The European Union, or EU, describes itself as a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together for peace and prosperity

European Union

History

Maastricht and beyond

Key issues

Reform treaty

New presidency

In November the Council of Ministers approved Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy as the first president of the European Council after rejecting several other higher-profile candidacies, including that of former British prime minister Tony Blair. Mr Van Rompuy took office in January 2010.

The European Union Trade Commissioner, Britain's Baroness Ashton, was appointed High Representative for foreign affairs at the same time. She took office when the Lisbon Treaty came into force in December 2009.

Mr Van Rompuy was elected for a two-and-a-half-year term, to replace a six-monthly rotating presidency and usher in a redistribution of power among the Commission, Parliament and Council.

The number of Commissioners will fall in 2014, so that not every member-state has its own Commissioner.

Parliament will be put on an equal footing with the Council for most issues, including the crucial areas of the budget and agriculture, under a system dubbed the "co-decision".

The Commission and Court of Justice will have enhanced powers in justice and home affairs.

National vetoes will be removed in some areas, although they will remain on tax, foreign policy, defence and social security.

In addition there will be a redistribution of voting weights among member-states, to be phased in between 2014 and 2017, with 55% of member-states being entitled to pass certain measures as they account for 65% of the EU population.