Is the European Union a federation, a confederation, or something else?
It's best described as a union of national governments.
These sites have more details.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederation#European_Union
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union
To determine whether the European Union (EU) is a federation, a confederation, or something else, we need to understand the characteristics of these political systems.
A federation is a political system where power is shared between a central government and individual states or regions. It typically has a written constitution that outlines the division of powers between the central authority and the subnational entities. Examples of federations include the United States, Canada, and Germany.
A confederation, on the other hand, is a political system where power is primarily held by independent states or regions, which come together for a common purpose, such as defense or economic cooperation. The central authority in a confederation usually has limited powers, and decisions are made by consensus among the member states. The United Nations is an example of a confederation, although it is not exactly a political system.
Now, considering the EU, it can be described as a unique and evolving form of governance that does not fit neatly into the traditional definitions of a federation or a confederation. The EU's member states have voluntarily joined and agreed to pool sovereignty in specific areas, such as trade, environmental policies, and human rights. While the EU has elements of both a federation and a confederation, its structure is distinct.
The EU operates on the principle of supranationalism, meaning that decisions made by the Union take precedence over national laws in certain areas. It has its own institutions, such as the European Commission, European Parliament, and European Court of Justice, which have powers to make and enforce laws that apply to all member states. However, the EU's authority is still limited, and member states retain sovereignty in many aspects of governance, including defense and taxation.
In conclusion, the EU can be considered a sui generis entity, with characteristics of both a federation and a confederation. It is a unique experiment in regional integration, where power is shared between the member states and the supranational institutions, but without the full attributes of a traditional federation or a confederation.