The EU as a Political Entity

The European Union has resulted in something greater then just a collection of separate sovereign states. The EU has become a supranational, creating regional polices, dealing with internal European polices and external relations in the for of diplomacy. Individual states and the EU as a political entity often compete over sovereignty, this had led to debate between nation states, some believing that the EU should have more sovereignty over EU members where others believe it should have less.    

The EU has to respect the political systems of its member states so the state remains sovereign in local, regional and national affairs, however in order to become an EU member the state must accept that it may be more effective and efficient  for some affairs to be run on a union level in order to complete treaty obligations.

If member states agree to give up some of their power in this way they will have pooled sovereignty, the powers that have been given up by individual states are transferred to separate body's, for example, the EU trade commissioner represents member states in the WTO and the European Central Bank has the job of managing monetary policy and sets interest rates for the member states that use the euro for currency. In these and all other cases sovereignty has been pooled but not lost.

EU member states can no longer rely on just themselves as single states when dealing with international affairs, and sometimes they can not even rely on their own sovereignty when it comes to internal EU affairs, and yet when it comes to national affairs member states remain mostly sovereign and for the majority of polices do not need EU interference. However widespread the EU's sovereignty may be it can not be denied that it is a powerful political entity that mirrors the Westphalia model.   

Are nation states still the most important actors in global politics?

A nation state is a geographical area that can be identified as delivering its political legacy from serving as a sovereign nation. A state is a political and geopolitical entity, while nation is a cultural and ethnic one. 

In Global Politics it can sometimes be unclear as to which are the most powerful actors in the system. Some may argue that nation states are still the most important actors in global politics whereas others would argue that non state entity's are more important in the modern world.

A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an organization that is neither a part of a government nor a conventional for-profit business. Usually set up by ordinary citizens, NGOs may be funded by governments, foundations, businesses, or private persons.

Unlike nation states NGOs are not obliged to consider public opinion or desire.  NGOs have been recognized as being important in the progression towards a cleaner global environment, the quick relief in war zones, and the struggle towards democracy. The large number of NGOs in attendance at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development demonstrates their desire to be included as rightful participants in environmental management. The 1980s saw the emergence of NGOs as important figure in world elections.The monitoring of elections helped to provide democratic elections in countries where the leaders are often oppressive. From 1986 to 1989, election monitors played important roles in the transitional elections in the Philippines, Chile, Panama, Nicaragua, and Haiti.8 It is undeniable that NGOs play an important role in global politics. Through the United Nations, non-governmental organizations have a legitimate place within the political system. In practice, recognized NGOs have access to all UN documents which have been officially circulated.

In the international community there is not an individual or a group who holds higher authority than a state. Authorized states are entitled to participate in the General Assembly of the United Nations. Therefore, states are able to make decisions affecting political and economic policies which impact the world. Non-state actors are not entitled to vote in the United Nations; therefore, it is difficult to get their voices heard. Non-state actors simply do not have the resources to be successful as the major actors in world politics. In regards to finance, it is crucial that NGOs are not funded by a specific government or intergovernmental organizations. The fear is that if an NGO is financed by a state, that non-profit organization could become an instrument of foreign governments and thus compromise their independence. Without the assistance of a state, NGOs do not possess the power to become major actors in world politics.

In conclusion nation states do remain the most powerful actors in global politics but NGOs, international globalisations, have increasing amounts of influence due to globalisation.