Basic Information about the European Union

Main objectives Institutions Information resources

The European Union is based on the principles of democracy and the rule of law. The main objectives of the Union are:

http://europa.eu/abc/panorama/whatdoes/index_en.htm

- to introduce European citizenship
- to promote economic and social progress
- to secure freedom, security and justice
- to assert the identity of the European Union on the international scene

The Institutions

The European Council occupies a unique place in European Union decision-making. The European Council brings together the Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the European Union and the President of the European Commission. The decisions taken at the European Council meetings are a major impetus in defining the general political guidelines of the European Union.

EU is led by five institutions in accordance with the principles of the rule of law:
European Parliament http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/default_en.htm?redirection
Council of the European Union http://www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/showPage.ASP?lang=en
European Commission http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm
The Court of Justice of the European Communities http://curia.europa.eu/index.htm
The Court of Auditors http://www.eca.europa.eu/index_en.htm

The following institutions are also included:
-Committee of the Regions http://www.cor.europa.eu/
-The European Investment Bank http://www.eib.org/
-European Central Bank http://www.ecb.int/
-European Economic and Social Committee http://eesc.europa.eu/
-The European Ombudsman http://www.euro-ombudsman.eu.int/home/en/default.htm and
- The Agencies of the European Community http://europa.eu/agencies/index_en.htm

Other essential information:

Community acquis http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm
Treaty of Nice http://ec.europa.eu/comm/nice_treaty/index_en.htm
Competition http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s12000.htm
Culture http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s20014.htm
Education, vocational training and youth http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s19000.htm
Enlargement http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s40000.htm
Rural development http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s04000.htm
Financial framework 2007-2013 http://europa.eu/financial_perspective/index_en.htm
Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund http://europa.eu/financial_perspective/cohesion/index_en.htm
Social Affairs http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s02300.htm
Economic Policy http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s01000.htm
Employment Policy http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s01000.htm
White Papers http://europa.eu.int/comm/off/white/index_en.htm
Green Papers http://europa.eu.int/comm/off/green/index_en.htm
Environment Policy http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s15000.htm

More information under The European Union at a Glance http://www.europa.eu/