The European Union
Read the text and answer the following questions:
a. How is the European Union similar to a state?
b. How is it different?
The European Union is a sui generis supranational intergovernmental political association. It is governed by a number of institutions, the principal ones being: the Commission of the European Communities, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, and the Court of Justice of the European Communities. The Commission, as it is commonly called, is the executive branch of the EU. It consists of 27 Commissioners, one for each member state, and is headed by the Commission President. The Commission is responsible for proposing new legislation, implementing regulatory decisions, enforcing the provisions of EU treaties, and supervising the day-to-day operation of the Union. The Council and the Parliament are the two legislative institutions of the EU. The Council is made up of 27 national ministers, one for each member state. Depending on the policy area to be discussed, different ministers are summoned to attend the Council. The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are directly elected by the citizens of the member states every 5 years. The Council and the Parliament are the two chambers in the bicameral legislative branch of the EU, with the legislative power distributed evenly between them. The judicial branch of the European Union comprises the European Court of Justice, the highest court in the EU, and the European Court of First Instance.
More information at:
http://aei.pitt.edu/9083/1/Legal.Personality.EU-PDS-SA.pdf
a. How is the European Union similar to a state?
b. How is it different?
The European Union is a sui generis supranational intergovernmental political association. It is governed by a number of institutions, the principal ones being: the Commission of the European Communities, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, and the Court of Justice of the European Communities. The Commission, as it is commonly called, is the executive branch of the EU. It consists of 27 Commissioners, one for each member state, and is headed by the Commission President. The Commission is responsible for proposing new legislation, implementing regulatory decisions, enforcing the provisions of EU treaties, and supervising the day-to-day operation of the Union. The Council and the Parliament are the two legislative institutions of the EU. The Council is made up of 27 national ministers, one for each member state. Depending on the policy area to be discussed, different ministers are summoned to attend the Council. The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are directly elected by the citizens of the member states every 5 years. The Council and the Parliament are the two chambers in the bicameral legislative branch of the EU, with the legislative power distributed evenly between them. The judicial branch of the European Union comprises the European Court of Justice, the highest court in the EU, and the European Court of First Instance.
More information at:
http://aei.pitt.edu/9083/1/Legal.Personality.EU-PDS-SA.pdf