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EUnot EC but not all the time

01 November 1993

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On 8 November it was announced at a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers that in future the term "European Union" or EU should be used when referring to matters decided under the second (defence and foreign policy) and third (justice, policing and immigration) "pillars" of the Maastricht Treaty. In these areas the EU is not a legal entity in international law because the nature of agreements, policies and Conventions are intergovernmental, that is, they rely on each of the 12 EU states ratifying Conventions, acting on policies, and incorporating decisions into national laws.

However in economic policy, which usually involves the European Commission, such as trade agreements with third countries (those outside the EC) these are legally binding agreements in international law and the term "EC" is still appropriate.

Statewatch will now use the term EU (not EC) as its interests lie in the second and third "pillar" areas.

Official Journal, L 281, 16.11.93.

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