European Union, engl. The European Union - the EU, an intergovernmental and supranational organization of 28 European countries whose goals are the economic and political integration of the European continent. The legislative and institutional framework of the European Union was created and developed during the historical development of the European Union. It is based on the community legal system, in particular the founding treaties and contracts that have been supplemented and exchanged, as well as other sources of community law and the general principles of law, and the way of making decisions and competencies that have been transferred to the institutions of the European Union. The most important institutions of the European Union are the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Commission, the European Court, the European Central Bank and the Court of Auditors. Each of these institutions has a different role to play in promoting the European Union's interest.