European Union
...The European Union is governed by five different institutions. They are the European Parliament, Council of the European Union, European Commission, European Court of Justice, and European Court of Auditors (European Union). On occasion, the heads of state and government and the Commission president meet with the European Council to provide political direction and help provide overall strategy. In the beginning the European Union dealt with trade and the economy solely. However, over the years they have started to deal with various other issues. Some of these are citizen’s rights, freedom, security, justice, job creation, regional development, environmental protection, as well as globalization (Europa). There are numerous things that the EU has done for their countries. They have raised the standards of living, built a single Europe-wide market, launched the euro, which is the single European currency, and strengthened Europe’s position in the world. The EU has vowed to defend the values in which Europe was established. They are determined to promote unity while also preserving diversity. There are currently 25 countries that are a part of the European Union. They include: Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Turkey are candidates for entering the European Union. However, the decision-making system must be streamlined to ensure that the EU can continue functioning efficiently while having more than 25 countries as members. There are many issues a country must agree on before one can become a member of the European Union. Countries must abolish the death penalty to respect the rights as guaranteed by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms Act. Countries must observe all of the provisions in the Articles as well as suspend certain rights in the event of a serious and persistent breach by a Member State. Countries enjoy special status while they establish an area without internal frontiers and grant every citizen of the Union the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States. They are to prevent the institution of asylum being resorted to for purposes alien to those for which it is intended and respect the finality and the objectives of the Geneva Conven...