State Functions and European Union Integration

The Concept of the State and Its Functions

A State is a set of institutions created to organize the life and activity of people who live in the same territory and under the same power. The population consists of people living in the territory of a State who are subject to its laws and the state itself, possessing both rights and duties.

Functions of State Power

The functions of state power include:

• Establishing laws to ensure compliance through the judiciary.
• Maintaining order and security from the inside to the outside.
• Exercising exclusive competence in foreign policy.
• Raising taxes and directing the economy.
• Managing and administering public services, collective infrastructure, and facilities.

Legal Framework and Administration

The Constitution is the fundamental set of laws established by vote. It is determined by the government, establishes the rights and duties of citizens, and defines the institutions and the functioning of the state. Officials are political office holders or state workers who acquire their positions through competitions.

The Division of Powers

• Parliament: Creates laws and serves as the legislative branch, which controls the government.
• The Government: Determines policy and applies the direction followed by the State through the administration (performing the executive function).
• The Judiciary: Applies the law.

Forms of Government and Organizations

In a Monarchy, there is a king. In a Republic, a democracy exists. In an Absolute Monarchy, the king holds the sovereignty. In a Dictatorship, a person, with the support of a political party, group, or ethnic group, governs with absolute power. NGOs are organizations that do not depend on governments and are, in principle, independent of states and political parties.

The European Union: History and Objectives

The Treaty of Rome (1957) created a free flow of goods, services, people, and capital. This was followed by the Treaty on European Union (1992).

EU Objectives

• Promotion of economic and social progress.
• Affirmation of the European identity on the international level.
• Implementation of European citizenship.
• Development of an area of freedom, security, and justice.
• Maintenance and development of a sense of community.

EU Institutions

• European Council: Responsible for defining general guidelines for action and development.
• Cabinet (Council of the EU): Makes the most important decisions and coordinates the actions of the various States.
• European Parliament: Performs the legislative function of the EU.
• European Commission: Performs the executive function of the EU.
• Court of Justice: Performs the judicial function of the EU.

Spain's Integration into the European Union

Spain joined the EEC in 1986. The economic and social development that Spain enjoys today is due to the process of European integration. The use of European funds has supported:

• Construction of roads and the expansion of airports and the extension of ports.
• Educational programs and the European Health Card (which ensures medical and surgical treatment inside and outside Spain).
• Restoration projects such as the Patio of the Lions in the Alhambra, the Monastery of Guadalupe, and the restoration of the Liceu in Barcelona.