Panoramaof the European Union

European Union

Panorama of the European UnionUnited in diversity

The European Union (EU) is a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together for peace and prosperity. It is not a State intended to replace existing States, nor is it just an organisation for international cooperation. The EU is, in fact,unique. Its member states have set up common institutions to whichthey delegate some of their sovereignty so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level.

The historical roots of the European Union lie in the Second WorldWar. The idea was born because Europeans were determined to prevent such killing and destruction ever happening again. In theearly years, the cooperation was between six countries and mainlyabout trade and the economy. Now the EU embraces 25 countriesand 450 million people, and it deals with a wide range of issues of direct importance for our everyday life.

Europe is a continent with many different traditions and languages,but also with shared values such as democracy, freedom and social justice. The EU defends these values. It fosters cooperation among the peoples of Europe, promoting unity while preserving diversity and ensuring that decisions are taken as close as possible to the citizens. In the increasingly interdependent world of the 21st century, it is more necessary than ever for every European citizen towork together with people from other countries in a spirit of curiosity, openness and solidarity.

European CommissionDirectorate-General for Press and CommunicationPublicationsB-1049 Brussels

Manuscript completed in January 2005

© European Communities, 2005 Reproduction is authorised.

NA-62-04-228-EN-D

CM

YK

Panoramaof the European Union

European Union

Panorama of the European UnionUnited in diversity

The European Union (EU) is a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together for peace and prosperity. It is not a State intended to replace existing States, nor is it just an organisation for international cooperation. The EU is, in fact,unique. Its member states have set up common institutions to whichthey delegate some of their sovereignty so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level.

The historical roots of the European Union lie in the Second WorldWar. The idea was born because Europeans were determined to prevent such killing and destruction ever happening again. In theearly years, the cooperation was between six countries and mainlyabout trade and the economy. Now the EU embraces 25 countriesand 450 million people, and it deals with a wide range of issues of direct importance for our everyday life.

Europe is a continent with many different traditions and languages,but also with shared values such as democracy, freedom and social justice. The EU defends these values. It fosters cooperation among the peoples of Europe, promoting unity while preserving diversity and ensuring that decisions are taken as close as possible to the citizens. In the increasingly interdependent world of the 21st century, it is more necessary than ever for every European citizen towork together with people from other countries in a spirit of curiosity, openness and solidarity.

European CommissionDirectorate-General for Press and CommunicationPublicationsB-1049 Brussels

Manuscript completed in January 2005

© European Communities, 2005 Reproduction is authorised.

NA-62-04-228-EN-D

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK

Fewer frontiers, more opportunitiesYou can travel across most of the EU without carrying a passport andwithout being stopped for checks at the borders.

You can shop in another country where goods are cheaper without payingany additional taxes so long as what you buy is for your own use.

The single currency, the euro, allows shoppers to compare pricesdirectly in the 12 countries that use it. As a result, manufacturers and retailers have taken steps to cut unjustifiably high prices. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one euro country to another is cheaperbecause no money needs to be changed and

no commission paid.

Competition introduced by the EU's frontier-free singlemarket has driven quality up and prices down. Phone

calls, internet access and air travel have all becomecheaper. Households can increasingly choose the best bargain among a range of suppliers of electricity and gas.

EU citizens can live, work, study and retire in another EU country if they so wish. These rightsare gradually being extended to citizens from the 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004.

A greener EuropePeople in Europe are very environmentally conscious. Consequently, theEU is spearheading world efforts to preserve the environment and promote sustainable development. It has taken the lead in implementing the Kyotoprotocol to reduce emissions of the 'greenhouse gases' blamed for globalwarming and climate change. As part of its effort, the EU is introducing in 2005 an innovative 'emission trading scheme', which allows manufacturing companies to buy and sell a limited number of pollution permits.

As pollution knows no borders, EU member states have taken joint actionin many areas to protect the environment. Not surprising then thatEurope's rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less, and thereare strict rules for waste disposal. For example, dangerous waste fromEurope can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously thecase.

The EU wants transport, industry, agriculture, energy and tourism to beorganised in such a way that they can be developed without destroyingour natural resources — in short, 'sustainable development' that will allowour economies to grow and provide for our population into the future.

Going abroad to learnNearly 2 million young people have already taken advantage of EU programmes to pursue their studies and personal development in anotherEuropean country. As a result, the EU schemes for educational exchange andtrans-border partnerships such as Erasmus, Leonardo, and Socrates are well-known names.

The EU does not decide what you learn in school, but it does work to ensurethat your educational and professional qualifications are properly recognisedin other EU countries.

Euros in your pocketThe euro (€) is probably the EU's most tangible achievement. It is the single currency, shared by 12 countries, representing two thirds of the EU population. This number will rise as the new member countries adopt the euro, once their economies are ready.

All euro notes and coins can be used in all countries where the euro isaccepted. Each note is the same, while the coins have a common design onone side and a national emblem of one member state on the other side.

Jobs and prosperityEuropean Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's mostdynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce.

That is why the EU is working to ensure thatpeople have high-speed internet access atschool, at home and in theworkplace. It is urgingbusiness and governmentsto make greater use ofthe internet so as to givebetter service. Anotherpriority is to train workersin information technologyskills and to keep peoplelearning all their lives.

One third of the EU's€100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs indisadvantaged regions and to providetraining for unemployed or underqualified people. People in regions of Ireland and Spain, for example, are much better off than they were 20 years ago.

The EU's frontier-free single market and the creation of the single currency,the euro, have already generated billions of euro of wealth and created several million new jobs.

In addition, the EU is investing today in the jobs of tomorrow by funding high-tech research and development. EU leaders have pledged to increasethis spending by more than 50% between 2001 and 2010.

Equal opportunities for allOur society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate againstfellow human beings because of their nationality, gender, handicap, race orother factors. That is why EU law bans discrimination.

As long ago as the 1950s, the first EU treaties contained a clear-cut rulethat men and women must have equal pay for equal work. This has giventhe EU a pioneering role in the fight for women's rights, which are now an integral part of all EU policies.

Freedom, security and justice for allWe all want to live our lives in safety, protected from crime and terrorism.That is why the EU countries are working together to tackle international terrorism and to prevent the cross-border trafficking of drugs and people.They are adopting common rules on these crimes, and taking steps to ensurefull cooperation between their police and customs officers, immigration services and law courts.

One of the practical steps has been to introduce a European arrest warrant,to make it easier to transfer suspected criminals from the country where theyhave been arrested to the country where they are wanted for questioning.EU countries are also coordinating their asylum policies and tightening controls at the EU's external frontiers.

Since European Union citizens are free to live in any EU country, they musthave equal access to justice wherever they are in the EU. Its member stateshave to ensure that they all apply EU laws in the same way and that courtrulings in one country can be enforced in another. The EU has already donea lot to make it easier to solve cross-border legal problems about marriage,separation, divorce and the custody of children, as well as other kinds of civildisputes.

Exporting peace and stabilityWar between EU countries is now unthinkable, thanks to the unity that hasbeen built up between them over the last 50 years. Given this success, the EU is now working to spread peace and stability beyond its borders.

The best way to prevent conflicts from arising in the first place is to creategreater prosperity worldwide. As the world's largest trading power, the EU is using its influence to establish fair rules for world trade. It wants to makesure that globalisation also benefits the poorest countries. The EU alreadyprovides more humanitarian assistance and development aid than anyone else.

The EU has sent military and police missions — for example to theBalkans, where EU peacekeepers have replaced NATO forces. This action is part of the defence aspect of the EU's common foreign and security policy.

The Union is particularly interested in helping its neighbours to the east (from the former Soviet Union) and the south (the Mediterranean region) to achieve greater stability and prosperity.

The European Union shows how democratic countries can successfully pool economic and political resources in the common interest, serving as a possible model to be followed in other parts of the world.

A place in the UnionSince its foundation nearly 50 years ago, the EU has been a magnet, attracting a constant stream of new members, culminating in its historic and successful expansion from 15 to 25 in May 2004.

Any European country can join, provided it has a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy and a civil service capableof applying EU laws.

Bulgaria and Romania are on track to become members in 2007. Entry negotiations are due to begin in 2005 with Turkey and Croatia.

Up to 10 years or more can pass between the time a country submits an application to join and its actual time of entry. Once a membership treatyis agreed, it must be ratified by the European Parliament and by the national parliaments of the candidate country and of all EU member states.

Embracing a continentEU members and when they joined.

1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands

1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981 Greece

1986 Portugal, Spain

1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden

2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia

Make it simple: the new ConstitutionIn June 2004, EU leaders agreed a Constitution for the European Union.Once it is approved by all 25 member countries, it will come into force in 2006.

The purpose of the Constitution is to replace the old EU treaties with a single text setting out clearly what the Union is and who does what. It also includes the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The Constitution lays down simpler and more efficient rules for takingdecisions in a Union of 25 countries. For example, most decisions will betaken by 'qualified majority voting' rather than requiring every singlecountry to agree.

The Constitution is designed to make the EU more open and democratic.For example, it obliges EU ministers to hold their law-making discussionsin public, and it gives citizens the right to draw up a petition asking theEuropean Commission to propose new laws. Moreover, it gives nationalparliaments a greater role in monitoring EU activities.

The new Constitution maintains the existing balance between nationalinterests and the general European interest, and between the interests ofsmall and big countries.

There is to be a minister for foreign affairs, whose job will be to help theEU act more effectively on the world stage.

If you want to learn more about the Constitution, go toeuropa.eu.int/constitution

Other information on the European Union

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about theEuropean Union from:

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: eu-ie-info-request@cec.eu.int

Representation in the United KingdomJean Monnet House8 Storey's GateLondon SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian WayCardiff CF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva StreetEdinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford StreetBelfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.cec.org.uk

Information services in the United States2300 M Street, NW —3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41th Street, 20th FloorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth StreetDublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: epdublin@europarl.eu.int

United Kingdom Office2 Queen Anne's GateLondon SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: eplondon@europarl.eu.int

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson's EntryHolyrood Road Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: epedinburgh@europarl.eu.int

There are European Commission and Parliament repre-sentations and offices in all the countries of theEuropean Union. The European Commission also hasdelegations in other parts of the world.

Photo credits cover page (clockwise from top left): © E. Trepant, © Zefa, © Zefa, © Zefa, © EC, © Zefa.Photo credits back page: © John Henley/Van Parys Media/CORBIS.Photo credits inside brochure (from top to bottom, left to right): © Zefa, © Darama/Van Parys Media/CORBIS, © Getty images, © Getty images, © E. Trepant, © EC, © European Parliament, © Zefa, © EC/J. Gehring, © Chip East/Reuters, © Jean-Marc Loos/Reuters.

Information in all the official languages of the European Union is availableon the internet. You can access it through the Europa server: europa.eu.int

All over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You cancan find the address of the centre nearest you at this website:europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm

EUROPE DIRECT is a service which answers your questions about theEuropean Union. You can contact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 910 11 (or by payphone from outside the EU: +32-2-299 96 96), or by electronic mail via europa.eu.int/europedirect

EU countries using the euroEU countries not using the euro

Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the EuropeanCommission dealing with communication and institutional matters:

'Europe builds roads, bridges and railways in order to bringpeople closer together. Now we have to strengthen contactsbetween people.'

The European Parliament:

Voice of the peopleThe European Parliament is elected every five years by the people of Europe to represent their interests.

The present parliament, elected in June 2004, has 732 members from all 25 EU countries. Nearly one third of them (222) are women.

The main job of Parliament is to pass European laws. It shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union, and the proposalsfor new laws come from the European Commission. Parliament andCouncil also share joint responsibility for approving the EU's €100 billionannual budget.

Parliament has the power to dismiss the European Commission.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks,but in seven Europe-wide political groups. The largest of these are the centre-right European People's Party (Christian Democrats), followedby the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens. Between them, MEPs repre-sent all views on European integration, from the strongly pro-federalist tothe openly Eurosceptic.

The main meetings of the Parliament are held in Strasbourg, others inBrussels. Like all other EU institutions, it works in all 20 official EU languages.

The Parliament elects the European Ombudsman, who investigates citizens' complaints about maladministration by the EU institutions.

www.europarl.eu.int

The European Central Bank:

A stable currencyBased in Frankfurt, the Central Bank is responsible for managing the euro,for example, by setting interest rates. Its prime concern is ensuring price stability so that the European economy is not damaged by inflation. The Bank takes its decisions independently of governments and other bodies. Its president is Jean-Claude Trichet.

www.ecb.int

The European Investment Bank:

Lending a helping handThe bank lends money for projects of European interest, particularly in the less well-off regions. It finances infrastructure projects such as rail and road links, airports or environmental schemes. It provides credit forinvestments by small businesses. The Luxembourg-based bank also lends to candidate states and developing countries. Because it is owned by EU governments, the bank can raise capital and provide credits at favourable rates.

www.eib.org

The EU symbolsThe European flag

The European anthem

Europe Day, 9 May

'United in diversity'

The Court of Justice:

The rule of lawThe job of the Court of Justice is to make sure that EU law is interpreted andapplied in the same way in all EU countries, thereby ensuring that the law isequal for everyone. It ensures, for example, that national courts do not givedifferent rulings on the same issue. The Court also makes sure that EU member states and institutions do what the law requires them to do. TheCourt is located in Luxembourg and has one judge from each member country.

curia.eu.int

The Court of Auditors:

Getting value for your money The Court of Auditors checks that the EU's funds, which come from the taxpayers, are spent legally, economically and for the intended purpose.The Court is based in Luxembourg and has the right to audit any organisation, body or company which handles EU funds.

www.eca.eu.int

The European Economic and Social Committee:

Voice of civil societyThe 317 members of the European Economic and Social Committee represent a wide range of interests: from employers to trade unionists, from consumers to ecologists. The Committee is an advisory body which must give its opinion on proposed EU decisions about employment, social spending, vocational training, and so on.

www.ces.eu.int

The Committee of the Regions:

The local perspectiveThe Committee of the Regions is consulted on upcoming EU decisions with a direct impact at local or regional level in fields such as transport, health,employment or education. Its 317 members are often leaders of regionalgovernments or mayors of cities.

www.cor.eu.int

The melody comes from the Ninth Symphonyby Beethoven. When this tune is used as theEuropean anthem, it has no words.

The 12 stars in a circle symbolise the idealsof perfection, completeness and unity.

The ideas behind what is now the EuropeanUnion were first put forward on 9 May 1950in a speech by the French Foreign MinisterRobert Schuman. So 9 May is celebratedeach year as the EU's birthday.

This is the motto of the EU.

Josep Borrellis the President of the European Parliament

The Council of the European Union:

Voice of the Member StatesThe Council of the European Union — formerly known as the Council of Ministers — shares with Parliament the responsibility for passing laws andtaking policy decisions. It also bears the main responsibility for what the EUdoes in the field of the common foreign and security policy and for EUaction on some justice and freedom issues.

The Council consists of ministers from the national governments of all theEU countries. Meetings are attended by whichever ministers are responsiblefor the items to be discussed: foreign ministers, ministers for the economyand finance, ministers for agriculture and so on, as appropriate.

Each country has a number of votes in the Council broadly reflecting the sizeof their population, but weighted in favour of smaller countries. Most decisions are taken by majority vote, although sensitive issues in areaslike taxation, asylum and immigration, or foreign and security policy, requireunanimity.

Up to four times a year the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states meet as the European Council. These 'summit' meetings set overall EU policy.

ue.eu.int

Javier Solanagives EU diplomacy a face as HighRepresentative for Common Foreign andSecurity Policy

The European Commission:

Promoting the common interestThe European Commission represents and upholds the interests of Europe as a whole. It is independent of national governments.

It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the EuropeanParliament and the Council. It manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending EU funds. The Commission alsokeeps an eye out to see that everyone abides by the European treaties and laws. It can act against rule-breakers, taking them to the Court ofJustice if necessary.

The Commission consists of 25 women and men — one from each EU country. They are assisted by about 24 000 civil servants, most of whom work in Brussels.

The President of the Commission is chosen by EU governments and endorsedby the European Parliament. The other commissioners are nominated bytheir national governments in consultation with the in-coming President, andmust be approved by the Parliament. They do not represent the governmentsof their home countries. Instead, each of them has responsibility for a particular EU policy area.

The President and members of the Commission are appointed for a period of five years, coinciding with the period for which the European Parliament is elected.

europa.eu.int/comm

José Manuel Barroso heads the EU executive as President of the European Commission

CM

YK