Ininternational relations,intergovernmentalism treats states (and national governments in particular) as the primary actors in the integration process. Intergovernmentalist approaches claim to be able to explain both periods of radical change in theEuropean Union because of converging governmental preferences and periods of inertia because of diverging national interests.
Intergovernmentalism is distinguishable fromrealism andneorealism because it recognized the significance ofinstitutionalisation in international politics and the impact of domestic politics upon governmental preferences.
The best-known example of regional integration is theEuropean Union (EU), aneconomic and political intergovernmental organisation of 27member states, all inEurope.[1][2] The EU operates through a system ofsupranational independent institutions and intergovernmental negotiated decisions by the member states.[3][4][5]Institutions of the EU include theEuropean Commission, theCouncil of the European Union, theEuropean Council, theCourt of Justice of the European Union, theEuropean Central Bank, theCourt of Auditors, and theEuropean Parliament. The European Parliament is elected every five years byEU citizens.
The EU has developed asingle market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states. Within theSchengen Area (which includes 25 EU and 4 non-EU European states) passport controls have been abolished.[6] EU policies favour thefree movement of people, goods, services, and capital within its boundaries,[7] enact legislation in justice and home affairs, and maintain common policies ontrade,[8]agriculture,[9]fisheries andregional development.[10]
A monetary union, theeurozone, was established in 1999 and is composed of 17 member states. Through theCommon Foreign and Security Policy the EU has developed a role inexternal relations anddefence. Permanentdiplomatic missions have been established around the world. The EU is represented at theUnited Nations, theWorld Trade Organization, theG8 and theG-20.
Intergovernmentalism represents a way for limiting the conferral of powers upon supranational institutions, halting the emergence of common policies. In the current institutional system of the EU, the European Council and the Council play the role of the institutions which have the last word about decisions and policies of the EU, institutionalizing a de facto intergovernmental control over the EU as a whole, with the possibility to give more power to a small group of states. This extreme consequence can create the condition of supremacy of someone over someone else violating the principle of a "Union of Equals".[11] However, from a neo-functionalist viewpoint, some scholars argue that despite the appearance of intergovernmental dominance, the EU's supranational institutions have progressively expanded their influence through spillover effects, which gradually limit member states' control and enhance deeper integration.[12]
TheAfrican Union (AU, or, in its other official languages, UA) is acontinental intergovernmental union, similar but less integrated to the EU, consisting of 54 Africanstates. The AU was presented on 26 May 2001 inAddis Ababa,Ethiopia and officially founded on 9 July 2002 inDurban,South Africa to replace theOrganisation of African Unity (OAU).[13] The most important decisions of the AU are made by theAssembly of the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of the heads of state and government of its member states. The AU's secretariat, theAfrican Union Commission, is based inAddis Ababa, Ethiopia.
5 b. spec. Designating a developing series of economic and political unions between certain countries of Europe from 1952 onwards, asEuropean Economic Community, European Community, European Union
international organisation comprising 27 European countries and governing common economic, social, and security policies ...
In practical terms, the EU is perhaps still best characterised as a 'supranational organisation'sui generis': this term has proved relatively uncontroversial in respect of national constitutional sensitivities, being at the same time capable of embracing new facets of integration
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)