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Fact Sheets on the European Union
Introduction
How the European Union works
Economy, science and quality of life
Cohesion, growth and jobs
Citizens: fundamental rights, security and justice
The EU’s external relations
Contents
(index)
Contents
1. How the European Union works
1.1. Historical development of European integration
1.1.1. The first Treaties
1.1.2. Developments up to the Single European Act
1.1.3. The Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties
1.1.4. The Treaty of Nice and the Convention on the Future of Europe
1.1.5. The Treaty of Lisbon
1.2. The European Union’s legal system and decision-making procedures
1.2.1. Sources and scope of European Union law
1.2.2. The principle of subsidiarity
1.2.3. Supranational decision-making procedures
1.2.4. Intergovernmental decision-making procedures
1.2.5. The budgetary procedure
1.3. European Union institutions and bodies
1.3.1. The European Parliament: historical background
1.3.2. The European Parliament: powers
1.3.3. The European Parliament: organisation and operation
1.3.4. The European Parliament: electoral procedures
1.3.5. The European Parliament: relations with the national parliaments
1.3.6. The European Council
1.3.7. The Council of the European Union
1.3.8. The European Commission
1.3.9. The Court of Justice of the European Union
1.3.10. Competences of the Court of Justice of the European Union
1.3.11. The European Central Bank (ECB)
1.3.12. The Court of Auditors
1.3.13. The European Economic and Social Committee
1.3.14. The Committee of the Regions
1.3.15. The European Investment Bank
1.3.16. The European Ombudsman
1.4. Financing
1.4.1. The Union’s revenue
1.4.2. The Union’s expenditure
1.4.3. Multiannual Financial Framework
1.4.4. Implementation of the budget
1.4.5. Budgetary control
1.4.6. Combating fraud and protecting the EU’s financial interests
2. Economy, science and quality of life
2.1. The internal market
2.1.1. The internal market: general principles
2.1.2. Free movement of goods
2.1.3. Free movement of capital
2.1.4. Freedom of establishment and freedom to provide services
2.1.5. Free movement of workers
2.1.6. The mutual recognition of diplomas
2.1.7. The ubiquitous digital single market
2.1.8. Affordable communications for businesses and consumers
2.1.9. Internal energy market
2.1.10. Public procurement contracts
2.1.11. Company law
2.1.12. Intellectual, industrial and commercial property
2.1.13. Posting of workers
2.2. Consumer protection and public health
2.2.1. Consumer policy: principles and instruments
2.2.2. Consumer protection measures
2.2.3. Passenger rights
2.2.4. Public health
2.2.5. Medicines and medical devices
2.2.6. Food safety
2.3. Social and employment policy
2.3.1. Social and employment policy: general principles
2.3.2. European Social Fund
2.3.3. Employment policy
2.3.4. Social security cover in other EU Member States
2.3.5. Health and safety at work
2.3.6. Workers’ right to information, consultation and participation
2.3.7. Social dialogue
2.3.8. Equality between men and women
2.3.9. The fight against poverty, social exclusion and discrimination
2.4. Industrial, energy and research policies
2.4.1. General principles of EU industrial policy
2.4.2. Small and medium-sized enterprises
2.4.3. A Digital Agenda for Europe
2.4.4. Defence industry
2.4.5. Policy for research and technological development
2.4.6. Innovation policy
2.4.7. Energy policy: general principles
2.4.8. Energy efficiency
2.4.9. Renewable energy
2.4.10. Nuclear energy
2.5. Environment policy
2.5.1. Environment policy: general principles and basic framework
2.5.2. Climate change and the environment
2.5.3. Biodiversity, nature and soil
2.5.4. Water protection and management
2.5.5. Air and noise pollution
2.5.6. Resource efficiency and waste
2.5.7. Sustainable consumption and production
2.5.8. Chemicals
2.6. Economic and monetary union, taxation and competition policies
2.6.1. History of economic and monetary union
2.6.2. The institutions of economic and monetary union
2.6.3. European monetary policy
2.6.4. Economic governance
2.6.5. Banking Union
2.6.6. The EU framework for fiscal policies
2.6.7. Macroeconomic surveillance
2.6.8. Financial assistance to EU Member States
2.6.9. General tax policy
2.6.10. Direct taxation: personal and company taxation
2.6.11. Indirect taxation
2.6.12. Competition policy
2.6.13. Financial services: main legislation
2.6.14. European System of Financial Supervision (ESFS)
3. Cohesion, growth and jobs
3.1. Regional and cohesion policy
3.1.1. Economic, social and territorial cohesion
3.1.2. European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
3.1.3. Cohesion Fund
3.1.4. The Solidarity Fund
3.1.5. Support from the European Regional Development Fund for European Territorial Cooperation
3.1.6. Common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS)
3.1.7. Outermost regions (ORs)
3.1.8. Regional State aid
3.1.9. Northern Ireland PEACE programme
3.1.10. European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC)
3.2. The common agricultural policy (CAP)
3.2.1. The common agricultural policy (CAP) and the Treaty
3.2.2. Financing of the CAP
3.2.3. CAP instruments and reforms made to them
3.2.4. First pillar of the CAP: I — Common organisation of the markets (CMO) in agricultural products
3.2.5. First pillar of the CAP: II — Direct payments to farmers
3.2.6. Second pillar of the CAP: Rural development policy
3.2.7. WTO Agreement on Agriculture
3.2.8. The Doha round and agriculture
3.2.9. Towards a post-2020 common agricultural policy
3.2.10. The common agricultural policy in figures
3.2.11. The European Union and forests
3.3. Common fisheries policy
3.3.1. The common fisheries policy: origins and development
3.3.2. Fisheries resource conservation
3.3.3. Fisheries control and enforcement
3.3.4. Fisheries structural assistance
3.3.5. Producer organisations and the common market organisation in fisheries products
3.3.6. International fisheries relations
3.3.7. European aquaculture
3.3.8. Integrated maritime policy
3.3.9. European fisheries in figures
3.4. Transport and tourism policy
3.4.1. Common transport policy: overview
3.4.2. International and cabotage road transport
3.4.3. Road transport: harmonisation of legislation
3.4.4. Road traffic and safety provisions
3.4.5. Rail transport
3.4.6. Air transport: market rules
3.4.7. Air transport: civil aviation security
3.4.8. Air transport: Single European Sky
3.4.9. Aviation safety
3.4.10. Maritime transport: strategic approach
3.4.11. Maritime transport: traffic and safety rules
3.4.12. Tourism
3.5. Trans-European Networks in transport, energy and telecommunications
3.5.1. Trans-European Networks — guidelines
3.5.2. Financing the Trans-European Networks
3.6. Culture, education and sport
3.6.1. Culture
3.6.2. Audiovisual and media policy
3.6.3. Education and vocational training
3.6.4. Higher education
3.6.5. Youth
3.6.6. Language policy
3.6.7. Sport
3.6.8. Communication policy
4. Citizens: fundamental rights, security and justice
4.1. Individual and collective rights
4.1.1. The citizens of the Union and their rights
4.1.2. The Charter of Fundamental Rights
4.1.3. Free movement of persons
4.1.4. The right of petition
4.1.5. European Citizens’ Initiative
4.2. An area of freedom, security and justice
4.2.1. An area of freedom, security and justice: general aspects
4.2.2. Asylum policy
4.2.3. Immigration policy
4.2.4. Management of the external borders
4.2.5. Judicial cooperation in civil matters
4.2.6. Judicial cooperation in criminal matters
4.2.7. Police cooperation
4.2.8. Personal data protection
5. The EU’s external relations
5.1. External relations policies
5.1.1. Foreign policy: aims, instruments and achievements
5.1.2. Common security and defence policy
5.2. External trade relations
5.2.1. The European Union and its trade partners
5.2.2. The European Union and the World Trade Organisation
5.2.3. Trade regimes applicable to developing countries
5.3. Development policy
5.3.1. A general survey of development policy
5.3.2. Humanitarian aid
5.4. Human rights and democracy
5.4.1. Human rights
5.4.2. Promoting democracy and observing elections
5.5. The Union’s enlargement and neighbourhood
5.5.1. The enlargement of the Union
5.5.2. The Western Balkans
5.5.3. The European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland and the North
5.5.4. The European Neighbourhood Policy
5.5.5. Three Eastern Partnership neighbours: Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus
5.5.6. Three Eastern Partnership neighbours in the South Caucasus
5.5.7. Southern partners
5.6. Relations beyond the neighbourhood
5.6.1. Transatlantic relations: USA and Canada
5.6.2. Latin America and the Caribbean
5.6.3. Russia
5.6.4. Central Asia
5.6.5. Gulf Countries, Iran, Iraq and Yemen
5.6.6. Africa
5.6.7. South Asia
5.6.8. East Asia
5.6.9. Southeast Asia
5.6.10. Pacific
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