The European Union F ounded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule

of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons b elonging to minorities ... in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail... European Union means an international organization of European countries formed after World War II to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its m embers BUT In my opinion,the European Union means opportunity. I see its development over the last fifty years as a unique experiment in sharing sovereignity while at th e same time enhancing national identity, giving each of its members the chance t o achieve more for their citizens by working together than they could ever have achieved alone. The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 member states which are located primarily in Europe.The EU traces its origins from the Europea n Coal and Steel Community-ECSC and the European Economic Community formed by si x countries in the 1950 s. In the intervening years,the EU has grown, in size, by th e accession of new member states and, in power, by the addition of policy areas to its remit. The Maastricht Treaty established the European Union under its cur rent name in 1993.The last amendment to the constitutional basis of the EU, the Treaty of Lisbon, came into force in 2009. After World War II, moves towards European integration were seen by many as an escape from the extreme forms of nationalism which had devastated the continent. On 1 January 2007, Romania and Bulgaria became the EU's newest members. In the s ame year Slovenia adopted the euro,followed in 2008 by Cyprus and Malta, by Slov akia in 2009 and by Estonia in 2011. In June 2009, the 2009 Parliament elections were held leading to a renewal of Barroso's Commission Presidency, and in July 2009 Iceland formally applied for EU membership.

On 1 December 2009, the Lisbon Treaty entered into force and reformed many aspec ts of the EU. In particular it changed the legal structure of the European Union , merging the EU three pillars system into a single legal entity provisioned wit h legal personality, and it created a permanent President of the European Counci l, the first of which is Herman Van Rompuy, and a strengthened High Representati ve, Catherine Ashton. The EU has come a long way since 1951. The number grew to 15 member countries an d to 27 in 2010. It created a common body of laws, practices and policies and a level of cooperation between large members. But its progress was not constant, p eriodic activity were separated by many years of death silence . This is mainly due be ause the second debater who have been brought closer together with the proposed integration of Eastern European countries. The first is to give priority to "dee pening" or "enlargement" of the union, to focus on integrating current or more m embers of the integration of new one. The second issue is against supranational governament. Although national governments were accepted did not want to give c ontrol of the EU bodies on some politically sensitive areas such as foreign poli cy and judiciary. The most immediate challenge that the EU must face is a successful single curren cy, but euro's future largely depends on how it turns out to be acceptable to fi nancial institutions and world markets. In the long term expansion eastwards sho uld improve the future by extending the single market and currency by stimulatin

g the economy and trade. In conclusion the EU is an organization that is in addition to all member count ries to develop their economy, but also to the world that is not in their circle of union .Is about to develop their economic, social, and help them integrate into the global economy. Aims to develop culturally, for the recovery of national emblem s, traditions, customs, the EU is characterized by unity in diversity, many coun tries with economies, cultures and different traditions,all under the same name and group, forming a whole. Bibliografie: -www.wikipedia.ro -www.studentie.ro

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