1 Colum. J. Eur. L. 285 (1995)

Frederic J. Jouhet. Assistant Visiting Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. D.E.A. Business Law, Universite d’Auvergne, Faculte de Droit et de Science Politique (France).

In memory of Anthony R. Vozza (1936-1993). This article is dedicated to Anthony R. Vozza (1936-1993), my late father-in-law, an intelligent and honest man who came from Italy at the age of seventeen and worked hard all his life for his family. He made me realize what a good human being is supposed to be and set himself as an example for me forever. We miss you.

Global reorganization1 is upon us. The world is changing and the “Yalta Conception” of the world has collapsed. We are now at the beginning of the “New World Order” where each nation, old or new, will have to find its place. Therefore, tremendous political and economic metamorphoses are occurring around the globe. Reorganization of the world is demonstrated by the dramatic problems of the former USSR, Yugoslavia, and China, and by the signing of a peace agreement between the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the State of Israel. The adoption of the North American Free Trade Agreement is also proof of this change. It is in this new world order that fifteen Western European countries are trying to complete a strategy of unification amongst themselves. This group has taken a new turn with the1993 adoption of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), also known as the Maastricht Treaty.

The TEU is the latest stepping stone toward unification. As the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) draws near, and the institutions of the European Community are finishing their reports on the TEU’s application, it may be appropriate to offer an analysis of the main provisions of the TEU and the complexities surrounding its ratification and application. The TEU is the starting point for the next wave of treaty amendments, and this presentation hopes to provide a background for the preparations for the IGC.