How does the European Union work?

What are the origins of anglictina/the-european-union-13149/" class="wiki-link" title="Viac o: the european union">the European Union? The European Union, or the European (Economic) Community as it was originally known, arose from the ashes of World War Two. Its goal was then as it is now to ensure peace, prosperity and a new start for a continent whose political and economic foundations had effectively dis­integrated. A number of different organizations, with different priorities, were established in order that this goal could be realized.

Focusing on military and security issues were the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Western European Union (WEU), while the founding of the Council of Europe in 1949 sought to encourage political cooperation between the countries of Europe. The precursor of today's European Union was effectively the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which came into force in 1952. Unlike other organizations, its six founder members - Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Luxem­bourg and the Netherlands - quite consciously sought to sow the seeds of greater European integration and lasting peace by pooling all their coal and steel production under this single organization.

The adherence to the goal of European unity through economic integration was further enhanced by the Six agreeing the terms of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and, in March 1957, the European Economic Community (EEC). Has not the European Union always been about economic integration, over and above political union? Yes and no, for while the Community's goal has always been to bring about peace and prosperity for its citizens within the framework of an "ever closer union", this has been found more difficult to achieve than predicted. For instance, while economic integration was being put into place in the 1950s, attempts were also being made to introduce more political elements of integration. One of the most overt instances of this was the French Government's launch of a plan to set up a European Defence Community in 1950. This had to be abandoned in 1954 when the French National Assembly refused to endorse it.

The next major attempt was made in the early 1960s when the six founder countries instructed a committee to come up with proposals, known as the "Founchet plans".