1. T HE EUROPEAN UNION – MEMBERS, INSTITUTIONS Martina Bukovjanová, 4.A

2. M EMBERS 27 members (European states) 1957 - the original six members states included: Belgium (Brussels), Germany (Berlin), France (Paris), Italy (Rome), Luxembourg (Luxembourg), the Nederlands (Amsterdam) 1973 – Denmark (Copenhagen), Ireland (Belfast), United Kingdom (London) 1981 – Greece (Athens) 1986 – Spain (Madrid) and Portugal (Lisbon) 1995 – Austria (Vienna), Finnland (Helsinki), Sweden (Stockholm) 2004 – Estonia (Talinn), Latvia (Riga), Lithuania (Vilnius), Malta (Valletta), Poland (Warsaw), Slowakia (Bratislava), Slovenia (Ljubljana), Czech Republic (Prague), Hungary (Budapest), Cyprus (Nicosia) 2007 – Bulgaria (Sofia), Romania (Bucharest)

4. C ANDIDATE COUNTRIES 5 candidate countries: Croatia (Zagreb), Iceland (Reykjavík), Macedonia (Scopje), Montenegro (Podgorica) and Turkey (Ankara) Potential candidate countries: Albania (Tirana), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo), Serbia (Belgrade), Kosovo (Pristina) Croatia may become the next member of the EU on 1 July 2013, other countries have applied for admission to EU Problems with admission: e.g. problem with Turkey, because Turkey borders with unstable states, has bad relationship with Cyprus (Turkey occupies a part of Cyprus‘s territory) and has death penalty (which breaks elements of democracy)

5. C OPENHAGEN C RITERIA To join the EU a country must meet the Copenhagen criteria, which were defines at the 1993 by Copenhagen European Council 1. POLITICAL - stable instutions, which ensure democracy, legal state, observance of human rights and minority rights 2. ECONOMIC – functioning market economy, capable of competiton within the EU 3. ACQUIS COMMUNAUTAIRE – french term, used for legal code of EU, state has to accept obligations of membership, including political, economical and currency objectivies of EU

6. O THER STATES states, which apllied for admission, but they weren‘t accepted Norway (Oslo) – has some advantages of EU, for example it is in Schengen Area Switzerland (Bern) – also in Schengen Area since 2009

7. S CHENGEN AREA BLUE – Member states of EU, members of Schengen Area GREEN – States, which are in Schengen Area, but not in EU ORANGE – Member states of EU, which don‘t comply with criterions to enter the Schengen Area BEIGE – Member states od EU, which are partly in Schengen Area free travel area 1995 27 members

8. M AIN I NSTITUTIONS European Commision Council of EU European Parliament European Court of Justice European Central Bank

9. E UROPEAN C OMMISSION seat: Brussells (Belgium) and some workplaces in Luxembourg 27 commissioners – one from each member state, term in office: 5 years, each commissioner has specific part of politic, appointed by the chairman and European Council chairman: José Manuel Barroso, appointed by European Council commission is an institution and also a name for college of commissioners executive power, stands in interests of EU, not in interests of individual member states, performs politics of EU, prepares motions of new European legal regulations

11. C OUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION ( COUNCIL OF EU, COUNCIL OF MINISTERS ) seat: Brussells (Belgium), building named Justus Lipsius, also Luxembourg ministers of member states, each member state has different number of votes (it depends on size of state, e.g. France has 29 votes, Czech republic 12 votes and Luxembourg only 4 votes) chairman: a minister form member state, who has been charged to chairmanship in EU (one state has a chairmanship for 6 months ) approves laws and one – year budget of EU, signs agreements between EU and other states deciding institution, legislative and executive power this is not European Council or Council of Europe

13. E UROPEAN P ARLIAMENT seat: Strasbourg, Luxembourg, Brussels 736 members (number depends on number of inhabitants in each member state), they are elected in direct elections by citizens of EU for 5 years chairman: Jerzy Buzek (since summer 2009), elected on 2,5 year legislative and monitoring power, it approves and controls budget, leads political discussions one of the most important, it has almost the most rights

15. E UROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE seat: Luxembourg 27 judges (one of each member state), elected for 6 years by collective agreement member states, and 8 general advocates, help court in decision – making chairman: Vassilios Skouris, elected for 3 years solves disputes of member states, European Commission, European Parliament Council of EU, exceptionally disputes of individuals controls reading and applications of EU laws and rights

17. E UROPEAN C ENTRAL BANK seat: Frankfurt am Main consists of: Council of Governors (executive council of ECB, governors of national central banks of Eurozone members) Executive Council (president of ECB, vicepresident and other 4 members), elected for 8 years General Council (president of ECB, vicepresident and governors of national central banks of 27 member states) President: Mario Draghi, elected for 8 years keeps stability of prices in Eurozone, responsible for currency issues and euro

19. O THER INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANS The Court of Auditors (controls investments and monitors correct and lawful application of the EU budget) The European Economic and Social Committee (voices the opinions of organized society on economic and social issues) The Committee of Regions (voices the opinions of regional and local organs) The European Ombudsman (deals with complains by people about EU institutions or organs) The European Investment Bank (helps meeting EU objectivies by funding investment projects) European Council In addition, the system includes a number of supplementary institutions and organs

20. M Y OPINIONS Personally, I donť like European Union, but I don’t want to present my strong political opinions. This topic was pretty hard, but I chose it, because I need to learn about EU for an entry test to university. Membership in EU has a lot of advantages – e.g. subsidize (EU gives to member states money for various social occasion), but also a lot of disadvantages – e.g. current situation of euro EU instututions are very important for Europe, they are making decisions about our future almost every day – if they make good or bad decisions, see for yourselves.

21. Q UESTIONS How many members has the EU? In what year did the Czech Republic become a member state? Which state should become a member state in year 2013? Who is the chairman of European Commission? In what year had the Czech Republic chairmanship in Council of EU? How many judges are there in European Court of Justice? Which institution has its seat in Frankfurt am Main?

22. S OURCES www.euroskop.cz www.wikipedie.en www.europa.eu ŠÍMA, A., SUK, M. ZÁKLADY PRÁVA PRO STŘEDNÍ ŠKOLY A VYŠŠÍ ODBORNÉ ŠKOLY, 7. VYDÁNÍ, PRAHA: C.H. BECK, 2006 SMITH – DLUHÁ, G. A KOLEKTIV ANGLIČTINA OTÁZKY A ODPOVĚDI NEJEN K MATURITĚ, 1. VYDÁNÍ, OLOMOUC: T.A.V.A BOOKS, 2007

23. E UROPEAN UNION – MEMBERS AND INSTITUTIONS