Abstract
The 'system of the European Union (EU)', rests primarily on individual nation states. The first European intergovernmental cooperation was started in 1951 by six states. EU now has 25 members and one may assume that the importance of the member state is not what it used to be due to new influences. We observe a shift in policies through time, since the creation of the EU. In the 60s, national identities and state sovereignty were still very present (especially because of de Gaulle's way of thinking about Europe) but in the current scenario, the EU has a say in many domains of thought that were considered purely national concerns, before the implementation of such a monetary policy. The Question that arises, is if the EU has now emerged as a super state and if it member states retain any importance. The importance of a member state is a combination of the influence of 'all its political actors and institutions'. When discussing the weight of member states', one must, consider the national government, the parliaments, as they have a role in legitimating EU decisions by translating them into national law, and the sub-national authorities such as the regions, as they now have the power to by-pass their national governments.
