The European Union (EU)
The foundation of the European Union (EU) was created in the aftermath of World War II in response to the economic, social and political devastations that resulted from nationalist divisions within Europe. The EU has evolved over time to include 27 countries, and operates based on the decisions of numerous governing bodies within the organization. This guide introduces the history of the EU and how it was formed, and explores how it currently operates.
Expand All Guide SectionsHistory of the EU
Find out how the six original members of the European Coal and Steel Community (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) formed in 1951 and then grew to include 21 other European countries. Use the sites below to discover the groups and elements that gave rise to the European Union as it currently exists.
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- Current members of the EU include: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands (1951); Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom (1973); Greece (1981); Portugal and Spain (1986); Austria, Finland and Sweden (1995); Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia (2004); Bulgaria and Romania (2007).
- If you want to learn more about the countries that comprise the EU, visit the CIA’s World Factbook for detailed country overviews.
- Europa, the official EU Web site, is referenced throughout this guide as it provides an exhaustive overview of the EU, including its history, current members, operations and issues.
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For timelines…
The BBC presents a timeline of the EU, starting in 1948. It details the plans for a peaceful Europe, the creation of NATO, and the many declarations, treaties and groups that ultimately created the body now known as the EU. Scroll through the most significant years in EU history and find hyperlinks to brief discussions of major events.
Europa offers a timeline of the EU organized by decade and then year. You’ll find photos, videos and overviews of the major themes and events that categorized each period.
For a broad history…
HistoriaSiglo20.org is a Spanish site with an English version that offers a lengthy educational overview of the history of the EU. Use the links on the right to browse this extensive resource, including descriptions of the integration process, important treaties, issues of citizenship and more.
For primary sources…
The European University Institute provides a historical database of the official documents that have defined developments in EU policy. Although the site doesn’t offer an overview of EU history, it does provide valuable primary sources, though many of the source documents are in languages other than English.
How the EU Functions
Because the European Union has formed over time and is constantly adding new members, its methods of operation continue to evolve in order to incorporate the varied needs of its members. The EU is currently comprised of several governing bodies and institutions. Below are sites that cover both the EU at large, and the various organizations within it.
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- If you’re looking for detailed financial or voting records, visit the Web sites that represent each individual body independently; these sites are affiliated with Europa, the umbrella Web site that covers the European Union at large.
- If you want news about the EU from an outside perspective, see some of the sites listed in the “EU News” section of this Web guide.
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For an overview of the EU as a whole…
CBBC Newsround , a site for students and teachers, presents current issues within the EU in a straightforward, educational way. Learn the basic function of the European Union, and answer questions like, “How is it run?” “What does the EU do?” and “Who’s in the EU?” Be advised, however, that this site takes a specifically British perspective and often references the value of the U.K.’s role in the EU.
Europa provides a PDF document that details how the EU functions based on the roles of its governing bodies. Browse through this complete overview to learn about treaties and decision-making, various EU agencies and how the EU plans to function in the future.
ENA (European NAvigator) indexes thousands of articles about Europe and how the continent is governed. Select “European Organisations” from the list of topics on the left, and a dropdown menu appears. Go to “European Union” for a list of the EU’s governing bodies. You’ll find a brief overview of each one, along with hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of relevant articles.
For the European Parliament…
The European Parliament , the only directly-elected body of the EU, drafts legislation and represents EU citizens. Find documents and articles detailing recent parliamentary votes and decisions.
For the Council of the European Union…
The Council of the European Union is the legislative body of the EU. Look for articles that cover recent parliamentary decisions or go to the top of the page for information on press, policies, contracts, archived documents and more.
For the European Commission…
The European Commission deals with current events and major issues concerning European trade and policy. To learn more, visit the “A to Z” link.
For the European Court of Justice…
The Court of Justice of the European Communities is comprised of three courts and serves as the EU’s judiciary. Use the links on the left to find dropdown menus with more detailed options. Start with “The Institution: The Court of Justice” for an introduction.
For the European Court of Auditors…
The European Court of Auditors oversees EU finances. The Web site presents a series of audit reports and publications; find the latest coverage directly on the homepage.
For the European Central Bank…
The European Central Bank is the central bank for the EU. Go to “The European Central Bank” to learn about the strategy and goals of the Eurosystem.
For the European Economic and Social Committee…
The European Economic and Social Committee is a consultative group that allows EU interest groups a platform to express their opinions on EU issues. Find out what’s on the organization’s current agenda through the “In the spotlight” and “Events calendar” sections, both featured on the homepage.
For the Committee of the Regions…
Committee of the Regions allows local and regional authorities to contribute to official dialog regarding EU matters by giving them say in the development of EU law. Learn more about the organization’s role and position within the EU in the “Presentation” section.
For the European Investment Bank…
The European Investment Bank is the long-term lending bank of the EU. Scroll through “What does the Bank do?” and “How is the Bank’s work organized?” for an overview of the form and function of the organization.
For the European Ombudsman…
The European Ombudsman investigates complaints within the institutions of the European Union. The homepage details the makeup and agenda of the organization through a series of topic headings. Find issues covered beneath each heading along with archived reports, data, speeches and decisions.
EU News
As the European Union expands to include an increasing number of countries, the organization faces ever-changing dynamics and challenges. The following media sources show you the broad range of arguments and perspectives that encompass current European Union debates and news, both from the EU perspective and from external sources, mainstream and independent alike.
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- If you want news from the EU perspective, visit any of the individual branch Web sites recommended in the previous section.
- Although we’ve suggested some worthwhile blogs in this guide, there are thousands of other great resources to choose from. If you like what you see, go to the blogrolls of the sources listed below for more recommendations.
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For media associated with the EU…
European Union - Delegation of the European Commission to the USA details current EU news concerning the relationship between the European Union and the United States. Read the featured articles highlighted on the homepage, or browse by “Policy Areas” (listed on the left) or “Hot Topics” on the right.
Europa Press Room lists press releases in order of their most recent publication. Use the “Live,” “Video,” “Photo” and “Audio” tabs on the left to browse multimedia news sources.
For mainstream media sources…
The BBC ’s ”Inside Europe” section focuses especially on European Union news. Learn about major issues through articles that debate the value of expansion, reform and EU voting issues. Subscribe to the RSS feed, or stream audio or video versions of the news.
The International Herald Tribune is another British news source with an extensive section on European coverage. Although this section doesn’t cover the European Union exclusively, it is a primary theme throughout the site’s European coverage, and articles detailing European Union news abound.
For blogs and independent media…
EU-Digest is a directory of news links related to Europe gathered from around the Web. Links are updated daily and are accompanied with a brief summary. Add comments to the postings to foster the dialog offered by the site.
A Fistful of Euros gives a pan-European perspective on issues relevant to the European Union. The site provides articles daily, and allows users to post comments in response to any discussion. Most of the contributing editors have backgrounds in political journalism, law, political think tanks or academia.
EU Pundit has extensive coverage of EU events, including opinion pieces and articles that refer to major media sources and their coverage of the EU. The blogroll, found on the right, suggests other worthwhile blogs.
For forums…
Debate Europe , hosted by Europa, offers a discussion forum for those interested in debating the current issues of the EU. Forum threads deal with topics such as ”Climate change and energy,” the “Future of Europe” and “Intercultural dialogue.”
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