three pillars


three pillars

a short expression for the aspects of the EUROPEAN UNION which form the basic structure. The first pillar comprises the Community dimension, comprising the arrangements set out in the European Community (EC), European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) - now expired - and European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) Treaties, i.e. Union citizenship, Community policies, Economic and Monetary Union. The second pillar comprises the common foreign and security policy, which comes under Title V of the EU Treaty. The third pillar comprises police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters.