European integration is growing more complicated by the day. This glossary explains the meaning of some of the more important words and phrases.

If you have any additions or amendments to suggest to the definitions or the links, please e-mail them to glossary@federalunion.org.uk.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

P

passerelle - a means of moving from unanimity to qualified majority voting in the Council of Ministers for a specific policy area without having to go through an entire amendment procedure.

period of reflection - an opportunity for the European Union to decide how to react to the failure of the constitutional treaty in the referendums in France and the Netherlands. The central question is whether to try to continue the ratification process, or to follow some other route instead. (more information)

Petersberg tasks - humanitarian aid and peacekeeping missions, which member states carry out together under the coordination of the EU.

pillar - one of the main features that makes the European Union complex and difficult to understand. Different decision-making rules apply to each of the three pillars: matters such as commercial, social and environmental policy; CFSP; JHA. The constitution will make the differences between the pillars less noticeable but will not merge them completely.

political union - one of the aims of the EU, although what it means has never been precisely defined. Federalists think that it should be democratic and decentralised, according to the principle of subsidiarity. Anti-Europeans are against it.

presidency - each member state takes it in turn for six months at a time to be responsible for chairing meetings of the Council of Ministers. The constitution would replace this with a permanent Chair of the European Council and chairs for each of the other sectoral Councils (Article I-23).

President of the Commission - leader of the European Commission. The constitution proposes that s/he should be nominated by the European Council and elected by the European Parliament taking into account the European elections. (more information)

President of the European Council - another name for the Chair of the European Council.

pro-Europeans - people who think that the European Union is a good idea and that Britain should be part of it. The opposite of anti-Europeans.