Tag: trade and trade organisations

Tariffs are taxes that governments levy on imports of goods in order to protect domestic producers and raise revenues for the government. Sometimes tariffs are accompanied by quotas, which set import limits. Sometimes governments are able to restrict trade and protect domestic producers without the use of tariffs. National product safety standards are an example of a non-tariff barrier to trade. For example, by setting national safety standards, a country can effectively bar foreign producers from selling their goods in the country unless they make modifications for that specific national market-usually too costly for a manufacturer to undertake. Non-tariff barriers to trade proliferated during the economic downturn in the 1970s, as national governments sought to protect their domestic producers. 

European Political Co-operation (EPC), the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) are all forms of political co-operation in the EU. This means that they are all programmes that share the goal of co-operation in the 'high politics' of foreign policy, either in the diplomatic or the military realm. These forms of co-operation are intergovernmental, which means that the European Council, and not the Commission, plays a leading role. Most decisions in political co-operation are taken by unanimity, although there are provisions for qualified majority voting in limited circumstances as well as provisions for member states to abstain from voting without blocking the process of political cooperation among other member states.

The European Union was set up as a three-pillar structure, comprising the three Communities (the first pillar), a Common Foreign and Security Policy (the second pillar) and Co-operation on Justice and Home Affairs (the third pillar).

Commissioners are nominated by the President of the Commission and Member States and approved by Heads of State or Government by qualified majority voting followed by approval, as a body, by the European Parliament.

The European Union (EU) has enlarged on seven separate occasions growing from six to nine, then ten, then twelve, then fifteen, then twenty-five and now twenty-seven member states. The first enlargement was in 1973 when Britain, Ireland and Denmark became members. The second enlargement was in 1981 when Greece joined and the third was in 1986 when Spain and Portugal acceded to the Community. The fourth enlargement was that of 1995, which admitted Austria, Finland and Sweden. The fifth enlargement in 2004 was the single biggest expansion of the EU. It brought ten new member states into the EU - eight from Central and Eastern Europe - and two small Mediterranean states - Cyprus and Malta. The sixth enlargement happened in 2007 when Romania and Bulgaria joined and the most recent enlargement was in 2013 when Croatia acceded to the EU.

The European Single Market is a single market which seeks to guarantee the free movement of goods, capital, services, and labour. 

A single market is a market in which most trade barriers have been removed (for goods) with some common policies on product regulation, and freedom of movement of the factors of production (capital and labour) and of enterprise and services including the abolition of passport controls. 

The goal is that the movement of capital, labour, goods, and services between the members is as easy as within them. Control of human trafficking is not a feature of the single market.

The constitutional structure of European Union, as established by the Treaty on European Union 1992, is often described as a Europe of 'variable geometry'. It incorporated both supranational elements (decision-making by the Community institutions, acting partly or entirely independently of the Member States, within the first pillar).

European Political Co-operation (EPC) created an intergovernmental framework for coordination on foreign policy issues. This represented 'deepening' of integration and it allowed Member States to develop common positions on the Middle East (which was important as part of Europe's response to the oil crisis caused by OPEC embargoes), and at the Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe and for UN General Assembly voting. This co-operation was limited. EPC did not take place within the institutional framework of the European Community; co-operation took place purely on an intergovernmental basis, without the involvement of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice. It was also limited-it did not create a foreign minister position. 

Subsidiarity is a general principle of Community law. This principle is intended to ensure that decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen.

The Euro eliminated foreign exchange hurdles encountered by companies doing business across the European border and promoted a free trade policy. This further contributed to a boost in trade among the member nations. Contribution to world peace is not  a direct consequence of adopting a common currency.