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The European Union is. Composition of the European Union

To join the European Union, a candidate country must meet the Copenhagen criteria, adopted in June 1993 at the European Council in Copenhagen and approved in December 1995 at the European Council in Madrid. The criteria require that the state respect democratic principles, the principles of freedom and respect for human rights, as well as the principle of the rule of law. Also, the country must have a competitive market economy, and must recognize general rules and EU standards, including commitment to the goals of political, economic and monetary union.

No state has left the union, but Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, left in 1985. The Lisbon Treaty provides for the conditions and procedure for the withdrawal of any state from the union.

During negotiations with each candidate country, it is regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with the Copenhagen criteria. Based on this, a decision is made as to whether and when accession is possible, or what actions must be taken before joining.

The criteria for Membership of the European Union are defined in accordance with these three documents:

1. 1992 Maastricht Agreement (Article 49) - geographical and general political criteria
2. Declaration of the European Council of June 1993 in Copenhagen, that is, the Copenhagen Criteria - a more detailed description of the general policy

political;

economic;

legislative.

3. Structure of negotiations with a candidate state

definition and detailing of conditions;

a statement emphasizing that a new member cannot join the union unless the EU itself has sufficient “absorption capacity” to do so.

Political criteria:

1. Democracy

A functioning democratic government must ensure equal right for all citizens of the country the opportunity to participate in political decision-making processes at all levels of government, from local government to national. It is necessary to have free elections while maintaining the secrecy of voting, the right to create political parties without any interference from the state, fair and equal access to a free press; free trade union organizations, freedom of personal opinion, and executive branch must be limited by laws and the court must be independent of it.

2. Rule of law

The rule of law implies that a government body can act only within the framework of laws that have been adopted in the prescribed manner. The principle is intended to protect against arbitrary power.

3. Human rights

Human rights are “inalienable” and belong to all people, that is, they cannot be assigned, granted, limited, exchanged, or sold (for example, a person cannot sell himself into slavery). These include the right to life, the right to be tried only according to the laws that exist at the time the crime was committed, the right to be free from slavery, and the right to be free from torture.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is considered the most authoritative document in the field of human rights, although it does not have as effective an enforcement mechanism as the European Convention on Human Rights. Several countries that have recently joined the EU in order to implement major legislative reforms are also required to comply with the requirements of this convention. public services and the judicial system. Many of the changes have to do with the freedoms and rights of ethnic and religious minorities, or the elimination of inequalities in treatment between different political groups.

4. Respect and protection of minority rights

Members of such national minorities should be able to preserve their distinct culture and have the right to their own language (so far as this is not inconsistent with respect for the rights of others, as well as democratic procedures and the general rule of law), and should not suffer any discrimination.

The relevant Council of Europe convention on this issue was a major breakthrough in this area. However, the convention still does not include a clear definition of such minorities. As a result, many of the signatory states have added official statements describing who is considered a minority in their country. Many other signatories simply stated that they did not have any national minorities.

There has been a consensus (among the legal experts of the so-called Venice Commission) that this convention applies to any ethnic, linguistic or religious group that defines itself as distinctive, which forms a historical part of the population and a current minority in a clearly defined area, and which maintains stable and friendly relations with the state in which it lives. Some experts and countries want to go further. However, some minority groups, such as immigrants, who are not mentioned anywhere, are concerned about the convention.

Economic criteria, broadly speaking, require that candidate countries have a functioning market economy and that their producers can cope with competitive pressures within the Union.

Legal alignment is, formally, not a Copenhagen criterion. An additional requirement is that all potential members must bring their laws into line with the principles of European law that have developed throughout the history of the Union, known as Community Acts.

Currently, 5 countries have candidate status: Turkey, Iceland, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, while Macedonia and Serbia have not yet begun accession negotiations. The remaining Western Balkan states, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, are included in the official expansion program. Kosovo is also included in this program, but the European Commission does not classify it as independent states, since the country’s independence from Serbia is not recognized by all members of the union.

The three Western European states that chose not to join the union participate partially in the union economy and follow some directives: Liechtenstein and Norway are part of the common market through the European economic zone Switzerland has similar relations, having concluded bilateral treaties. The dwarf states of Europe, Andorra, Vatican City, Monaco and San Marino, use the euro and maintain relations with the union through various cooperation agreements.

Today the EU is in the process of joining 14 new states. Ten of the Nice Treaty candidate states that made up the “first wave” of enlargement have already joined the Union in 2004, with another 2 or 3 joining in the “second wave” in 2007.

The procedure for the accession of new states to the EU after the Amsterdam changes is regulated by the founding document of the Union. The Maastricht Treaty on the EU of 1992 enshrines in Art. 49 basic requirements for a state that wishes to obtain EU membership, as well as the procedure for admitting new members.

Basic requirements for a candidate state:

The state must be “European”, which means that the country belongs to European civilization, regardless of geographical location;

The State must respect the principles set out in Art. 6 (1) EU Treaty: principles of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.

Back in June 1993, the European Union, at a meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen, specified additional conditions for the admission of new states to the organization by defining the “Copenhagen criteria”:

1) stability of state and public institutions;

2) guarantees of democracy;

3) the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the protection of national minorities;

4) the presence of a normally functioning market economy, effective management and stable financial position.

In December 1994, at a meeting of the European Council in Essen, based on the “Copenhagen criteria”, specific requirements were developed for candidate states, the fulfillment of which is necessary for accession to the EU.

A state that meets the requirements can apply to join the EU. It is being considered by the Council. To give consent to the entry of a candidate state, a unanimous decision of this institution is necessary. The vote on approval of the application is preceded by a period of negotiations between the candidate state and the Commission, for which the latter is authorized by the Council.

The results of the negotiations, together with an analysis of the state of affairs in the candidate state (for compliance with accession requirements), are reflected in the reports of the Commission. Before a positive decision by the Council, the application must be approved by the European Parliament: it is considered approved if an absolute majority of Members of Parliament votes for it.

Next, a special conference is convened, at which an accession treaty is concluded with the candidate state, subject to ratification by all member states in accordance with their ratification procedures, as well as its ratification in the candidate state itself. If all stages are successfully completed, the state becomes a full member of the EU.

Treaty of Accession 2003

Chronologically, the last and fifth Treaty of Accession was signed in Athens on April 16, 2003. This is the “first wave” of modern EU enlargement. Joined: Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.

The EU today unites 25 member states. These include Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Four candidate states are planning to join the EU in the near future - Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and Turkey. The joining of the first three of them will most likely take place in 2007.

Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are not members of the EU, but with them the Union has the closest economic ties (economic space), implying a common legal regulation based on harmonized legal norms. A similar economic and legal connection is planned to be created in the near future and with Russian Federation based on the Common European Economic Area.

Special territories outside Europe that are part of the European Union: Azores, Guadeloupe, Canary Islands, Madeira, Martinique, Melilla, Reunion, Ceuta, French Guiana.

Also, according to Article 182 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), Member States of the European Union associate with the European Union lands and territories outside Europe that maintain special relations with:

Denmark - Greenland.

France - New Caledonia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, French Polynesia, Mayotte Wallis and Futuna, French Southern and Antarctic Territories.

The Netherlands - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles.

United Kingdom - Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British territories V Indian Ocean, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands.

The Copenhagen Criteria are criteria for countries to join the European Union, which were adopted in June 1993 at the European Council meeting in Copenhagen and confirmed in December 1995 at the European Council meeting in Madrid. The criteria require that the state respect democratic principles, the principles of freedom and respect for human rights, as well as the principle of the rule of law (Article 6, Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union). The country must also have a competitive market economy and accept common EU rules and standards, including commitment to the goals of political, economic and monetary union.

The criteria for Membership of the European Union are defined in accordance with these three documents:

1. 1992 Maastricht Agreement (Article 49) – geographical and general political criteria

2. Declaration of the European Council of June 1993 in Copenhagen, i.e. Copenhagen Criteria - a more detailed description of the general policy

· political

economic

· legislative

3. Structure of negotiations with a candidate state

· definition and detailing of conditions

· a statement emphasizing that a new member cannot join the union if the EU itself does not have sufficient “absorption capacity” to do so.

Geographical criteria

The 1992 European Union Agreement, or Maachstrist Agreement, states that any European country that complies with EU principles can apply to join. There are no clarifications regarding the possibility of admitting non-European countries to the union, but the precedents of the rejection of Morocco's application and the dialogue on close integration of Israel, in the format “barring full membership”, indicate that the accession of non-European states to the EU is impossible. However, the determination of whether a country is “European” can be assigned, for example, by the European Commission or the European Council. There have been debates about this regarding Cyprus, an island that is geographically Asian; but extensive historical, cultural and political connections with other European countries allow it to be considered as a European country in a non-geographical context. There are also parts of EU member states outside Europe - for example, French Guiana is in South America and is part of the EU, being an integral part French Republic. The island of Greenland, being part of the North American continent, joined the European Economic Community in 1973 as a dependent part of Denmark, but decided to leave the EEC in 1983, four years after gaining full independence.

There has been great debate as to whether Türkiye is European country, based on the fact that only 3% of its territories are in geographical Europe (west of Istanbul), and its capital, Ankara, is located in Asia. Some observers have emphasized that many European states do not want Turkey to join the EU, arguing that a country where more than 90% of the population professes Islam cannot be part of Europe, where the main religion is Christianity. There are also many other economic and political arguments that oppose Turkish membership. The EU began accession negotiations with Ankara on October 3, 2005; however, according to the Negotiating Framework with Turkey, which was adopted on the same day, negotiations remain "an open process, the outcome of which cannot be guaranteed in advance."

Proponents of expansion also argue that between Anatolian and European history there are many similarities from Alexander the Great to Ottoman Empire, and that the geographical argument does not play a decisive role in this case.

Also, “non-European” states, without the right to be members, can claim some degree of integration with the EU, described in the relevant international agreements.

Political criteria

1. Democracy

A functioning democratic government must ensure that all citizens of a country have an equal right to participate in political decision-making processes at all levels of government, from local government to national government. There must be free elections with respect for the secrecy of voting, the right to create political parties without any interference from the state, fair and equal access to a free press; free trade union organizations, freedom of personal opinion, and the executive power must be limited by laws and the court must be independent of it.

2. Rule of law

The rule of law implies that a government body can act only within the framework of laws that have been adopted in the prescribed manner. The principle is intended to protect against arbitrary power.

3. Human rights

Human rights are rights that every person has because he/they are a human being, human rights are “inalienable” and belong to all people. Since it is an inalienable right, this means that it cannot be assigned, granted, limited, exchanged, or sold (for example, a person cannot sell himself into slavery). These include the right to life, the right to be tried only according to the laws that exist at the time the crime was committed, the right to be free from slavery, and the right to be free from torture.

The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is considered the most authoritative statement in the field of human rights, although it does not have as effective an enforcement mechanism as the European Convention on Human Rights. Several countries that have recently joined the EU are also required to comply with the requirements of this convention in order to implement major reforms of legislation, public services and the judicial system. Many of the changes have to do with the freedoms and rights of ethnic and religious minorities, or the elimination of inequalities in treatment between different political groups.

4. Respect and protection of minority rights

Members of such national minorities should be able to maintain their distinct culture and have the right to their own language (so far as this is not inconsistent with respect for the rights of others, as well as democratic procedures and the general rule of law), and should not suffer any discrimination

The relevant Council of Europe convention on this issue was a major breakthrough in this area. However, the convention still does not include a clear definition of such minorities. As a result, many of the signatory states have added official statements describing who is considered a minority in their country. Some examples are presented below. Statements made in connection with Treaty No. 157 Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities include:

in Denmark: "German minority in South Jutland";

in Germany: “Danes of German citizenship and members of the Lusatian Sorbs of people with German citizenship…. ethnic groups traditionally living in Germany, Frisians of German citizenship and Sinti and Roma of German citizenship";

in Slovenia: "Italian and Hungarian national minorities"

in the United Kingdom there are Cornish minorities in Cornwall and Irish nationalists and republicans in Northern Ireland.

in Austria, Serbian, Croatian, Slovenian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Gypsy and Sinti groups.

in Romania (Romania recognizes 20 national minorities - the electoral law guarantees them parliamentary representation)

in Ireland: Irish Travellers.

Many other signatories simply stated that they did not have any national minorities.

There has been a consensus (among legal experts, the so-called Venice groups) that this convention applies to any ethnic, linguistic or religious group that defines itself as distinctive, which forms a historical part of the population and a current minority in a clearly defined area, and which maintains stable and friendly relations with the state in which it lives. Some experts and countries want to go further. However, some minority groups, such as immigrants, who are not mentioned anywhere, are concerned about the convention.

Economic criteria

Economic criteria, broadly speaking, require that candidate countries have a functioning market economy and that their producers can cope with competitive pressures within the Union.

Legal alignment

And finally, formally, not the Copenhagen criterion. An additional requirement is that all potential members must bring their laws into line with the principles of European law that have developed throughout the history of the Union, known as Community Acts.

Today the EU is in the process of joining 14 new states. Ten of the candidate states identified in the Nice Treaty and making up the “first wave” of enlargement have already joined the Union in 2004, with another 2 or 3 joining in the “second wave” in 2007.
The procedure for the accession of new states to the EU after the Amsterdam changes is regulated by the founding document of the Union. The Maastricht Treaty on the EU of 1992 enshrines in Art. 49 basic requirements for a state that wishes to obtain EU membership, as well as the procedure for admitting new members.
Basic requirements for a candidate state:
the state must be “European,” which means that the country belongs to European civilization, regardless of geographical location;
The state must respect the principles set out in Art. 6 (1) EU Treaty: principles of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.
Back in June 1993, the European Union, at a meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen, specified additional conditions for the admission of new states to the organization by defining the “Copenhagen criteria”:
1) stability of state and public institutions;
2) guarantees of democracy;
3) the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the protection of national minorities;
4) the presence of a normally functioning market economy, effective management and a stable financial situation.
In December 1994, at a meeting of the European Council in Essen, based on the “Copeng-Gen criteria”, specific requirements were developed for candidate states, the fulfillment of which is necessary for accession to the EU.
A state that meets the requirements can apply to join the EU. It is being considered by the Council. To give consent to the entry of a candidate state, a unanimous decision of this institution is necessary. The vote on approval of the application is preceded by a period of negotiations between the candidate state and the Commission, for which the latter is authorized by the Council. The results of the negotiations, together with an analysis of the state of affairs in the candidate state (for compliance with accession requirements), are reflected in the reports of the Commission. Before a positive decision by the Council, the application must be approved by the European Parliament: it is considered approved if an absolute majority of Members of Parliament votes for it.
Next, a special conference is convened, at which an accession treaty is concluded with the candidate state, subject to ratification by all member states in accordance with their ratification procedures, as well as its ratification in the candidate state itself. With positive passage of all stages, the state becomes gender
1. a legal member of the EU.
Treaty of Accession 2003 Chronologically, the last and fifth Treaty of Accession was signed in Athens on April 16, 2003. This is the “first wave” of modern EU enlargement. Joined: Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.
The EU today unites 25 member states. These include Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland , Slovenia and Slovakia.
Four candidate states are planning to join the EU in the near future - Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and Turkey. The joining of the first three of them will most likely take place in 2007.
Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are not members of the EU, but with them the Union has the closest economic ties (economic space), implying common legal regulation based on harmonized legal norms. A similar economic and legal connection is planned to be created in the near future with the Russian Federation on the basis of the Common European Economic Space.

Conditions And order introductions new state-donations-members. Today EU is in the process of joining it new 14 states.
State, meeting the requirements can apply for introduction V EU. It is being considered by the Council.

Compound And territory EU. Conditions And order introductions new state-donations-members. Today EU is in the process of joining it new 14 states. Ten of states-cand... more ».

Signing and introduction by virtue of the Euratom Treaty coincides with the Treaty on EU.
After creation EU citizens states-members purchased additional European» citizenship
create new organizations, make changes and additions to existing...

Compound And order formation European commissions. Legal status members commissions.
The Commission is formed for a period of five years jointly by the Council EU And European parliament: appointment members Commissions are carried out by the Council (qualified...

His decisions are binding on everyone state-you, institutions, citizens and individuals EU.
(Rules procedures) 1991 Compound The court is formed from two categories members: judges and
After introductions V Union in 1995 three new states it was decided to keep it at five...

Union and his citizenship and introduced new legislative procedure- joint decision-making, i.e. adoption of NA and other acts EU implementation
European parliament sits in French city Strasbourg. Compound And order formation.

Enshrined in Art. 4 Agreements on EU. IN compound European the board includes leaders
Meetings European council initially took place at territories
introductions V Union new states-members, in the capital of Belgium (and unofficial capital EU)...

"Euro area": concept and compound. The term "euro area" refers to the total territory states - members EU who moved to the third stage of the Economic and Monetary union and introduced the euro as a single currency.
4. New states-members.

"The Council consists of a representative of each states-member at ministerial level, empowered to create obligations for their governments." Compound: 25 national ministers (Treaty of EU allows any authorized person to sit on the Council...

Principle free movement workers within common market EU.
members their families for free residence and choice of place of residence in territories states-members.
Gosu-donations-members allowed to restrict the freedom of movement of workers for reasons...

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As the European Communities expanded, the conditions and procedure for accession became more complex. Any state is considered European, at least part of which is located in Europe.

In ****, Morocco's application to join the European Union was rejected. It did not meet the first requirement to join the EU.

EU accession procedure:

1. The candidate country sends its application to Advice

2. Commission expresses his preliminary opinion. Commission indicates either to begin negotiations with the candidate, or not to begin them, or to wait until the candidate country fulfills certain conditions for starting negotiations.

3. In case of positive opinion Commissions Accession negotiations begin. The purpose of the negotiations is to develop a draft agreement, which should determine the conditions for admission to EU and changes to fundamental treaties. At all stages of negotiations, member states adhere to a common position, which is approved Council. After completion of negotiations, the draft agreement is signed by representatives of the member states EU and the candidate country.

4. Consultation with Commission, which expresses its opinion regarding the signed agreement. This is a purely formal act that must take place.

5. Parliament must also express his opinion regarding the application to join EU. Parliament has the right of veto. A positive decision is made by majority vote European Parliament.

7. Ratification of the treaty by the signatory states in accordance with the constitutional order. On the part of the Member States there is unanimity rule(if at least one country opposes the treaty, then it is not accepted).

Membership in the EU is unlimited. The Treaty does not contain a single provision that would allow a state that has joined the EU to be excluded from its membership. There is also no provision for a voluntary exit from the EU.

The European Union has strict membership rules that are constantly changing. 15 countries, including 3 candidate countries, discussed and signed the so-called Copenhagen EU Membership Criteria in Copenhagen in June 1993. These criteria formed the basis for further EU enlargement.

Copenhagen Criteria

1. Political criteria: stability of institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights, respect and protection of the rights of minorities.

2. Economic criteria: the existence of a functioning market economy, as well as the ability to operate in conditions of market competition and market competition and market forces of the union.

3. Administrative criteria: the ability to assume the obligations of a member of the union, which includes: commitment to the principles of political, economic and monetary union. And also the creation of conditions for integration by means of adaptation of the administrative national system for the effective functioning of the relevant administrative and legal systems of the EU.

One of the most important conditions accession and admission to the EU – the ability to accept and apply acquis communautaire. The importance of this was emphasized at the Madrid Summit in 1995.

EU Eastern Enlargement (May 2004 – January 2007)

The program for preparing candidate countries for accession to the EU includes the following elements:

1. Development of an accession strategy (adopted by the European Council in Germany in 1994). The essence of the strategy is the gradual expansion of bilateral European Agreements with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

2. Preparing the candidate's country for the start of official negotiations. Familiarization with acquis communautaire. Identification of the provisions and issues that should be the subject of negotiations for the candidate country.

3. Creation of so-called partnerships for the purpose of accession. Their material base is funds financial institutions. the main task– identification of bottlenecks preventing the integration of candidate countries into the Single Internal Market system.

4. Constant monitoring by the Commission of the progress of work in individual countries and annual publication of the Commission’s findings. Over the past 10 years, accession dates for candidate countries have been repeatedly postponed. The issue of EU enlargement would be finally resolved in Brussels in 2002. A number of countries already meet the basic accession criteria. At this meeting, it was decided to complete negotiations with 10 countries and sign an agreement on their accession to the EU in April 2003. At the same meeting it was noted that by the beginning of 2004 these 10 countries will become full members of the EU. At this summit it was stated that Bulgaria and Romania would be able to join the EU no earlier than 2004. The 5th enlargement of the EU took place on May 5, 2004, when 10 new countries were admitted to the EU: Hungary, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Estonia. *** Croatia, Macedonia and Türkiye are candidates for EU membership.

Treaty and ... Lisbon Treaty.

1. Principles and values

2. EU institutions

3. Changes and additions made by the Lisbon Treaty

The Lisbon Treaty was signed on December 13, 2007. He introduced a number of new provisions that confirmed the democratic nature of the European Union:

1. Making it mandatory legal force EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (2000).

2. Accession of the EU to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

3. Introduction of a new section dedicated to the democratic principles of building a representative system in the EU.

a. Introduction of direct legislative initiative of citizens.

b. Strengthening the role of representative institutions at EU level.

c. A noticeable increase in the participation of national parliaments in making pan-European decisions.

d. Democratization of the decision-making process itself, i.e. by 2014 they will be adopted on the basis of a general or special legislative procedure by a qualified majority.

4. Reform of the EU structure and consolidation of its order. In accordance with the Lisbon Treaty, it was liquidated system of three pillars of the European Communities. The term community itself has disappeared. The treaty was called the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Along with the Treaty on the European Union, the legal basis EU. The institutional structure is being reformed. The treaty also introduced a unified legal system. A new clause was introduced in paragraph 1 of the Lisbon Treaty (preamble). It states that the European Union is based on the cultural, religious and humanitarian heritage of Europe.

1. Contribute to the establishment of peace and EU values, the growth of the well-being of the people.

2. Provide EU citizens with a space of security, freedom and legality.

3. Promote the development of the Single Internal Market.

4. Ensure the development of an economic and monetary union.

The Lisbon Treaty stated that the principle of subsidiarity does not apply within the exclusive competence of the EU. The EU intervenes only in cases where EU goals cannot be achieved in other ways.

... the procedure for the participation of national parliaments in solving problems of subsidiarity. Special attention given in the agreement to the definition of the place and role general principles in the EU legal system.

The work of the EU is carried out on the basis of: EU Institutions, Bodies and Organizations.

7 EU Institutions:

1. European Parliament

2. European Council

3. Council of Ministers

4. European Court

5. Accounts Chamber

6. European Central Bank

European Council and European Central Bank – official institutions EU.

The European Parliament, together with the Council, exercises legislative and budgetary functions, as well as political control and advisory functions. The European Parliament, in accordance with Article 9, elects the President of the European Commission.

The European Parliament consists of representatives of EU citizens, and not of the peoples of EU countries, as was previously the case. The number of members of the European Parliament should not exceed 750+1. On this moment there are 736 of them. Representation of states is ensured by the application of the principles of digressive proportionality, the minimum threshold of which is 6 members of parliament from an EU member state. But, no state can have more than 96 seats in parliament. Members of the European Parliament are elected by direct secret universal suffrage. The European Parliament elects a President and a Bureau from among itself.

European Council

The European Council is the supreme body political leadership EU. ... In accordance with the Lisbon Treaty, the European Council has the right to take politically binding decisions. However, he does not have the right to pass laws. … The European Council consists of the heads of state or government of the member states plus the President of the European Commission.

The Lisbon Treaty established that the EU High Representative for foreign affairs and security policies. The Chairman/President is elected by a qualified majority for a term of 2.5 years. He can be re-elected only once. The agreement approved the provision that the chairman could be replaced in the event of serious misconduct or difficulty in fulfilling his duties.

The Lisbon Treaty established the functions...:

1. He presides over meetings and directs the work.

2. Ensures the preparation and continuity of decisions of the European Council in cooperation with the President of the European Commission.

3. The President/President of the European Council ensures the coordination of positions within the European Council, and also ensures the search for consensus when making decisions.

4. Report to the European Parliament on the results of the session of the European Council. The President/President of the European Council is the external representative of the Union in the field of foreign and security policy. The President of the European Council may not hold office in any EU Member State.

The European Council meets twice a year for its regular meetings.

Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers, together with the European Parliament, exercises legislative and budgetary powers. Participates in defining policies and coordinating them as required by the contract.

The Council of Ministers consists of representatives of each member state. The Council of Ministers can exercise veto power. The Treaty stipulated that, from November 2014, a qualified majority is determined by at least 55% of the members of the Council and includes a minimum of 15 states that represent at least 65% of the EU population. The blocking minority consists of at least 4 council members. Without which a qualified majority is considered achieved.

The Council prepares meetings of the European Council and ensures their acceptability and consistency. It promotes institutional cooperation through interaction between the President of the Council and the President of the European Commission.

The Council of Ministers holds open meetings in the event of the adoption of legislative acts.

According to the Lisbon Treaty, the Commission:

1. Defends and promotes the common interests of the EU.

2. Monitors compliance by EU member states with treaties and acts adopted by EU institutions.

3. Supervises compliance with EU law (together with the European Court).

4. Ensures budget execution and management of related programs.

5. Provides external representation of the Union.

6. Implements initiatives related to the annual programming and planning of EU activities.

The European Commission almost monopolizes the right of legislative initiative. EU legislation is adopted only on the basis of proposals from the European Commission. The mandate of the commission, like the mandate of the European Parliament, is for a period of 5 years. The European Commission is completely independent in its actions.

From November 2014, the commission will consist of a number of members, including a chairman and a high representative corresponding to two thirds of the EU member states, unless the European Council changes their number.

The Lisbon Treaty defined the main functions of the chairman..., he:

1. determines the orientation of the commission’s activities

2. resolves issues internal organization commissions

3. appoints his deputies from among the members of the commission

4. dismisses the members of the European Commission in accordance with the rules established by the Lisbon Treaty.

It should be noted that there is a possibility of replacing the chairman of the commission. In this case, the new candidate for the post of chairman of the commission must receive the support of the majority of deputies. If the majority of deputies do not support this candidacy, then the European Council will, within 1 month, recommend another candidacy for the post of President of the European Commission.

12.12.2011 11:38:46

A separate article is devoted... The High Representative is appointed by the European Council, who makes a decision by a qualified majority with the consent of the chairman of the commission. Only the European Council has the right to recall the High Representative.

The High Representative brings to life foreign policy and EU security policy. He develops proposals for the development and implementation of EU policy. He chairs the Foreign Affairs Council. Regarding the EU judicial system, the Lisbon Treaty confirmed the reform in relation to the judicial system determined by the Nice Treaty of 2001. The Reform Treaty provides that the EU judicial system includes:

· court of general jurisdiction,

· specialized courts.

The court of general jurisdiction has the same functions as the court of first instance. The Lisbon Treaty provides for an increase in the number of Advocates General to 11. Of these, 6 will be permanent Advocates General. Currently they are recommended by countries such as England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. A representative of Poland is added to them. 5 Advocates General will be appointed on the basis of the principle of rotation from representatives of other EU states.

Introduction.

Joining the EU has a significant impact on the transformation of the national legal systems of member states. Changes are being made to national constitutions and legislation regulating public relations in the area transferred to the jurisdiction of the EU. In France, a new chapter dedicated to the Communities and the Union has been introduced into the Constitution; in Germany, almost a third of the provisions of the basic law are being revised to one degree or another; in Ireland, the principles of building the institutional structure of the state have been transformed. Almost all EU member states, being or joining the EU, are forced to adapt their national legal systems and practices to the provisions of European law.

Subject, goals and objectives of the study.

The subject of the work research is the study public relations related to the functioning of the EU enlargement mechanism, the procedure for admitting members to the EU and the consequences of accession.

The main goal of the work is to analyze the formation of the mechanism and practice of expansion of the European Union, the conditions for admission to membership of the Union. In this regard, the work studied such tasks as the formation process of admitting new members to the EU.

The procedure for new states to join the European Union.

Today the EU is in the process of joining 14 new states. The procedure for the accession of new states to the EU after the Amsterdam changes is regulated by the founding document of the Union. The Maastricht Treaty on the EU of 1992 enshrines in Art. 49 basic requirements for a state that wishes to obtain EU membership, as well as the procedure for admitting new members.
Basic requirements for a candidate state:
- the state must be “European”, which means that the country belongs to European civilization, regardless of geographical location;
- the state must respect the principles set out in Art. 6 (1) EU Treaty: principles of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.
Back in June 1993, the European Union, at a meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen, specified additional conditions for the admission of new states to the organization by defining the “Copenhagen criteria”:
1) stability of state and public institutions;
2) guarantees of democracy;
3) the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the protection of national minorities;
4) the presence of a normally functioning market economy, effective management and a stable financial situation.
In December 1994, at a meeting of the European Council in Essen, based on the “Copenhagen criteria”, specific requirements were developed for candidate states, the fulfillment of which is necessary for accession to the EU.
A state that meets the requirements can apply to join the EU. It is being considered by the Council. To give consent to the entry of a candidate state, a unanimous decision of this institution is necessary. The vote on approval of the application is preceded by a period of negotiations between the candidate state and the Commission, for which the latter is authorized by the Council. The results of the negotiations, together with an analysis of the state of affairs in the candidate state (for compliance with accession requirements), are reflected in the reports of the Commission. Before a positive decision by the Council, the application must be approved by the European Parliament: it is considered approved if an absolute majority of Members of Parliament votes for it.
Next, a special conference is convened, at which an accession treaty is concluded with the candidate state, subject to ratification by all member states in accordance with their ratification procedures, as well as its ratification in the candidate state itself. If all stages are successfully completed, the state becomes a full member of the EU.
Treaty of Accession 2003 Chronologically, the last and fifth Treaty of Accession was signed in Athens on April 16, 2003. This is the “first wave” of modern EU enlargement. Joined: Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.
The EU today unites 25 member states. These include Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland , Slovenia and Slovakia.
Four candidate states are planning to join the EU in the near future - Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and Turkey. The first three of them were joined in 2007.
Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are not members of the EU, but with them the Union has the closest economic ties (economic space), implying common legal regulation based on harmonized legal norms. A similar economic and legal connection is planned to be created in the near future with the Russian Federation on the basis of the Common European Economic Space.

Members: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Czech Republic, Sweden, Estonia =27.
Special territories outside Europe that are part of the European Union: Azores, Guadeloupe, Canary Islands, Madeira, Martinique, Melilla, Reunion, Ceuta, French Guiana.
France - New Caledonia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, French Polynesia, Mayotte Wallis and Futuna, French Southern and Antarctic Territories.
United Kingdom - Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands.
The Copenhagen Criteria are criteria for countries to join the European Union, which were adopted in June 1993 at the European Council meeting in Copenhagen and confirmed in December 1995 at the European Council meeting in Madrid. The criteria require that the state respect democratic principles, the principles of freedom and respect for human rights, as well as the principle of the rule of law (Article 6, Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union).
During negotiations with each candidate country, it is regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with the Copenhagen criteria. Based on this, a decision is made as to whether and when accession is possible, or what actions must be taken before joining.
a statement emphasizing that a new member cannot join the union unless the EU itself has sufficient “absorption capacity” to do so.
The 1992 European Union Agreement, or Maachstrist Agreement, states that any European country that complies with EU principles can apply to join. There are no clarifications regarding the possibility of admitting non-European countries to the union, but the precedents of the rejection of Morocco's application and the dialogue on close integration of Israel, in the format “barring full membership”, indicate that the accession of non-European states to the EU is impossible.
There has been great debate as to whether Turkey is a European country, on the basis that only 3% of its territory is in geographical Europe (west of Istanbul), and its capital, Ankara, is located in Asia. Some observers have emphasized that many European states do not want Turkey to join the EU, arguing that a country where more than 90% of the population professes Islam cannot be part of Europe, where the main religion is Christianity.
The EU began accession negotiations with Ankara on October 3, 2005; however, according to the Negotiating Framework with Turkey, which was adopted on the same day, negotiations remain "an open process, the outcome of which cannot be guaranteed in advance."
Proponents of expansion also argue that there are many similarities between Anatolian and European history from Alexander the Great to the Ottoman Empire, and that the geographical argument does not play a decisive role in this case.
Also, “non-European” states, without the right to be members, can claim some degree of integration with the EU, described in the relevant international agreements.
There must be free elections with respect for the secrecy of voting, the right to create political parties without any interference from the state, fair and equal access to a free press; free trade union organizations, freedom of personal opinion, and the executive power must be limited by laws and the court must be independent of it.
The rule of law implies that a government body can act only within the framework of laws that have been adopted in the prescribed manner. The principle is intended to protect against arbitrary power.
Human rights are rights that every person has because he/they are a human being, human rights are “inalienable” and belong to all people. Since it is an inalienable right, this means that it cannot be assigned, granted, limited, exchanged, or sold (for example, a person cannot sell himself into slavery).
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is considered the most authoritative statement in the field of human rights, although it does not have as effective an enforcement mechanism as the European Convention on Human Rights. Several countries that have recently joined the EU are also required to comply with the requirements of this convention in order to implement major reforms of legislation, public services and the judicial system.

In an effort to prevent the erosion of the legal and socio-economic foundations of the integration association caused by differences in approaches and understanding of the conditions of accession, the member states of the European Communities chose a fundamentally different way of formalizing the accession of new members than was provided for in the first constituent act - the Treaty establishing the ECSC. According to the Treaties of Rome 1957 and all subsequent constituent acts, entry into the integration association of new states is formalized by concluding special Treaty about joining, it integral part becomes the Act of Accession and a whole package of other legal documents that reproduce, clarify and confirm the provisions of the constituent acts and acts of secondary law and which, after the entry into force of the Treaty, are considered as an addition to the Treaties establishing the Communities and the European Union. This way of coordinating mutual interests in the accession process remains quite complex; the need for detailed elaboration and consolidation in the package of accession documents of the obligations arising from accession to the Community and the Union, of course, lengthens and makes the accession procedure itself more complex. However, the duration of this type of procedure is largely compensated by the achievement of a comparatively more satisfactory result from the point of view of ensuring the interests of the Community and the EU. It makes it possible to enshrine in legal documents not only the obligation to comply with the provisions of EU law, but also to confirm the perception of these legal provisions by all Member States on an equal basis, regardless of the time of their accession to the Community and the EU. Thus, in reality, “free accession” takes on very strict forms, and the very possibility of free accession to the EU is made directly dependent on the perception of the main goals and objectives of integration associations and the entire legal order created within the Communities, which has no direct analogues in the international or domestic the law of individual member states.

Thus, a procedure is being developed that makes it possible to weed out, already at the preliminary stages, states that do not meet the requirements and do not ensure the reform of all social and government agencies in accordance with EU principles and objectives.

The situation that arose as a result of the 2004 enlargement in relations between Russia and the EU confirms that the existing enlargement mechanism within the European Union does not create opportunities for the preliminary settlement of controversial issues and problems not only within the EU during its enlargement, but also in relations with third countries . As a result, neighboring countries, which concerns Russia in particular, have to look for solutions, since the EU enlargement mechanism does not contain an institution for preventing possible disputes and disagreements.

Conclusion.

The EU is open to new states wishing to join the union and become part of it. In order to become a candidate state for accession to the EU, a state must meet the following criteria:

· to be European, that is, to belong to European civilization, regardless of the territorial position of the state;

· respect the basic principles of the EU Treaty, namely: the principles of democracy, freedom, respect for human and civil rights and freedoms, the rule of law;

· stable functioning and development of state and public institutions;

· be democratic and provide its citizens with guarantees of democracy;

· ensure the rule of law, respect for human and civil rights, including the protection of national minorities;

· the presence of a normally functioning market economy, effective management and a stable financial situation;

· achieving compatibility of the legal system with the EU legal system.

If all the specified criteria are met, and therefore after submitting an application to join the EU, the state becomes a candidate.

After submitting the application, the European Commission negotiates with the candidate state on the state of affairs and compliance with the above criteria. Based on the results of the negotiations, the European Commission submits reports to the Council.

If the Council unanimously approves the candidacy, the next step is for the state to undergo approval by Parliament. After the European Parliament approves the accession of a state to the EU by an absolute majority, a conference of representatives of all EU member states is convened, at which the accession agreement is signed.

The Treaty is subject to ratification in all EU member states and in the candidate state itself, which, after ratification procedures, becomes an EU member state.

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