1. THE MEMBER STATES

2. Place of the Member States
Four principles govern the division of power between the EU and member states:
Competence (that is, authority): the EU has a high level of competence in certain areas, but less in others, such as education and taxation.
Conferral: the EU can act only where given authority by member states to achieve objectives set out by treaties.
Subsidiarity: the EU can act only in areas which do not fall under its competence if the action needed cannot be better taken by the member states.
Proportionality: the EU should not go beyond the action needed to achieve the objectives of the treaties.

3. Place of the Member States
Although member states are sovereign actors, they have transferred authority to the extent that it is no longer accurate or practical to think of them as independent actors
Ambiguity is built into the system, with the result that in most areas competence is shared by the EU and member states
Attempts to understand the place of member states have focused on the idea of Europeanization – the process through which laws and policies in member states are gradually brought into line with EU law through gradual, incremental adaptation

4. Place of the Member States

5. Influence of the Member States
The role and influence of member states within the EU is determined by at least four key factors:
How long each state has been a member of the EU, those that have been in longest having had more time to shape the rules.
Economic wealth, with the wealthiest having had most political influence and the poorest having had least influence.
Population size, the biggest having more votes in the Council of Ministers and louder voices in the European Council.
Attitude towards the process of integration.

6. Future Enlargement
The requirements for EU membership have become more complex with time. At each round of enlargement troubling political, social, economic issues have been raised.
The Copenhagen conditions require that an aspirant member state should be democratic, a free market economy, and willing to adopt the existing body of EU laws and policies and to adapt its administrative structures to fit with the needs of integration.
Membership applications are submitted to the European Council, which consults with the European Commission and the European Parliament. Approved applicants are known as candidate countries and negotiations then begin on the terms of entry.

7. Future Enlargement