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Community full menu: European Unit
European Unit - Glossary of European Jargon
The European Unit – Economic Development Service - October 2008
europe@kirklees.gov.uk
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Accession Criteria
In June 1993, the Copenhagen European Council recognised the right of the countries of central and eastern Europe to join the European
Union when they had fulfilled three criteria:
- Political: stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for minorities;
- Economic: a functioning market economy;
- Incorporation of the Community acquis (the common rights and obligations which bind all the Member States together within the European
Union): adherence to the various political, economic and monetary aims of the European Union.
These accession criteria were confirmed in December 1995 by the Madrid European Council. The Council stressed the importance of the
applicant countries' adapting their administrative structures to support a gradual, harmonious integration.
However, the European Union reserves the right to decide when it will be ready to accept new members.
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C
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Cohesion Fund
The Cohesion Fund is a structural instrument that helps member states to reduce economic and social disparities
and to stabilise their economies since 1994. The Cohesion Fund finances up to 85% of eligible expenditure
of major projects involving the environment and transport infrastructure. Eligible are the least prosperous
member states of the Union whose gross national product (GDP) per head is below 90% of the EU average. On 1
May 2004 with the EU enlargement, all new Member States (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) qualified for the Cohesion Fund.
Common Agriculture Policy (CAP)
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) began operating in 1962 and its objectives are to increase productivity,
ensure fair living standards for the agricultural community, to stablise markets, ensure availability of food and
to provide good at reasonable prices.
A series of reforms has been carried out in recent years, the most significant being the Single Payment Scheme
introduced in 2003, intended to break the link between farm aid and production. Instead of paying farmers to
produce more, the EU now makes payments conditional on farmers meeting environmental and animal welfare standards
and keeping their land in good condition.
Under the European Commission’s budget proposals for 2007-2013, agricultural spending will peak in 2008/09,
then decline until 2013. By that date, the Commission says, the share of traditional CAP spending, excluding
rural development, will have almost halved.
Community Acquis
The Community Acquis or the 'acquis communautaire' is the body of common rights and obligations which bind the European Union.
Community initiatives
These initiatives are intended to complement structural fund operations in specific problem areas as follows:
- Interreg IVC provides funding to exchange and transfer knowledge and good practice in Innovation and
Knowledge Economy and Environment and Risk Prevention
- URBACT II is to improve the effectiveness of sustainable integrated urban development policies in Europe
with a view to implementing the European Lisbon-Gothenburg Strategy priority to competitiveness, growth and
jobs.
Copenhagen Criteria
See Accession Criteria.
Council of Europe
This is not an EU institution but an intergovernmental organisation which was set up in 1949. It aims to protect human rights, to promote
Europe's cultural diversity and to combat social problems such as racial prejudice and intolerance. One of its earliest achievements was
to draw up the European Convention on Human Rights.
Council of the European Union
Formerly known as the Council of Ministers, the Council is the EU's main decision-making body. It represents the member states and its
meetings are attended by one minister from each of the EU's national governments. The Council meets regularly to take detailed decisions
and to pass European laws.
Court of Auditors
The Court of Auditors checks that all the European Union's revenue has been received and all its expenditure carried out in a lawful and
efficient manner. The Court checks that the EU budget has been managed soundly. It has one member from each EU country appointed by the
Council.
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Directive
A directive dictates a policy or standard which must be met. Individual member states can choose how to implement the directive.
Directorate General
Directorate General is a department in all of the EU institutions. Each is headed by a Director General.
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EQUAL
Equal is a community initiative supporting the development of new practices to fight against discrimination and inequalities of every kind
in access to the labour market. It is financed by the European Social Fund.
Europe Day
On 9 May 1950 the first move was made towards the creation of what is now known as the European Union. French Foreign Minister Robert
Schuman read a declaration to the international press calling France, Germany and other European countries to pool together their coal
and steel production as "the first concrete foundation of a European federation".
It was decided during the Milan Summit in 1985 that 9 May would be celebrated as "Europe Day". 9 May is an annual opportunity to celebrate
the EU's achievements and to reflect on its aims: peace, freedom, prosperity and working together.
European Commission
The Commission is the politically independent institution that represents and upholds the interests of the EU as a whole. It is the driving
force within the EU's institutional system. It proposes legislation, policies and programmes of action and it is responsible for
implementing the decisions of Parliament and the Council. Each member state has one Commissioner but they are independent of national
governments.
European Council
The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is the highest political body of the European Union. It
comprises the heads of state or government of the Union's member states along with the President of the European
Commission. Its meeting is chaired by the member from the member state currently holding Presidency of the Council
of the European Union.
While the council has no formal executive or legislative powers, it is an institution that deals with major issues
and any decisions made are "a major impetus in defining the general political guidelines of the European Union".
The council meets at least twice a year.
European Court of Justice
The European Court of Justice's role is to ensure that EU legislation (Community Law) is interpreted and applied in the same way in each
member state. It has the power to settle legal disputes between member states, EU institutions, businesses and individuals. The Court is
made up of one judge per member state so that all the EU's national legal systems are represented.
European Parliament
The European Parliament (EP) is the only directly elected institution in the EU. 785 MEPs represent all 27 member states. The European
Parliament is elected to promote the rights and uphold the interests of the EU's 492 million citizens. The EP shapes EU legislation on
matters ranging from consumer protection and the environment to research and development, and the internal market. Parliament adopts the
annual EU budget and supervises the European Commission as it implements EU law and spends the EU budget.
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) was set up in 1975 to stimulate economic development in less
prosperous regions of the European Union (EU).
As EU membership has grown, ERDF has developed into a major instrument for helping to redress regional imbalances.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) manages ERDF in England.
European Social Fund (ESF)
The European Social Fund (ESF) was set up to improve employment opportunities in the European Union and so help
raise standards of living. It aims to help people fulfil their potential by giving them better skills and better
job prospects.
As one of the EU's Structural Funds, ESF seeks to reduce differences in prosperity across the EU and enhance
economic and social cohesion. So although ESF funding is spread across the EU, most money goes to those countries
and regions where economic development is less advanced.
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Green Paper
Commission Green Papers are documents intended to stimulate debate and launch a process of consultation at European level on a particular
topic.
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Interreg
Interreg IVC is targeted at regions of the 27 EU Member States, plus Norway and Switzerland, to exchange their
experiences and transfer good practice.
The 2 main priorities of the programme – Innovation and Knowledge economy, and Environment and Risk prevention -
reflect the renewed focus of the European Union on the Lisbon and Gothenburg Strategy to promote jobs and growth
in Europe.
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LEADER
The new LEADER programme, known as Axis 4, will be a delivery mechanism for the Rural Development
Policy 2007-2013, contributing to the following objectives.
- Improving the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector
- Improving the environment and the countryside
- Improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of the rural economy
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Objectives 1,2,3
The Structural Funds assign regional aid according to three Objectives:
- Objective 1 helps regions whose development is lagging behind other EU countries, where the Gross Domestic Product per head is less
than 75% of the EU average. Attention is focused on basic infrastructure, developing human resources, investing in research and innovation,
and the information society;
- Objective 2 helps regions to overcome economic and social problems. Eligibility depends both on national and European population
ceilings (18% of the EU's population) and on specific socio-economic criteria: areas undergoing economic change in industry and the service
sector, declining rural areas, urban areas in difficulty and depressed areas dependent on fisheries;
- Objective 3 helps educational, training and employment policies and systems to adapt and modernise. All regions outside Objective
1 are eligible.
Official Journal
The Official Journal of the EU is the first and major information source covering activities of all EU institutions and agencies. Official
Journals are published every working day. The OJ consists of the L series (legislation) and the C series (information,
preparatory acts and notices).
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Presidency of the EU
The Presidency of the Council rotates every six months. Each EU country in turn takes charge of the Council's agenda and chairs all the
meetings for a six-month period.
The rota is as follows:
- 2008 - January-June - Slovenia
- 2008 - July-December - France
- 2009 - January-June - Czech Republic
- 2009 - July-December - Sweden
- 2010 - Jan-Jun - Spain
- 2010 - July-Dec - Belgium
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Rural Development Policy
The Rural Development Policy for 2007-2013 is focussed on 3 themes as follows:
- Improving the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector
- Improving the environment and the countryside
- Improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of the rural economy.
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Structural funds
At present, 4 structural funds allow the European Union to grant financial assistance to resolve structural
economic and social problems:
- European Regional Development Funds (ERDF), whose principal objective is to promote economic and social
cohesion within the European Union through the reduction of imbalance between regions or social groups;
- European Social Fund (ESF), the main financial instrument allowing the Union to realise the strategic
objectives of its employment policy;
- The European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee fund (EAGGF), which contributes to the structural reform
of the agricultural sector and to the development of rural areas;
- The Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG), the specific fund for the structural reform of
the fisheries sector.
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URBAN
URBACT II challenge is to improve the effectiveness of sustainable integrated urban development policies in Europe
with a view to implementing the European Lisbon Gothenburg Strategy priority to competitiveness, growth and jobs.
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White Paper
Commission White Papers are documents containing proposals for community action in a specific area. In some cases they follow a Green Paper
published to launch a consultation process at European level. When a White Paper has been approved by the Council, it can become an EU
action programme in the area concerned.
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