Fact Sheets on the European Union â 2 - EU Bookshop - Europa

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Illustration sources: ‘Map’ picture: © Digital Vision – Col. Antique maps ‘Scales of Justice’ picture: «Vignettes typographiques» Deberny et cie ‘Mercury’ picture: BNF/Gallica – «La métamorphose d'Ovide figuré», 1557 ‘Column’ picture: BNF/Gallica – «L'arquitecture ou Art de bien bastir, de Marc Vitruve Pollion», 1547 ‘Coins’ picture: BNF/Gallica – «Le billon d'aur et d'argent», 1552 ‘Ships’ picture: BNF/Gallica – Illustrations de «Nova typis transact navigatio…», 1621 Manuscript finished in August 2008 The publication is available in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish It is not binding on the European Parliament in any way whatsoever Author of the publication: European Parliament Official responsible: OLIVARES MARTÍNEZ Ismael, Director Editors: ANDREANELLI Moira, ANDREICA Dana Maria, ANGELIDIS Angel, ANTOINE-GRÉGOIRE Jean-Louis, APAP Johanna, ASIKAINEN Aila, BAHR Christine, BATTA Denis, BAUER Lothar, BAVIERA Saverino, BOEHNE Thomas, BOSCHE Lars, BRAUN Judith Marion, BURSI Camilla, CALERS Hélène, CAMENEN François-Xavier, CAPRILE Anna, CASALPRIM-CALVÉS Eva, CHAMBERS Graham, COMFORT Anthony, CRANFIELD Mairead, CSASZI Levente, DALSGAARD Jens, D’ANGELO Sandro, DANKLEFSEN Nils, DELAUNAY Dominique, DOUAUD Armelle, DUDRAP Thomas, EFTHYMIOU Maria, ENGSTFELD Paul, FULMINI Azelio, GADZHEVA Maya, GENTA Claire, GHIATIS Georgios, GONZÁLEZ MONTES Ángela, GOOSEENS Yanne, GROTTI Marie-Claude, GYÖRFFI Miklos, HEINZEL Huberta, HERNANDEZ-SANZ Ivan, HYLDELUND Karin, IBORRA MARTIN Jesús, IPEKTSIDIS Charalampos, ITZEL Constanze, JAVELLE François, KAMERLING Josina, KAMMERHOFER Christa, KARAPIPERIS Théodoros, KATSAROVA Ivanna, KAUFFELD Karin, KOWALKOWSKA Beata, KRAUSS Stefan, KRISTOFFERSEN Niels, LEHMANN Wilhem, LENSEN Anton, LOPEZ-ALVAREZ Olalla, LUCCHESE Anna, MACEDO Gonçalo, MAKIPAA Arttu, MASSOT MARTI Albert, MC AVOY Robert-Francis, MECKLENBURG Karsten, MENEGHINI Gianpaolo, MUSTAPHA-PACHA Mourad, NEVES Pedro, NUTTIN Xavier, OFFERMANN Klaus, OIKARINEN Jarmo, OLIVEIRA-GOUMAS Béatriz, OLIVERT- AMADO Ana, OSTA-GAMEZ Rafaël, PABST Rheinhart, PACHECO Jose-Luis, PALINKAS Peter, PANIZZA Roberta, PATTERSON George, QUILLE Gérard, RICHARD Pierre, RICHTER Jochen, ROSE Bryan, SCHELLING Margret, SCHULZ Stefan, SOAVE Piero, SOSA IUDICISSA Marcello, SOURANDER Dag, SPINEI Cristina, SUBBAN Andréa, TALSMA Adrian, TRONQUART Jean-François, TROUVÉ-TEYCHENNÉ Odile, VALENTINI Maria Rosaria, VENTUJOL Philippe, VITREY Anne, WELIN Monika, WERNER Helmut, WINTHER Pernille, WITTENBERG John Coordinators: ERHOLM Jari, GONZÁLEZ GARCÍA Isaac Assistants: BISCAUT Jackie, MACIAS LASO Beatrice Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 00 800 numbers or these calls may be billed. More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2009 ISBN 978-92-823-2469-1 © European Communities, 2009 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Spain Pr i n t e d o n w h i t e c h l o r i n e-f re e paper
Note to readers This 2009 edition of the <strong>Fact</strong> <strong>Sheets</strong> on the European Union is the 12th since the publication first appeared in 1979 for the first direct elections to the European Parliament. As with previous editions, every effort has been made to ensure that the fact sheets fulfil their purpose of providing non-specialists with an overview of European integration and of the European Parliament’s contribution to that process by keeping them simple, clear and concise and using a format that is as consistent and straightforward as possible. The number of fact sheets (165) and structure of the publication have been modified only slightly since the previous edition. We have naturally included developments that have occurred over recent years, such as the reform of the common agricultural policy, climate change and the development of the single market. Each fact sheet is identified by a number, the first two parts of which refer to the section and chapter to which the fact sheet belongs. This numbering scheme is also used for cross references. At the beginning of the publication, the contents pages list all fact sheets by section and chapter and indicate the start page for each. Where reference is made to articles of the treaties (Treaty establishing the European Community and Treaty on European Union), only the new numbering system introduced by the Nice Treaty has been used. Nevertheless, we also refer to the changes introduced by the Lisbon Treaty. This new publication reflects the legislative situation as it stood in August 2008, the cut-off date for drawing up the revised texts. In addition to bringing the fact sheets up to date, we hope that we have further improved their readability and thus also their value to readers as a quick but sufficiently comprehensive overview of progress on the main points of European integration. Readers wishing to go into greater detail are referred to more specialist works, particularly those produced by the European Parliament’s Secretariat. Regular updates are made to the English, French and German versions of the <strong>Fact</strong> <strong>Sheets</strong> on the European Union on the European Parliament’s website (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/). Lastly, please note that a CD-ROM containing the fact sheets in 21 official EU languages is available from the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Secretariat of the European Parliament March 2009 3
Page 1 and 2: 2009 EDITION The European Union at
Page 3: 2009 Edition Fact
Page 9 and 10: Contents 1 1.1. Historical evolutio
Page 11: 5 Economic and monetary union 5.1.
Page 15 and 16: 1 How the European Union works 1 Hi
Page 35 and 36: 1 How the European Union works 2 Ma
Page 41 and 42: 1 How the European Union works 3 Eu
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1 How the European Union works 3 Eu
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1 How the European Union works 4 De
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1 How the European Union works 5 Fi
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2 6 1 How the European Union works
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— entitlement to effective legal
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2.2. The citizens of the Union and
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of the internal market, in which it
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the EU-25 Member States to introduc
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2.4. Voting rights and eligibility
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of the Member State concerned, as t
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3 How the European Union 1 works 4
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— the elimination of physical fro
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3.2. The main freedoms of the inter
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EEC. Under this approach the guidin
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Certain advantages specific to Unio
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— a proposal for a directive on t
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No 2157/2001 on the statute for a E
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— purchases of securities that ar
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3.3. Rules of competition 3.3.1. Ge
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ceilings for all the undertakings c
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— It is to enable more effective
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emergencies. For this reason the EC
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On 7 May 1998, horizontal aid becam
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The regimes based on special and ex
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In its resolution of 14 January 200
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and Decisions 93/676/EEC, 97/367/EC
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— The aim is also to guarantee le
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— a proposal for a directive on t
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The committee proposed a range of r
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Implementation of the directive is
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3.4.5. Intellectual, industrial and
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4. Efforts to combat counterfeiting
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4.7. Trans-European networks, 236 4
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— reform of State aid policy; —
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4.2. Common agricultural policy 4.2
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and other committees (socioeconomic
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policy and aid); EUR 14 billion ear
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— an external heading, with an ex
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4.2.4. The first pillar of the CAP:
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existing coupled aid be eliminated
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— support to improve the economic
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Guarantee Section and the Guidance
Page 172 and 173:
increase its impact on compulsory e
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As far as tariff quotas are concern
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2004, which set out the key princip
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4.2.9. The CAP and the Treaty of Li
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Union’s activity. It should be re
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Table III — Basic agri-environmen
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Table V — Trade in agricultural a
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funds (EDF) and headings in the EU
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— the implementation of internati
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management measures based on total
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the baselines, where Member States
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4.4.3. Fisheries structural assista
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d. Fisheries partnership agreements
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with Norway represents more than 60
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1. Cooperation between Member State
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The enlargement of 2004 caused an 8
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It also reformed the decision-makin
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4.5.2. The European Regional Develo
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Parliament also succeeded in retain
Page 210 and 211:
and their interoperability, road an
Page 212 and 213:
Community financial assistance is p
Page 214 and 215:
(COM(95) 961) dealt with the extern
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previously, transport between two M
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decide to provide public passenger
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1998 on the recognition of the dist
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4.6.4. Road traffic and safety prov
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4.6.5. Air transport: market access
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formation of global alliances. As w
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chances for new competitors, as wel
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components. Firstly, it proposes se
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country which call at Community por
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Memorandum of Understanding) if pre
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ecently focused on the promotion of
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In its resolution of 26 October 200
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European energy networks (TEN-E). T
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— demonstration that the project
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4.8. Industrial policy 4.8.1. Gener
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— The resolution of 13 June 2002
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Czech Republic held meetings with t
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the country’s leadership in the i
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which employs more than 2 million p
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4.8.5. The chemicals and pharmaceut
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completed by an ‘Inventory and co
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Following a broad consultation proc
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In October 2003 Parliament adopted
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provided that the scheduled duratio
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networks’ could provide an opport
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applications. By mid-2008 the Commi
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focus on the issues of information
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Directive 98/44/EC on the legal pro
Page 272 and 273:
need to implement an EU strategy to
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(ex Articles 117 and 118) Member St
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With a view to enhancing the qualit
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4.9.2. The European Social Fund The
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The co-financing by the ESF may var
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— Recommendations: the Council ma
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4.9.4. Social security cover in oth
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— Expansion of the fields of soci
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health and safety. One of the corne
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the involvement of social partners
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Objectives The Community supports a
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protection of self-employed women d
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4.9.8. Anti-discrimination and soci
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social exclusion as an objective of
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4.10. Environment policy 4.10.1. En
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as LIFE, the ‘Urban’ programme,
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2. Public participation in decision
Page 306 and 307:
problems. However, market forces ca
Page 308 and 309:
defines the objectives for integrat
Page 310 and 311:
achieved by disposing of waste at a
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incineration facility should be con
Page 314 and 315:
C. Conservation and protection of t
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In November 2006, Parliament adopte
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2012, a reduction of around 25 % fr
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does not include any legal requirem
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(see below). In addition, halting t
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consequences of climate change, whi
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Environment and LIFE-Third countrie
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European Union’s ever increasing
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(COM(2006) 388) for a regulation to
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the Green Paper calls for the invol
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Furthermore, the EP felt that the s
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the scientific committees are now p
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warning or identified by a visual s
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4.11.3. Public health The Treaty of
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involve all Member States as well a
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c. Police and judicial cooperation
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4.12.2. Asylum and immigration poli
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concerning Member States’ measure
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The EP actively supports the introd
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action plans: one of general scope
Page 354 and 355:
Operational Cooperation at the Exte
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in criminal matters, underlines the
Page 358 and 359:
4.12.5. Police and customs cooperat
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organisation, a list of organisatio
Page 362 and 363:
electricity and gas for all consume
Page 364 and 365:
future of energy in the EU and part
Page 366 and 367:
entered into force on 1 July 1987,
Page 368 and 369:
detailed proposal. Projects are sel
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4.15. Small and medium-sized enterp
Page 372 and 373:
considerable impact on the complian
Page 374 and 375:
are needed to help organise and dev
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4.17. Culture and education 4.17.1.
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EC of 15 November 2006). The progra
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4.17.2. Youth policy Youth policy i
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c. Youth and media Youth protection
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multicultural communication through
Page 386 and 387:
Article 151 makes it possible to su
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the Lisbon strategy. Promoting cult
Page 390 and 391:
markets. A series of important merg
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Minors should be protected from the
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situation can only be improved by i
Page 396 and 397:
final). The main significance of th
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administration, to facilitate impor
Page 400 and 401:
Since the need for unanimity in Cou
Page 402 and 403:
anomalies. Finally, Directive 2006/
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— a minimum standard rate of 15 %
Page 406 and 407:
Commission then had not made any pr
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4.18.4. Taxation of energy Various
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discussions, which preceded the ado
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way of harmonisation would probably
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— During the transitional period
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5 Economic and monetary union 1 The
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5 Economic and monetary union 3 Eur
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5 Economic and monetary union 4 Coo
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5 Economic and monetary union 4 Coo
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5 Economic and monetary union 5 Fra
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5 Economic and monetary union 5 Fra
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6 1 How the European Union works 3
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B. The Maastricht Treaty (1992) The
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6.1.2. Defending human rights and d
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the EU-Africa strategic partnership
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— to strengthen the security of t
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confirmed the EU’s ability to con
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— 1.3 % to 11.2 % of exports; —
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Table 9 — Imports by economic are
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6.2.2. The European Union and the W
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4. 2002-03 Following the Doha Confe
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6.3. Framework for relations with c
Page 458 and 459:
countries (the Czech Republic, Esto
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3. Other western Balkan countries T
Page 462 and 463:
. The 10 new Member States that joi
Page 464 and 465:
2. Monitoring the extension of Comm
Page 466 and 467:
intended to be valid for three year
Page 468 and 469:
Council meetings reiterated that th
Page 470 and 471:
former Federal Republic of Yugoslav
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6.4.2. The Russian Federation A str
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etween the economies and societies
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Europe and central Asia in connecti
Page 478 and 479:
Background A number of developments
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and dialogue on international issue
Page 482 and 483:
— the Euro-Mediterranean Civil Fo
Page 484 and 485:
individual State, i.e. not with the
Page 486 and 487:
parallel with progress on political
Page 488 and 489:
production and aircraft building (B
Page 490 and 491:
2. Relations with the Rio Group and
Page 492 and 493:
On 8 November 2006 the first of the
Page 494 and 495:
and alternating between venues with
Page 496 and 497:
Commission adopted a communication
Page 498 and 499:
etween the EU and the countries of
Page 500 and 501:
delivered through the UN and NGOs o
Page 502 and 503:
(resolution of 23 October 2003). On
Page 504 and 505:
c. A first-ever EU-ASEAN summit too
Page 506 and 507:
3. Although not a participant of th
Page 508 and 509:
6. Environment On the basis of the
Page 510 and 511:
political framework has been redefi
Page 512 and 513:
2007 GSP preferential imports (mill
Page 514 and 515:
within 72 hours and up to EUR 10 mi
Page 516 and 517:
As the institution for adopting the
Page 518 and 519:
State is to accept the repatriation
Page 521:
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