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Source: http://europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/cig/g4000.htm

Abstention: Astensione.
Constructive abstention is the idea of allowing a Member State to abstain on a vote in Council under the common foreign and security policy, without blocking a unanimous decision. This option was introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam.

Accession criteria: Criteri di adesione.
In June 1993, the Copenhagen European Council recognised the right of the countries of central and eastern Europe to join the European Union when they have fulfilled three criteria: political: stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for minorities; economic: a functioning market economy; incorporation of the Community acquis: adherence to the various political, economic and monetary aims of the European Union. The Union reserves the right to decide when it will be ready to accept new members.

Acquis communautaire: The body of EU legislation which candidate countries must adopt to become EU members.

Additionality: Addizionalità.
The principle which means that funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is additional to that provided by national and local authorities.

ADP: Programma di sviluppo agricolo.
Agricultural Development Programme, a term describing regional policy programmes of rural regeneration.

Agenda 2000 : It is an action programme adopted by the Commission on 15 July 1997. Agenda 2000 tackles all the questions facing the Union at the beginning of the 21st century. Attached to it are the Commission's opinions on the countries that have applied for Union membership.

Architecture of Europe: Architettura europea.
This refers to the various organisations, institutions, treaties and traditional relations making up the European area within which members work together on problems of shared interest. An essential part of this architecture was established by the Treaty on European Union, which formed three pillars: the European Community (first pillar), the common foreign and security policy (second pillar) and co-operation in the fields of justice and home affairs (third pillar).

Budget: Bilancio.
All the Union's revenue and expenditure is entered in the Community budget on the basis of the annual forecasts. In 1998 the Community budget totalled EUR 91 billion in commitment appropriations. The Community budget is based on several principles, including: unity (all the revenue and expenditure is brought together in a single document); annuality (budget operations relate to a given budget year); equilibrium (expenditure must not exceed revenue). A new financial perspective will be adopted by the Member States to define the growth of the budget between 2000 and 2006.

CAP (Common Agricultural Policy): Politica agricola comune.
The common agricultural policy is a matter reserved exclusively for the Union. Its aims are to ensure reasonable prices for Europe's consumers and fair incomes for farmers, in particular by establishing common agricultural market organisations and by applying the principles of single prices, financial solidarity and Community preference. The CAP is one of the most important Union policies (agricultural expenditure accounts for some 45% of the Community budget). Policy is decided by qualified majority vote in the Council after consultation of the European Parliament.

CDP (Common Defence Policy): Politica comune della difesa.
The European Union's common foreign and security policy includes the eventual framing of a common defence policy which might in time lead to a common defence. On defence matters, the European Union requests Western European Union (WEU) to elaborate and implement decisions and actions which have defence implications.

Charter of Fundamental Rights: Carta Europea dei Diritti.
The charter recognises a number of rights - such as freedom of speech and fair working conditions - but will not be incorporated into European law.

Citizenship: Cittadinanza.
Anyone who is a national of a Member State is considered to be a citizen of the Union. In addition to the rights and duties laid down in the Treaty establishing the European Community, Union citizenship confers four special rights: freedom to move and take up residence anywhere in the Union; the right to vote and stand in local government and European Parliament elections in the country of residence; diplomatic and consular protection from the authorities of any Member State where the country of which a person is a national is not represented in a non-Union country; the right of petition and appeal to the European Ombudsman.

Co-Decision Procedure: Procedura di codecisione.
It refers to the treaty provisions which describe the conciliation procedure within decision-making to be followed by EU institutions when they fail to agree on proposed legislation. The co-decision procedure was introduced by the Treaty of Maastricht. It gives Parliament the power to adopt instruments jointly with the Council. In practice, it has strengthened Parliament's legislative powers in the following fields: the free movement of workers, right of establishment, services, the internal market, education, health, consumer policy, trans-European networks, environment, culture and research.

Cohesion fund: Fondo di coesione.
A financial redistribution policy for reducing national and regional socio-economic disparities, especially through a new structural fund, the Cohesion Fund.

Committee of the Regions: Comitato delle regioni.
Set up by the Maastricht Treaty, it consists of 222 representatives of local and regional authorities appointed by the Council for four years on the basis of proposals from the Member States. It is consulted by the Council or the Commission in areas affecting local and regional interests, such as education, youth, culture, health and social and economic cohesion.
Following the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam, the Committee has to be consulted on an even wider range of fields - the environment, the Social Fund, vocational training, cross-border co-operation and transport.

Common strategy: Strategia comune.
In concrete terms, a common strategy sets out the aims and length of time covered and the means to be made available by the Union and the Member States. Common strategies are implemented by the Council, in particular by adopting joint actions and common positions. The Council can recommend common strategies to the European Council.

Community law: Diritto comunitario.
Strictly speaking, Community law consists of the founding Treaties (primary legislation) and the provisions of instruments enacted by the Community institutions by virtue of them (secondary legislation). In a broader sense, Community law encompasses all the rules of the Community legal order, including general principles of law, the case law of the Court of Justice, law flowing from the Community's external relations and supplementary law contained in conventions and similar agreements concluded between the Member States to give effect to Treaty provisions. All these rules of law form part of what is known as the Community acquis.

Community legal instruments: Strumenti giuridici comunitari.
The term refers to the instruments available to the Community institutions to carry out their tasks. They are:
- regulations: these are binding and directly applicable in all Member States;
- directives: these bind the Member States as to the results to be achieved; they have to be transposed into the national legal framework;
- decisions: these are fully binding on those to whom they are addressed;
- recommendations and opinions: these are non-binding, declaratory instruments.

Community powers: Poteri comunitari.
Powers are conferred on the Community in specific areas. The European Communities are thus able to act only within the framework of the Treaties. There are three types of powers. Explicit powers: these are clearly defined in the Treaties; Implicit powers: where the European Community has explicit powers in a particular area; Subsidiary powers: where the Community has no explicit or implicit powers.

Competition Policy: Politica della competizione.
The objective of achieving a balance between imposing necessary restrictions upon unrestrained economic competition, and the removal of damaging restrictive economic practices by enterprises and governments that prevent a coherent integration of the EU market.

Composition of the Commission: Composizione della Commissione.
The Commission is currently made up of at least one national of each Member State (two for France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Italy). However, the problem is to determine what is the optimum number of Commissioners needed to guarantee the legitimacy, collective responsibility and efficiency of an institution whose purpose is to represent the general interest and whose Members are completely independent.

Consultation procedure: Procedura di consultazione.
Under this procedure the Council must consult the European Parliament and take its views into account. However, it is not bound by Parliament's position but only by the obligation to consult it. The procedure applies in particular to the common agricultural policy.

Convergence Criteria: Criteri di convergenza.
The conditions which will make a Member State eligible for incorporation into Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), relating to price stability, budget deficit, government debt, currency stability, and interest rates.

Co-operation procedure: Procedura di cooperazione.
It was introduced by the Single European Act. It gave Parliament greater influence in the legislative process by allowing it two "readings" of Commission proposals. Since the entry into force of the EU Treaty, it has applied to the following areas in particular: transport, non-discrimination, the Social Fund, vocational training, trans-European networks, economic and social cohesion, research, environment, development co-operation, health and safety of workers.

Council of the European Union: Consiglio dell'Unione Europea.
The Council, sometimes referred to as the Council of Ministers, is the European Union's main decision-making institution. It consists of the ministers of the fifteen Member States responsible for the matters on the agenda: foreign affairs, farming, industry, transport or whatever. Each country in the Union in turn holds the chair for six months. Decisions are prepared by the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States (COREPER), The Council is assisted by its General Secretariat.

Court of Auditors: Corte dei Conti.
Composed of fifteen members appointed for six years by unanimous decision of the Council after consulting the European Parliament. It audits Union revenue and expenditure to make sure it is lawful and proper and ensures that financial management is sound.

Court of Justice: Corte di Giustizia.
The Court of Justice of the European Communities is made up of fifteen judges assisted by nine advocates-general appointed for six years by agreement among the Member States. It has two principal functions: to check whether instruments of the European institutions and of governments are compatible with the Treaties, and, at the request of a national court, to pronounce on the interpretation or the validity of provisions contained in Community law.

CTP (Common Transport Policy): Politica comune dei trasporti.
The aim of the common transport policy is to lay down common rules applicable to international transport to or from the territory of the Member States or passing across the territory of one or more of them. It is also concerned with laying down the conditions under which non-resident carriers may operate services within a Member State; and lastly, it covers measures to improve transport safety.

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