We All are Europe - AESAEC

Module 1 – The European Union and its Relevance for Senior Citizens
Treaty of Rome (1957) establishing the European Economic Community (EEC).
The main aim of this treaty was the creation of a common market between
the member states. It introduced the free flow of capital and
workers between members.
The Treaty of Maastricht (1992) was a major step in the development of the
European Community. It created the European Union and led to the creation of the Euro. The
treaty created what is commonly referred to as the pillar structure of the European Union.
This concept of the Union divides it into the European Community (EC) pillar, the Common
Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) pillar, and the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) pillar. The
latter two pillars are intergovernmental policy areas, whereby the greater power lies with the
member states, whilst with the European Community pillar the Union's supranational
institutions — the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of
Justice — hold most of the power. All three pillars combined together are called the European
Union.
The Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) meant a greater emphasis on citizenship and the rights of
individuals. It sought to achieve more democracy in the shape of increased powers for the
European Parliament, a new approach to issues of employment, a more integrated community
in terms of freedom of movement, security and justice, the beginnings of a cohesive
Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the reform of EU institutions in the run up to
enlargement.
The Treaty of Nice (2001) reformed the institutional structure of the European Union to withstand
eastward expansion. The Amsterdam Treaty was originally intended to have tackled this aim;
however it failed to do so at that time. There was doubt for a time whether the treaty would
be brought into force after its initial rejection by Irish voters in a June 2001 referendum. This
referendum result was reversed in a subsequent referendum held a little over a year later.
The Draft Constitutional Treaty (Rome 2004) was intended to establish a Constitution for Europe
and was signed by 53 senior political figures from the 25 EU member states. In most cases
heads of state designated plenipotentiaries to sign the treaty, however some presidents also
signed on behalf of countries which hold the status of a republic.
The Reform Treaty of Lisbon (2007). Changes included more qualified majority voting in the Council
of Ministers, increased involvement of the European Parliament in the legislative process
through extended co-decision making with the Council of Ministers, eliminating the pillar
system and the creation of a President of the European Council with a term of office of two
and half years and a High Representative for Foreign Affairs to present a united position on
EU policies. If ratified, the Treaty of Lisbon would also make the Union's human rights
charter, the Charter of Fundamental Rights, legally binding. 3
The Lisbon Strategy is, apart from the treaties, also a highly important concept in connection with
the objectives and aims of the AESAEC training course. Due to its importance it needs to be
considered by senior citizens, when preparing a European project proposal. The strategy was
set out by the European Council in Lisbon in 2000 and is also known as the Lisbon Agenda or
Lisbon Process. It is an action and development plan for the EU, important for all social
groups, older citizens included. Its aim is to make the EU "the most dynamic and competitive
knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010, capable of sustainable economic growth with
more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, and with respect for the environment".
Now, one year away from 2010, we know that this plan was much too ambitious to be fully
implemented successfully. However, it has produced some success and good results in the
fields of education and lifelong learning, in the general development of EU citizenship, in
economic growth and in job creation within the EU. In respect of the four pillars of the Lisbon
Strategy, the focus is now as follows:
• member states should strive to adopt measures to promote creativity and enterprise with
a view to making Europe the most creative environment in the world
3 During the development of this course book (November 2009), the Czech Republic, as the last of the 27 EU member states,
signed the Reform Treaty of Lisbon, which means the treaty will now come into force.
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