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Chapter 7: The European Union: From Community to Constitution?
The European Union: From Community to Constitution?
Author: John Van Oudenaren
The sets of links provided below should form a good starting point for any research on a topic related to both the development of the institutions of the EU as well as the debates on these developments. These debates focus on the challenges the EU faces, on its potential, and on its limits. The links are grouped in different sections: institutions and history, economic indicators, research centers, political parties and a last section with random other relevant links.
Homepage of the author: John Van Oudenaren
HISTORY
History of the European Community
History of the European Community as provided by the Community itself
History of the EU
On this site of the University of Leiden (The Netherlands) you will find all sorts of information regarding the history of the European Union. The historical documents section contains nearly all information about European Integration from 1945 - present available online. It includes (references to) a unique collection of audiovisual fragments, documents, pictures and a dedicated collection about specific themes
EU INSTITUTIONS
European Union
The official gateway to all sites of the European Union
President of the European Union
The official site of Jose Manuel Barroso, incumbent president of the European Commission
European Commission
The official site of the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union. It is a cabinet government of 27 "Commissioners" led by a Commission President (currently José Manuel Barroso). The site offers the latest news, documents, speeches etc.
Directorates Generals of the European Commission
This site gives an overview of the different EU DG's, grouped in internal policies and external relations
The Council of the European Union
The ministers of the Member States meet within the Council of the European Union. Depending on the issue on the agenda, each country will be represented by the minister responsible for that subject (foreign affairs, finance, social affairs, transport, agriculture, etc.)
European Council
The European Council gathers together the Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the European Union and the President of the Commission. It came into being in 1974 and was given formal status by the Single European Act
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the only directly-elected body of the European Union. The 785 Members of the European Parliament are elected once every five years by voters right across the 27 Member States of the European Union on behalf of its 492 million citizens.
various European institutions
This website gives an overview and links to all European institutions
European parliament political parties
Euractive provides on this site a brief overview of the mainpolitical parties active at the European level
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
the European Single Market
Key sites, documentation and legislation regarding the European single market
The euro
All there is to know about the Euro
EU Economic and Financial Affairs
The Commission website provides links to information regarding the Euro, data for Eurozone economic indicators, the Stability and Growth Pact, and the "basics" regarding the euro and EMU. ´European economy news´ is also one of the sublinks provided
European Central Bank (ECB)
The ECB is the central bank for Europe's single currency, the euro. The ECB’s main task is to maintain the euro's purchasing power and thus price stability in the euro area, information on which can be found at their website
RESEARCH CENTERS
Center for European Reform,
Think tank dedicated to European Union issues, based in London
European Policy Centre
The EPC is an independent think tank 'at the cutting edge of European Union affairs'
French Institute for International Affairs
French reseach institute dedicated to international and European affairs
Institute for Security Studies
This research center of the European Union is dedicated to the "common European security culture"
International Institute for Strategic Studies
This research center is based in London and can be named the leading center dedicated to global political and millitary affairs
Center for European Policy Studies
The CEPS is an independent think tank based in Brussels
Chatham House
Founded in 1920, and based at St James's Square in London, Chatham House works to stimulate debate and research on political, business, security and other key issues in the international arena. The Chatham House Rule, famous worldwide for facilitating free speech and confidentiality at meetings, originated here
OTHER LINKS
BBC´s Inside Europe
An in-depth guide to the changing face of the EU, selected EU news from BBC News Online
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France
Britain
Germany
Italy
Scandinavia
Russia