General information on the European Union

The main purpose of this section is to give an overview of the institutional structure and competences of the European Union from a development perspective. It also considers the institutional changes concerning the EU's external relations and development assistance which are implicated by the Lisbon Treaty.

The European Union is a unique body in international relations. The Member States delegate part of their national sovereignty to various shared European institutions, which are then responsible for making decisions on issues of common interest.

This section presents the European Union, its history, competences and main institutions.