or the supranational path. Supporters of supranationalism argue that it allows integration to proceed at a faster pace than would otherwise be possible. Where decisions must be made by governments acting unanimously, decisions can take years to make, if they are ever made. Supporters of intergovernmentalism argue that supra-nationalism is a threat to national sovereignty, and to democracy, claiming that only national governments can possess the necessary democratic legitimacy. Intergovernmentalism is being favoured by more Eurosceptic nations such as the United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden; while more integrationist nations such as the Benelux countries, France, Germany, and Italy have tended to prefer the supranational approach. The European Union attempts to strike a balance between the two approaches. This balance however is complex, resulting in the often labyrinthine complexity of its decision-making procedures. Supranationalism is closely related to the inter-governmentalist vs. neofunctionalist debate. This is a debate concerning why the process of integration has taken place at all. Intergovernmentalists argue that the process of EU integration is a result of tough bargaining between states. Neofunctionalism, on the other hand, argues that the supranational institutions themselves have been a driving force behind integration. ** br/>
The EU was established under that name in 1992 by the Treaty on EU (Maastricht Treaty)). Through other institutions like Council of Europe also integrate their members states. The regions of Europe are integrated into larger Euro regions. (A Euro region is a form of transnational co-operation structure between two or more territories located in different European countries.)
Euro regions usually do not correspond to any legislative or governmental institution, do not have political power and their wok is limited to the competences of the local and regional authorities which constitute them. They are usually arranged to promote common interests across the border and cooperate for the common good of the border and cooperate for the common good of the border populations. Even though the Council of Europe sponsored term "euro region" means a similar thing, it should not be confused with the European Union sponsored term "Regions in Europe". p> The European Union created regions of Europe as the layer of EU government administration directly below the nation-state level
Regions of Europe are represented by the Committee of the Regions headquarters in Brussels.
Reasons for this include;
Reflecting the historic and cultural claims for autonomy in many regions all over the EU
Strengthening the political and economic situation in those regions.
* # "#" title = Benelux> Benelux countries. This was accomplished by the Treaty of Paris, signed in April, 1951, and taking effect in July, 1952. **
On 25March 1957 the governments of France, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg signed the Rome Treaty and implemented on 1 January 1958. In so doing they agreed to create what came to be known as the Common Market or, more accurately, the European Economic Community. That institution has remained the movement towards closer union and economic integration in Europe. It was course accompanied by the creation of Euratom and had indeed been preceded by the European Coal and Steel Community of 1951. European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) established with the pooling of production and consumption of coal and steel. And the on the same day the same six countries signed Treaty of Rome, establishing European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957). EEC better known as The Common Market, and the EURATOM Treaty (European Atomic Energy Community), designed to promote and supervise the development for peaceful uses of nuclear and atomic energy, which was recognised as an essential resource. In 1973 the UK, Denmark and Ireland joined the origial six countries, followed by Greeced in 1981and then in 1986, by Spain and Portugal. In 1990 the reunion of East and West Germany was achieved, which effectively added another state to community. On 1st January 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined to make a European Community of 15. * p> After that EU was going on the way of enlarging in zone, population, economy and rest of all aspects, by giving access to other countries to apply for access to become a member of EU. On 1st January 2001 European Union become more in number after ten new states joined to EU entity, and in present time EU includes 25 states with new ten members; (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia). However, by 1st January 2007 two new states will be joining to EU like Bulgaria and Romania. h3> Context - rationale for enlargement and future prospects
