Germany and other countries. The President and the Vice-President are elected by secret ballot.

The jurisdiction of the Court covers all questions which states refer to it, for example, international disputes involving economic rights, rights of passage, the non-use of force, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, diplomatic relations, hostage-taking, the rights to asylum and nationality.

When deciding cases, the Court applies international law. The procedure consists of 2 parts: written and oral. A judgment of the Court is issued in the English and the French version on opposite pages. A judgment of the Court is binding upon the states concerned. All judgments are final and without appeal.

The European Union.

The European Union is an intergovernmental and supernational union of 27 democratic member states from the European continent.

The EU was set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbors, which culminated in the Second World War.

The original members – France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxemburg – founded the community in 1951.

The aim of the first treaty signed, the treaty of Paris, was to create a political Unity within Europe and to prevent another world war.

In 1973 the original group of six nations was joined by the UK, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark, so called Northern enlargement.

In 1980’s Greece, Spain and Portugal joined the EU, so called Mediterranean enlargement.

In 1994 Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU, so called neutral enlargement.

In May, 2004 ten new countries joined to the EU: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia (so called the Eastern enlargement).

On 1 January 2007 two more countries from Eastern Europe, Bulgaria and Romania, joined the EU, brining the number of states to 27 countries. Croatia and Turkey are also candidates for future membership.

A country seeking membership must be based on the rule of law and democracy, it must have a functioning market economy and must accept the whole range of laws, principles, practices and obligations of the EU.

The EU nowadays has a common single market, a single currency, a common trade policy. The Schengen Agreement abolished passport control and customs checks. The citizens of the EU have possibility to live, travel, work and invest everywhere they want.

The European Union’s activities cover all areas of public policy, from health and economic policy to foreign affairs and defense.

The major governing institutions of the EU are: 1) the European Parliament; 2) the Council of the EU; 3) the European Commission; 4) the European Court of Justice;5) the Court of Auditors.

The European Parliament has over 500 members who are directly elected by the citizens of the EU. The most important powers of the European Parliament fall into 3 categories: 1) legislative power; 2) power over the budget; 3) supervision over the executive power.

The Council of the EU (also known as the Council of Ministers) consists of 27 members – representatives of the member states. It is the most important and powerful EU body. The Council of the EU adopts proposals and issues instructions to the European Commission. The Council does not have a permanent membership. The Council of the EU should not be confused with the European Council.

The European Commission initiates, implements and supervises policy. It is the highest administrative body in the EU. It is composed of 32 members called Commissioners. The Commissioners do not represent their own countries: they are independent and their role is to represent the interests of the EU overall. The function of the Commission are: 1) to initiate proposals for legislation; 2) to guard the Treaties the Commission is responsible for; 3) to manage and execute the Union policies and international trade relationships.

The European Court of Justice is the judicial arm of the EU. Each member country appoints one judge to the court. The main difference between the ICJ and the ECJ is that ECJ decides cases brought by the member states, by the Union institutions, by individuals and companies.

The Court of Auditors oversees the finances of the EU.