text: The European Community is a unique grouping of twelve sovereign European Member States who are committed to the development of closer economic and political co-operation. The community has an aim to break down the economic and political barriers that have traditionally divided Europe. In particular, the community seeks to facilitate greater movement within its frontiers; movement not only of goods but of services, capital and people. However, the issue of sovereignty is certainly a much debated one; to what extent should a member hand over its sovereignty to the Community, if at all ? Let us look at the founding of the European Community, before we discuss the issue of sovereignty in more detail.
  		There were several attempts at peaceful unification after the First World War, but only after Europe had again been devastated by war was the futility of national rivalry truly apparent. The political and economic exhaustion of the European states called for a fresh start and a far more radical approach to the re-ordering of Europe. This fresh start came about because of three main factors. Firstly, was Europe's realization of her own weakness, after having lost her age-old position at the centre of the world stage to the United States of America and to the Soviet Union. These superpowers were economically, militarally and politically stronger than the divided individual European states. Secondly was the conviction that military conflict should in the future be avoided; after all, the two great wars had both begun as European "civil wars". Thirdly was the common desire for a better, freer world in which international relations would be conducted in a more orderly way. One of the first major moves towards European integration was the creation of the European Economic Community, in 1958. Its membership has grown from the ten original founder countries to twenty-three. One of the most innovative features of the European Community compared with other international bodies is that the member states have ceded to it a part of their national sovereignty and endowed it with its own sovereign powers, which it can use to adopt acts, having the force of national law. This novel approach to pooling national sovereignty is called "integration". The 1970's saw progress in integration, with the introduction of community policy instruments, which enabled greater scope for national policies. 
  		All of the member states agree in principle to the idea of a single market by 1992, however each wish their own interests to be safeguarded. This is to say that none want to sacrifice their national sovereignty, many want unanimous voting, not majority voting. Many see this issue as a threat to their own regulations and laws, and could foresee a drop in standards if they do not stand firm.
  		The situation is seen as a threat to the countries in question who do not wish to boldly give up their sovereignty for the sake of European unity. Whether or not the continuation of the progress in the field of European unity is sucessful depends very much on the people of Europe. If a feeling of European unity develops and can be sustained, the threat will subside as a feeling of identity takes over.
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