THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION.

European Parliament.
The Parliament represents the citizens of the European Union and is elected

democratically by universal suffrage every five years. Each member state chooses its MEPs

(Members of the European Parliament) who are organised into political groups.

The Parliament is one of the legislative branches of the European Union. Its functions are:

make and approve new laws together with the European Council, control the work of the

European Commission and approves the budget.

The headquarter of the Parliament is in Strasbourg, France and the president of the

Parliament is the german Martin Schultz.

European Commission.

The Commission has executive functions: represents the interests of the European

Union, proposes new laws to the Council and the Parliament, enforce the treaties and policies

of the Union and manages the budget.

The Commission is composed by a president (elected by the Parliament in accordance

with the governments of the European Union and some commissioners who are in charge of

different areas (environment, foreign policy, fishery, agriculture, industry, etc).

The headquarter of the Commission is in Brussels, Belgium and the president of the

Commission is the Luxembourgish Jean Claude Juncker.

The European Council.

The Council is composed by the heads of State and government of the different

countries member of the European Union. The Council is responsible for defining the political

decisions and approving new laws.

The headquarter of the European Council is in Brussels, Belgium.

Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers).

The Council represents the government of the member states. It is composed by

ministers from each country of the European Union. The Council meets to discuss different

issues: agriculture, economy, finance, etc. The Council coordinates different policies of the

member states and it is where the most important decisions are taken.

The headquarter of the Council is in Brussels, Belgium.

ACTIVITIES.
1. True or false, change false sentences into true.
1. The headquarter of the European Parliament is in Brussels.
2. The head of the European Commission is elected by the Parliament.
3. Different ministers of each European union country meet to coordinate policies
and take most important decisions.
4. The functions of the European Council are approve new laws and define the
political decisions.
5. The European Parliament is elected by universal suffrage every four years.
6. The members of the European Parliament are organized according to their
respective countries.
7. The European Parliament is the legislative branch of the European Union
together with the European Council.
8. The functions of the European Commission are: enforce the treaties and
policies of the Union, manage the budget and propose new laws to the European
Council.
9. The headquarter of the Parliament is in Milan, Italy.
10. The Commission is composed by a president and some ministers.

2. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT:
- COMPOSITION:

- FUNCTIONS:

- HEADQUARTER:

3. EUROPEAN COMMISSION:
- COMPOSITION:

- FUNCTIONS:

- HEADQUARTER:

4. EUROPEAN COUNCIL AND COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

- COMPOSITION:
 - FUNCTIONS:

- HEADQUARTER:
5. In 1965/1955 __________, the Council of Europe was considering what symbol to adopt for its
own use. After much discussion, the present design was adopted: a circle/square ________ of 12
gold stars on a blue background/front ________.
The number of stars has nothing to do with the number of member states/countries ________ .
There are 12 stars because the number 12 is traditionally the symbol of the perfection/excellence
_____________, completeness and unity. The circle is, among other things, a symbol of unity. So
the European flag was created/born ________, representing the ideal of unity among the peoples
of Europe.
The Council of Europe encouraged other European institutions to adopt the same flag. In
1985/1995 _______, the flag was adopted by all European Union heads of State and governments
as the official logo/emblem _________ of the European Union.

1. Which European institution chose the design of the flag?

2. Describe the flag design.

3. What do the stars represent? And the circle?.

4. What does the flag symbolise?.

6. Match each concept with the right definition: european citizenship, universal suffrage,
economic and monetary union, european regional development fund, Treaty of Paris,
European Parliament, Treaty of Rome, Maastricht Treaty. European Commission, European
Council.
Process initiated in 1990 to coordinate the
economic policies of European Union members
states and prepare them for the adoption of the
single currency.
Voting system in which every adult has the right to
vote, without restrictions.
Legal situation that provides additional rights to
citizens of member states, like the right of free
movement and residence, the right to vote in the
European Union parliamentary elections and the
 local councils elections of your country of
residence.
Established the European Coal and Steel
Community.
Make proposals for new European laws to the
European Parliament and Council, controls the
implementation of common European Union
policies and manages the budget.
Created the European Union and established three
great policies: economic and monetary union,
common foreign and security and cooperation in
judicial and domestic matters.
Fund that offers financial help to less-developed
regions, or those in the process of economic
restructuring or suffering from structural
difficulties.
Members elected by the citizens of the member
countries by universal suffrage every five years.
Together with the Council of Europe, it is the
legislative branch of the European Union.
Constituted the European Economic Community
or Common Market. It was signed by the Benelux
countries, France, West Germany and Italy.
Heads of State or government of all member
States. It takes the decisions about European
Union policies. Together with the Parliament, it is
the legislative branch.

Answer the questions.

When was the European Community / Common Market established?

Where does the European Parliament meet?

How many countries are there in the European Union? Name them.

How many languages are spoken in the EU?

Which are the official languages of the EU?

When did Spain join the European Union?

Which are the largest and the smallest member states of the EU in terms of population?

Which are the largest and the smallest member states of the EU in terms of size?

Name at least five of the many institutions in the European Union.

What are the symbols of the European Union?

What is the date of the Europe Day?

¿Qué es la UE?
La Unión Europea es una asociación económica y política única en su género y compuesta por

28 países europeos que abarcan juntos gran parte del continente.

El origen de la UE se encuentra en el periodo posterior a la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Sus

primeros pasos consistieron en impulsar la cooperación económica con la idea de que, a medida

que aumentara la interdependencia económica entre los países, disminuirían las posibilidades

de conflicto.

En 1958 se creó, pues, la Comunidad Económica Europea (CEE), que en un principio establecía

una cooperación económica cada vez más estrecha entre seis países: Alemania, Bélgica,

Francia, Italia, Luxemburgo y los Países Bajos. Posteriormente, se creó un gran mercado único

que sigue avanzando hacia el logro de todo su potencial.

De la unión económica a la unión política

Y lo que comenzó como una unión meramente económica ha evolucionado hasta convertirse en

una organización activa en todos los frentes políticos, desde el clima hasta el medio ambiente

y desde la salud hasta las relaciones exteriores y la seguridad, pasando por la justicia y la

migración. El cambio de nombre de Comunidad Económica Europea (CEE) a Unión Europea (UE),

en 1993, no hizo sino reflejar esta transformación.

La UE se basa en el Estado de Derecho: todas sus actividades se basan en los tratados,

acordados voluntaria y democráticamente por los países miembros.

Además, la UE se rige por el principio de democracia representativa: los ciudadanos están

directamente representados en el Parlamento Europeo, mientras que los Estados miembros

tienen su representación en el Consejo Europeo y el Consejo de la UE.

Los tratados de la UE.
Tratado CECA (1951)

Tratado CEE (1957)

Tratado EURATOM (1957)

Acta única europea (1986)

Tratado de Maastricht sobre la Unión Europea (1992)

Tratado de Ámsterdam (1997)

Tratado de Niza: instrucciones de uso (2001)

Una constitución para Europa (octubre 2004)

-El Tratado constitutivo de la Comunidad Europea del Carbón y del Acero (CECA), firmado

el 18 de abril de 1951 en París, entró en vigor el 23 de julio de 1952 y expiró el 23 de julio de

2002.

- El Tratado de fusión, firmado en Bruselas el 8 de abril de 1965, entró en vigor el 1 de julio

de 1967. Estableció una sola Comisión y un solo Consejo para las tres Comunidades Europeas

entonces existentes. Tratado de Roma.

- El Acta Única Europea, firmada en Luxemburgo y La Haya, entró en vigor el 1 de julio de

1987. Introdujo las adaptaciones necesarias para completar el mercado interior

- El Tratado de la Unión Europea, firmado en Maastricht el 7 de febrero de 1992, entró en

vigor el 1 de noviembre de 1993. El "Tratado de Maastricht" cambió el nombre de "Comunidad

Económica Europea" por el más simple de "Comunidad Europea". También introdujo nuevas

formas de cooperación entre los gobiernos de los Estados miembros (por ejemplo, en defensa

y justicia e interior). Al añadir esta cooperación intergubernamental al sistema "comunitario"

existente, el Tratado de Maastricht creó una nueva estructura con tres "pilares", de

naturaleza tanto económica como política: la Unión Europea.

- El Tratado de Niza, firmado el 26 de febrero de 2001, entró en vigor el 1 de febrero de

2003. Sobre todo, reformó las instituciones para que la Unión pudiera funcionar eficazmente

tras su ampliación a 25 Estados miembros. El Tratado de Niza, el antiguo Tratado de la UE y

el Tratado CE han sido fusionados en una versión consolidada.