ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly: the 'parliament' of the Cotonou Convention, which links 77 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries to the member states of the European Union. It is made up of representatives of the 77 countries and 77 Members of the European Parliament, and promotes north-south interdependence, human rights and democracy. Its meetings are held in ACP and European Union countries on an alternating basis.

Acquis communautaire: the whole range of laws, practices, principles and obligations adopted or developed by the European Union. Countries seeking membership are legally obliged to accept the acquis communautaire and to incorporate it in their legislation before they can join the European Union.

Area of freedom, security and justice: this 'area', which under the Amsterdam Treaty must be progressively established, will embrace measures on asylum, immigration, police and judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters, prevention of racism and xenophobia, and the fight against organised crime.

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union: the Charter, which was drawn up and adopted by a Convention made up of representatives of the European Parliament, the national parliaments, the member states and the European Commission, was proclaimed at the Nice European Council in December 2000. The European Parliament sees the Charter as the first step towards a European Constitution.

Citizenship of the Union: all nationals of EU member states have the status of citizens of the Union. This guarantees, among other things: freedom of movement and residence within the territory of the Union; the right to vote and stand in local and EP elections in the country of residence; and the right to petition the European Parliament and to bring complaints before the European Ombudsman. Citizenship of the Union does not replace national citizenship, but complements it.

Codecision: a legislative procedure introduced by the Maastricht Treaty which places the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers on an equal footing in the adoption of Community legislation.

Committee of the Regions: a consultative committee set up by the Maastricht Treaty and made up of 222 representatives of the local and regional authorities of the Union, appointed by the member states. It meets in Brussels.

Common foreign and security policy (CFSP): initiated in the early 70s, at first in the form of 'European political cooperation', the Union's foreign policy has developed steadily; the Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties codified it and incorporated the common security dimension. The High Representative for the CFSP assists the Council Presidency in this area.

Convention: a Convention on the future of Europe was set up by the Laeken European Council in December 2001 to examine essential issues connected with the future development of the Union. It is made up of 16 MEPs, 30 members of national parliaments, 15 representatives of member state heads of state and government, and 2 European Commissioners. Under the chairmanship of Valérie Giscard d'Estaing it is headed by a bureau consisting, apart from the chairman, of two vice-chairmen and 9 other members of the Convention. 39 representatives of the 13 applicant countries will participate in a consultative capacity.

Council of Europe: Not to be confused with the European Council, this is an intergovernmental organisation with 43 member countries which drafts pan-European Conventions for adoption in areas such as human rights, culture and education. It has been based in Strasbourg since 1949. The Council of Europe is not an EU body.

Council of the European Union: made up of ministers (or their representatives) from each of the member states. It meets periodically in Brussels or Luxembourg to adopt Community legislation, often jointly with the European Parliament under the codecision procedure. The Council presidency rotates among the member states on a 6-monthly basis. The make-up of the Council varies with the subject (finance, agriculture, foreign affairs, etc.). Its decisions are prepared by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States (Coreper). [See also European Council]

Court of Justice of the European Communities: consisting of 15 judges appointed by the member states and 9 advocates-general, the Court ensures compliance with the law in the application and interpretation of the treaties. Its seat is in Luxembourg. Not to be confused with the International Court of Justice, which is an organ of the United Nations and has its seat in The Hague, or the European Court of Human Rights, which has its seat in Strasbourg and is an organ of the Council of Europe.

Decision: in European law a decision is binding in its entirety on those to whom it is addressed (cf. Regulation).

Directive: EU directives are binding on the member states as regards the results to be achieved, but leave the choice of method up to them (cf. Regulation).

Economic and Social Committee: a consultative committee consisting of 222 representatives of various economic and social groups in the Union. It meets in Brussels.

Enlargement: the term used to describe the four waves of new accessions whereby the six founding members of the European Community - Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands - were joined by a further nine: Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom in 1973; Greece in 1981; Spain and Portugal in 1986; Austria, Finland and Sweden in 1995. At present 13 central and eastern European and Mediterranean countries are applying for membership, 12 of which have begun membership negotiations with the European Union. In order to join the EU they have to satisfy political and economic criteria and incorporate the acquis communautaire into their legislation.

Erasmus: European Union programme, now merged with the Socrates programme, under which students from one member state can spend part of their education in another country of the Union.

Eurogroup: informal grouping of the twelve members of the Economic and Finance Council representing the euro zone.

European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom): established by the Treaty of Rome in 1957.

European Central Bank: based in Frankfurt, the European Central Bank is responsible for the monetary policy of the euro zone, i.e. the member states that have opted for the single currency.

European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC): the first European community, set up by the Treaty of Paris of 18 April 1951. It was abolished in 2002.

European Commission: the institution that initiates Community legislation, runs European common policies, implements the budget and ensures compliance with the treaties. It is made up of 20 independent members (2 each from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom and one from each of the other member states). It is appointed for 5 years subject to the approval of the European Parliament, to which it is accountable. The current President of the Commission is Romano Prodi.

European Community (EC): under the 1992 Maastricht Treaty the EC replaced the European Economic Community (EEC) established by the Treaty of Rome in 1957. It governs matters relating to the free movement of people, goods, services and capital, transport, competition, tax, economic and monetary policy, trade policy, employment and social policy, culture, health, consumers, industry, regional development policy (economic and social cohesion), research, the environment and development. It forms part of the wider entity of the European Union.

European Council: since 1975 the European Council has brought together, at least twice a year, the heads of state or government of the member states of the Union - assisted by the foreign ministers - and the President of the European Commission. It lays down the broad policy guidelines of the Union and discusses topical international issues of major importance. The meetings are referred to by the media as 'summits'. [See also Council of the European Union]

European Court of Auditors: the European Court of Auditors has 15 members. It monitors the management of Community finances and can inform Parliament and the Council of any irregularities it may uncover. It is based in Luxembourg.

European Parliament resolution: a text adopted by the European Parliament embodying its opinion either on a legislative text - a 'legislative resolution' - or on any subject chosen on Parliament's own initiative - a 'non-legislative resolution' - with the intention of influencing a given European Union policy.

European Union (EU): the European Union is based on the Communities - the European Community, and Euratom - plus the common foreign and security policy and common action in the fields of police and judicial cooperation.

High Representative for the CFSP: this office, which was created by the Amsterdam Treaty, is filled by the Secretary-General of the Council with the aim of assisting the EU presidency in matters of foreign policy and common security.

Intergovernmental Conference (IGC): forum in which the member state governments negotiate changes to the treaties.

Investiture of the Commission: the member states nominate the person they envisage appointing as President of the Commission 'by common accord'. The nomination is then approved by the European Parliament. The member states, in consultation with the President-designate, choose nominees for the other members of the Commission. After individual hearings by Parliament's standing committees, the Commission thus formed is subject, as a whole, to a vote of approval by the European Parliament, and is then formally appointed.

Presidency of the European Union: the presidency of the Union rotates among the member states every six months.

Qualified majority: the method of voting used by the Council in the legislative procedure (except where unanimity is required). It involves giving the vote of each member state a weighting which broadly reflects the size of its population.

Regulation: in European legislation regulations are of general applicability; they are directly applicable in all member states.

Structural funds: the term denoting the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF), the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund and the Cohesion Fund. Their purpose is to narrow the development gap between regions and between EU member states.

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