12. Union Policies: Overview

Abstract

This chapter offers an overview of the main internal and external policies of the Union. The internal policies of the Union can today be found in Part III of the TFEU entitled ‘Internal Policies and Internal Actions’. The external policies of the Union are generally placed into Part V of the TFEU entitled ‘The Union’s External Action’. This chapter discusses two internal and two external policies. It provides an introduction to the Union’s Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Section 2 moves to EU Social Policy. This is an important internal policy for a continent that prides itself as being the ‘social continent’. The two external policies discussed are the Common Commercial Policy and the Union’s ‘special’ Common Foreign and Security Policy.