European Union: History, Institutions, and Spain's Membership

Spain and the European Union

In 1985, Spain signed the Act of Accession to the European Economic Community (EEC). The right to basic human rights has always been, and remains, an indispensable precondition for EEC membership. Today, the European Union comprises 27 countries.

The Formation of the European Union

Treaty of Rome (1957)

In 1957, France, the then Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Belgium, and Luxembourg signed the founding treaty. This treaty provided for the gradual formation of a common market and the implementation of common institutions to coordinate policies among member countries. Thus, the EEC was born. In the agricultural field, a coordinated policy, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), began in 1961.

In 1987, the Single European Act finally abolished all tariffs on goods crossing borders. Additionally, people and capital could circulate freely between member countries. Programs were introduced to help the poorest regions – the European Social Fund (ESF), European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and Cohesion Funds – along with new common policies in environment and research.

In 1993, with the Maastricht Treaty, member countries agreed to rename the community as the European Union (EU). It was decided to complete the economic union with the creation of the European Central Bank and monetary union, which was introduced in 2002.

The European Council

The European Council comprises the 27 heads of state. Meetings are held at least four times a year. Each state has a number of votes proportional to its population's weight in the total EU population. The presidency rotates every six months. Javier Solana, a Spaniard, served as Secretary-General and High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Decisions require a majority of 232 votes, or 72.3%.

Its powers include:

• Approve subject-specific laws (e.g., agriculture, research, environment).
• Approve Union proposals.
• Coordinate economic policies of member countries.
• Approve the EU's international agreements with other countries.

The European Parliament

The European Parliament is an assembly consisting of 785 members. It exercises legislative power and approves the budget previously prepared by the Commission. Members of Parliament are organized into political groups, not national groups.

The European Commission

The European Commission is composed of 27 commissioners, one from each country. They have the power to draft and execute EU laws and the budget. It functions similarly to a national government.

Court of Justice of the European Union

The Court of Justice of the European Union is composed of 27 judges, appointed for six-year terms. It serves as the judiciary, ruling on incompatibilities that may arise between the laws of member countries and EU law.