European integration : KEY CONCEPTS

EU citizenship : Any person who holds the nationality of a European Union country is automatically also an EU citizen (cf. 1992 Maastricht Treaty).

Confederation: A union of states in which each member state retains some independent control over internal and external affairs. Thus, for international purposes, there are separate states, not just one state.

Federalism: A union of states (in which external affairs are controlled by a unified, central government).

Neo-functionalism : Theory which explains European integration as successful cooperation between countries in one sector (trade) encouraging attempts at cooperation in other sectors (politics, defence, etc.).

Governance: Government at a supranational level.

National sovereignty: The power of a state to do everything necessary to govern itself, such as making, executing, and applying laws; imposing and collecting taxes; making war and peace; and forming treaties or engaging in commerce with foreign nations.

Regionalism: Cooperation between the countries of a continent (regional integrating organizations such as ASEAN, NAFTA, the EU, and the African Union, promote regionalism). The EU is different from the other regional integrating organizations because it is not just about economic cooperation but also about increasing political cooperation (integration, unity).

Supranational government: "Supranational" is a legal term, first used in the Paris Treaty of 1951 which founded the ECSC, to describe a type of democratic organization (a "Community") in which governments delegate to a multi-national organization part of their power. The creation of a wider (enlarged) and deeper (more integrated) Europe rests on this system of Community.