Holy See -- European Union relations - wikipedia Holy See -- European Union relations European -- Vatican relations EU Vatican City Holy See - European Union relations is the relationship between the European Union ( EU ) and the Holy See ( or Vatican City ). This is framed by the Holy See 's geography ( within an EU state capital ) while being unable to join. Contents 1 Cooperation 2 Representations 3 Points of tension 4 Membership 5 See also 6 References 7 External links Cooperation According to the EU 's Copenhagen criteria which define what states are eligible to join the EU, a candidate state must be a free market democracy. Given that the Holy See is a theocracy it does not meet the criteria. However, as it is so small, and surrounded by an EU state ( Italy ), it is intrinsically linked to the EU. Vatican City has an open border with the EU and intends to join the Schengen Information System. It also uses the euro as its sole currency and has an agreement with the EU allowing them to mint their own coins. The EU gave Italy authority to negotiate a deal with the Holy See in 2000 which allowed the Holy See to mint a maximum of € 670,000. After a review of the arrangements, a new agreement came into force in 2010 which allowed the Holy See to mint € 1 million a year ( plus up to an additional € 300,000 on special occasions ). Vatican City is not part of the EU 's customs union or its VAT area like some other small European states are. However Vatican City is exempt from duties and taxes and the small amount of goods exported from Vatican City are exempt from duty. Representations The first representative from the Holy See, an Apostolic Nuncio, was accredited to the EU in 1970. The role of the EU 's representative to the Holy See is accorded to the EU representative to the UN in Rome : currently Ambassador Yves Gazzo. The first EU representative to the Holy See was Luis Ritto, accredited in 2006. This accreditation followed a visit by Commission President José Manuel Barroso who wished to create open full diplomatic relations between the two. Points of tension Some of the more recent events in the relationship have been ; A disagreement over whether to include a reference to Europe 's Christian heritage in the European Constitution The European Parliament refused to ratify Rocco Buttiglione as a European Commissioner because he backed the Catholic Church 's view on homosexuality The European Union endorsed the Sandbaek Report, increasing funding for abortion The funding of stem cell research by the European Union The European Parliament passed a motion calling for the compulsory recognition of same - sex unions across the European Union Membership The Vatican City ( the smallest state in the world ) is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal - monarchical state, and as such does not have the democratic credentials to join the EU ( Art. 49 TEU ) and is unlikely to attain them given its unique status. Additionally its economy is also of a unique non-commercial nature. Overall, the mission of the Vatican City state, which is tied to the mission of the Holy See, has little to do with the objectives of the EU Treaty. Thus EU membership is not discussed, even though it is in the heart of an EU member state. See also Vatican City portal European Union portal International relations portal Holy See -- Italy relations Religion in the European Union Microstates and the European Union References Jump up ^ The Holy See and the State of the Vatican City are not synonymous, however the ultimate authority of each in terms of international relations have the same impact in terms of the topics discussed in this article ^ Jump up to : Holy See ( Vatican ), European External Action Service ^ Jump up to : Work with the Holy See, EU delegation in Rome Jump up ^ `` BBC NEWS - Europe - Pope presses EU on constitution ''. Retrieved 17 April 2017. Jump up ^ `` BBC NEWS - Europe - EU row candidate stands down ''. Retrieved 17 April 2017. Jump up ^ EU funds must not be used for abortions in developing countries, Commission of the Bishop 's Conferences of the European Commission, Press Release, 13 February 2003 Jump up ^ `` Roman Catholic Church Outraged at EU Stem Cell Funding Decision - Christian News on Christian Today ''. Retrieved 17 April 2017. Jump up ^ `` Texts adopted - Wednesday, 14 June 2006 - Non-discrimination and equal opportunities for all - P6_TA ( 2006 ) 0261 ''. Retrieved 17 April 2017. Jump up ^ European Parliament calls for legal recognition of same - sex unions in all EU states, 27 June 2006, euro - fam ^ Jump up to : `` Holy See ( Vatican City ) ''. CIA -- The World Factbook. Retrieved 13 August 2013. Jump up ^ `` Vatican City ''. Catholic-Pages.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` EU Enlargement and the Failure of Conditionality '' ( European Monographs # 59 ), by Dimitry Kochenov, Kluwer Law International, 2008, p. 25 External links EU delegation in Rome Foreign relations of the European Union Bilateral relations See also : Economic relationships with third countries Africa Cape Verde Libya Morocco South Africa Tunisia Americas Argentina Brazil Canada Cuba Greenland Mexico United States Asia Bangladesh China ( People 's Republic of ) India Indonesia Japan Kazakhstan Malaysia Nepal New Zealand North Korea Pakistan Philippines South Korea Europe Albania Andorra Armenia Azerbaijan Belarus Bosnia and Herzegovina Faroe Islands Georgia Iceland Kosovo † Liechtenstein Macedonia Moldova Monaco Montenegro Northern Cyprus ( Turkish Republic of ) † Norway Russia San Marino Serbia Switzerland Turkey Ukraine Vatican City The Middle East Bahrain Iran Iraq Israel Jordan Lebanon Palestine † Syria Yemen Oceania Australia General Members ' overseas territories Largest trading partners Association Agreements Free trade agreements † = Disputed state, may not be recognised as an independent state by some or all European Union members. Multilateral relations and initiatives Organisations Arab League ASEAN Commonwealth Council of Europe ECHR G8 ICC IOC UN Initiatives African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States Asia -- Europe Meeting CARIFORUM Customs Union Eastern Partnership Energy Community Euro - Latin American Parliamentary Assembly European Common Aviation Area European Economic Area Euro - Mediterranean free trade area Euro - Mediterranean Partnership Euronest Economic Partnership Agreements EU CBRN Risk Mitigation CoE Initiative Neighbourhood Policy Northern Dimension Mediterranean Union Stabilisation and Association Process Administration and policies Foreign and Security Policy Security Strategy Everything but Arms Security and Defence Policy Enlargement Administration Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department Directorate - General for International Cooperation and Development External Action Service Foreign Affairs Council High Representative ( Federica Mogherini ) Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee Foreign Policy Instruments Service Diplomatic missions of the EU ( ambassadors ) / to the EU Special Representatives Common Security and Defence Policy of the European Union Leadership High Representative Director General of the Military Staff Chairman of the Military Committee European Council Foreign Affairs Council Organisation External Action Service Military Staff ( Military Planning and Conduct Capability ) Civilian Planning and Conduct Capability Intelligence and Situation Centre ( Club de Berne ) Crisis Management and Planning Directorate Security & Defence College Agencies Defence Agency Border and Coast Guard Agency Institute for Security Studies Satellite Centre Council preparatory bodies Committee of Permanent Representatives Political and Security Committee Politico - Military Group Military Committee Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management Policies Global Strategy Defence Fund Annual Review Other arrangements Permanent Structured Cooperation ( PESCO ; TEU, Article 42.6 ) Headline Goal 2010 Berlin Plus agreement Military Erasmus Military Mobility ( PESCO ) Forces Multinational Union level Battlegroups ( rotation ) Medical Corps Medical Command ( PESCO ) EUFOR Crisis Response Operation Core ( PESCO ) Made available ad - hoc through TEU, Article 42.3 Corps Maritime Force Gendarmerie Force See also : Air Transport Command Movement Coordination Centre Air Group Finabel Organisation of Military Associations Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation National PESCO participants Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Other Denmark Malta United Kingdom Equipment Galileo navigation system Secure Software - defined Radio ( PESCO ) Procurement National equipment Decorations Service medal Medal for Extraordinary Meritorious Service Monitor mission medal Missions Terrestrial force ( EUFOR ) Althea Concordia RCA RD Congo Tchad / RCA Artemis Naval force ( EUNAVFOR ) Atalanta Police ( EUPOL ) Palestinian Territories Bosnia and Herzegovina Training ( EUTM ) Somalia Mali Capacity Building ( EUCAP ) Sahel Mali Sahel Niger Border Assistance ( EUBAM ) Rafah Rule of law ( EULEX ) Kosovo Monitoring ( EUMM ) Aceh History See also : Treaties of the European Union Treaty of Dunkirk ( 1947 ) Treaty of Brussels ( 1948 ) Western Union ( 1948 -- 1951 ; Flag 1949 Exercise Verity ) Treaty establishing the European Defence Community ( signed 1952, unratified ) London and Paris Conferences ( 1954 ) Modified Brussels Treaty ( 1954 ) Western European Union ( 1954 -- 2011 ; Flag Assembly Secretary - General Service medal ) Petersberg Declaration ( 1992 ) European Security and Defence Identity ( 1996 - 1999 ) Saint - Malo declaration ( 1998 ) Helsinki Headline Goal ( 1999 ) European Security Strategy ( 2003 ) CAPECON project ( 2002 - 2005 ) European Security and Defence Policy ( 1999 - 2009 ) Lancaster House Treaties ( 2010 ) Rapid Operational Force ( 1995 -- 2012 ) Operations Centre ( 2012 - 2016 ) European Union portal Military history portal Foreign relations of the Holy See Africa Algeria Central African Republic Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Ivory Coast Americas Argentina Canada Cuba Mexico Peru United States Uruguay Venezuela Asia Bangladesh China Georgia India Indonesia Iran Israel Japan Jordan Kurdistan Region Lebanon Malaysia Myanmar Nepal Pakistan Palestine Philippines Saudi Arabia South Korea Sri Lanka Taiwan Turkey United Arab Emirates Vietnam Europe European Union Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Macedonia Poland Romania Russia Serbia Spain Switzerland United Kingdom Related topics Cardinal Secretary of State Concordats Diplomatic missions of the Holy See Diplomatic missions to the Holy See Heads of the diplomatic missions of the Holy See Holy See and the United Nations Holy See Representative Legal status of the Holy See Multilateral foreign policy of the Holy See Observer to the UN Observer to the UN in Geneva Secretariat of State Section for Relations with States ( Roman Curia ) Pope portal Vatican City portal Catholicism portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Holy_See -- European_Union_relations&oldid = 834361101 '' Categories : European Union and the Catholic Church Foreign relations of the Holy See Third - country relations of the European Union Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from July 2013 Articles which use infobox templates with no data rows Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Français Polski Edit links This page was last edited on 5 April 2018, at 09 : 33. 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Question: who is allowed to be apart of the european union
Answer: a candidate state must be a free market democracy