Supranationalism

Supranationalism is governance in which states authorize shared institutions to make decisions that can bind them. It pools or limits national authority in specified areas without necessarily creating a single state.

European Union: A political and economic union whose member states share institutions and exercise some powers jointly. It is the most developed contemporary example of supranational governance.
Sovereignty: The supreme authority of a political entity over its territory and affairs, free from external control. Supranationalism qualifies the exercise of sovereignty through jointly authorized institutions.
Intergovernmentalism: A form of cooperation in which national governments retain control and make decisions collectively, typically by agreement. It contrasts with supranationalism by keeping decision-making authority primarily with governments.
Direct effect of European Union law: The doctrine that certain European Union rules create rights individuals can invoke before national courts. It allows supranational rules to affect people without waiting for national legislation.
European Coal and Steel Community: A 1951 organization that placed French and West German coal and steel production under a shared authority. It was an early institutional experiment in binding supranational control.
European Commission: The European Union institution that proposes legislation, implements policies, and monitors compliance with EU law. It can initiate common rules and enforce member-state obligations.
International organization: An institution created by states through an agreement to coordinate action across national borders. Supranational bodies belong to this broader family but hold stronger authority than most.
Confederation: A political union in which member states retain substantial sovereignty and delegate limited powers to common institutions. Confederations generally give central institutions less independent authority than supranational arrangements.
European single market: An economic area enabling the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people among participating European countries. Common rules and enforcement make cross-border economic integration workable.
Schuman Declaration: A 1950 proposal by French foreign minister Robert Schuman for pooling European coal and steel production. It set out the political proposal that led to the first European supranational community.

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