The European community was a pillar of the European Union from 1993 to 2009, embracing environmental, social, and economic policies and facilitating legal integration of member states through supranationalism. The Maastricht Treaty established the EU and its currency, with the European community being one of three pillars. The community could pass legislation affecting all citizens of the Union, including border control, citizenship, and consumer protection. The Lisbon Treaty abolished the pillar system, replacing it with a unified European Union.
The European community was one of the three pillars that were the foundation of the European Union from November 1993 to December 2009. The other two pillars were the Common Foreign and Security Policy and Police and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters. The European community embraced all environmental, social and economic policy of member states and facilitated the legal integration of member states. The concept of supranationalism was a crucial element of this pillar. The pillar system of the European Union was abolished when the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force in 2009.
The Maastricht Treaty established the European Union and its currency, the euro, when it entered into force in November 1993. The treaty also created the pillar structure of the Union, dividing it into three sections. The Commission, the Court of Justice and the European Parliament were the supranational institutions established as part of the pillar of the European community.
In multinational communities like the European Union, supranationalism can be an effective way of making decisions. Member nations transfer certain powers to a central institution that has the authority to make policies binding on all. The pillar of the European community was founded and followed this concept of supranationalism.
One of the main objectives of the European community was to help legally integrate the member nations of the Union. It could pass legislation affecting all citizens of the Union. In accordance with Community procedure, the Commission submitted legislative proposals to the European Council and Parliament, and acts were adopted when a qualified majority was reached.
Border control, citizenship and consumer protection have fallen into the mainstay of the European community, as have health services, employment and immigration. The European community also established environmental laws and dictated social and asylum policies. Regulation of the coal and steel industry was an additional responsibility of this pillar. Both the European Atomic Energy Community and the European Coal and Steel Community were part of the pillar of the European Community.
The other two pillars of the European Union followed a different decision-making procedure. The Commission and member states shared the right to introduce legislation. Acts introduced through the second and third pillars required the unanimous vote of the Council.
The Lisbon Treaty entered into force in December 2009 and the pillar system ended. The European communities have been replaced by a European Union which, as of 2010, can formulate policies, sign treaties and participate in the World Trade Organization as a unified legal entity. With the dissolution of the pillars, responsibilities were reallocated between member states and the European Union.
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