European Economy

Preface / 5

Chapter 1. The stages of the establishment of the European Union / 11
1.1. Brief history of the establishment of the European Union / 12
1.2. EU Member States / 15
1.3. Treaties establishing the European Union / 16

Chapter 2. Institutions of the European Union / 30
2.1. European Parliament / 31
2.2. European Council / 39
2.3. Council of the European Union / 41
2.4. European Commission / 46
2.5. Court of Justice of the European Union / 48
2.6. European Court of Auditors / 50
2.7. European Central Bank / 51
2.8. The main bodies of the European Union / 52

Chapter 3. Monetary policy of the European Union / 60
3.1. European System of Central Banks (ESCB) / 60
3.2. European Central Bank / 63
3.3. Monetary policy of the ESCB / 66
3.4. Monetary policy elements / 71

Chapter 4. Budgetary Policy of the European Union / 77
4.1. Evolution of the Budgetary Policy of the European Union / 77
4.2. Principles of the budget of the European Union / 79
4.3. Fiscal policy / 81
4.4. Multiannual financial framework / 86

Chapter 5. Common Agricultural Policy / 89
5.1. The premises for the appearance of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) / 89
5.2. History of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) / 90
5.3. Principles of the CAP / 92
5.4. Structure PAC / 94
5.5. Financing of common agricultural policy measures / 98
5.6. Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy / 101

Chapter 6. Common Commercial Policy of the European Union / 113
6.1. Trade Policy Objectives / 113
6.2. Evolution of the Common Commercial Policy / 115
6.3. Principles of the Common Commercial Policy / 119
6.4. Instruments of the Common Commercial Policy / 120
6.5. Trade agreements with other states / 128

Chapter 7. Cohesion Policy and regional development / 132
7.1. The evolution of Cohesion Policy / 133
7.2. Cohesion Policy Instruments / 136
7.3. Cohesion Policy Objectives / 140
7.4. Cohesion policy and the Europe 2020/142 strategy
7.5. Regional development policy in Romania / 148

Chapter 8. Competitive policy and consumer security / 151
8.1. The role of competition in the economy of the European Union / 151
8.2. European Union competition policy / 153
8.3. Competitive policy objectives / 156
8.4. Areas of European competition policy / 157
8.5. Consumer security policy / 162

Chapter 9. Social policy / 173
9.1. The evolution of social policy / 174
9.2. Implementation of social policy at EU / 180 level
9.3. Employment Strategy at EU / 182 level

Chapter 10. Policy in the fields of education and vocational training / 188
10.1. Policy Objectives in the Fields of Vocational Education and Training 189
10.2. Action programs in the field of education / 189
10.3. Actions implemented to increase the importance of education / 192
10.4. Current priorities in the field of education and training / 195
10.5. European cooperation in the fields of education and vocational training / 197
10.6. European Commission Strategy for the Modernization of Higher Education / 199

Applications / 202

Bibliography / 218

This book is the expression of the desire to bring together and present the most important moments of the establishment of the European Union and the common European policy.
The main objective of this paper is to offer those interested a concrete, clear and concise presentation of the most important economic and social policies that affect each of us as citizens of the European Union. The present paper is intended to be a tool that offers the possibility of information on European and national strategies and policies established for the period 2014-2020.