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

<strong>Fact</strong> <strong>Sheets</strong> on the European Union
The European Union at a glance
The aim of these fact sheets is to provide those new to the subject with an overview of the process of
European integration and the European Parliament’s role in this development.
New fact sheets on topical issues and the developments of the last few years have recently appeared
online, for example: the institutional reforms undertaken in preparation for the accession of Bulgaria and
Romania; the new financial perspective; gender equality; asylum, and immigration policy; management
of external borders; judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters; sports policy; the Lisbon strategy;
the European neighbourhood policy (ENP); the South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) and
central Asia.
With access to around 165 fact sheets, readers will find that this is one of the best sources of
information about the Union’s institutions and policies.
The content of these fact sheets covers six main areas: how the EU works, citizens’ Europe, the internal
market, common policies, economic and monetary union and the EU’s external relations.
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How the European Union works
The European Union (EU) has its own
legislature and executive and an
independent judiciary, which are supported
and complemented by an additional set of
institutions and bodies. The EU’s rules and
decision-making procedures are laid down in
the Treaties. In order to achieve its objectives,
the Union has its own budget.
Citizens’ Europe
For EU citizens, the right to travel, live and
work throughout the Union can easily be
taken for granted. However, in order for them
to be able to enjoy this right fully, an
effective system to protect fundamental
rights within the EU needs to be put in place
and maintained.
The internal market
Following the dismantling of previous
barriers, goods, services and capital move as
freely throughout Europe as inside a Member
State. The removal of obstacles and the
opening up of national markets means that
more companies can compete with one
another.
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Common policies
In order to speak with one voice, the EU has
developed several policies and measures
that all Member States endeavour to apply.
These ‘common policies’ concern the entire
Union and are designed to achieve common
objectives.
Economic and monetary union
Economic and monetary union (EMU) is the
result of a long process aimed at
harmonising the economic and monetary
policies of the European Union Member
States and introducing a single currency: the
euro. So far, 16 Member States have adopted
the euro, which is used on a daily basis by
over half the EU’s population.
The EU’s external relations
The EU’s economic, commercial and financial
weight makes it a leading player on the
international scene. It has signed a series of
bilateral and multilateral agreements with
most countries and regions of the world. The
common foreign and security policy (CFSP) is
one of the instruments of the European
Union’s external relations.
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