wfn.org | Primer on European Union

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

May 10, 1999 News media contact: Linda Bloom*(212) 870-3803*New York
10-21-71B{263}

NOTE:  This can be used as a sidebar or box with UMNS story #262.

By United Methodist News Service*

Here is a primer on the European Union:

CURRENT MEMBERS: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden,
United Kingdom.

HISTORY: Economic unification grew after Belgium, the Federal Republic of
Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France signed three treaties
in the 1950s, creating the European Coal and Steel Community, European
Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community. The Maastricht
Treaty on European Unity, effective in 1993, provided an overhaul of these
founding treaties and created the union's three pillars - European
Community, Common Foreign and Security Policy, and Justice and Home Affairs.
The Amsterdam Treaty, concluded in 1997, is furthering the unification
process, and the union has not yet achieved its final form.

GOVERNING INSTITUTIONS: Parliament, council of ministers, commission, court
of justice and court of auditors. Heads of state and government meet at
least twice a year with the commission president to provide overall strategy
and political direction.

IS THIS A UNITED STATES OF EUROPE?: Not exactly. The union is founded on
international treaties among sovereign nations rather than on a
constitution. However, unlike other international organizations, it can
enact laws that are directly binding on all EU citizens throughout the
union.

THE EURO: A single currency, the Euro, was introduced on Jan. 1. So far, 11
of the 15 members are participating - Austria, Belgium, Finland, France,
Germany, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal.
Those countries continue to use their national currencies as well. On Jan.
1, 2002, Euro notes and coins go into circulation. National currency will be
removed permanently by July 1 of that year.

FUTURE MEMBERSHIP: The union opened talks on full membership with six
countries - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and
Slovenia - in March 1998.
# # #
*Information for this story was taken from The European Union: A Guide for
Americans, published by the Delegation of the European Commission in the
United States, Washington.

______________
United Methodist News Service
http://www.umc.org/umns/
newsdesk@umcom.umc.org
(615)742-5472