Holy See–European Union relations

• European Union
• Vatican City

The Vatican City (Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano ) is not a member of the European Union. Its only 0.44 km ² territory is completely surrounded by the capital of the EU member state Italy, Rome. He has a special relationship with the EU, partly through special agreements with the neighboring country of Italy.

History of EU- Vatican City State

The first apostolic nuncio in 1970 accredited by the then European Economic Community. Since 2006, the Head of the EU Delegation accredited to the United Nations in Rome as a representative of the Holy See. The relationships are problem free.

Schengen

The Vatican City State has open borders with Italy. Schengen visas are valid for entry into the Vatican City State. However, he is not subject to the rules of the Schengen Agreement. An association includes the Vatican but in the medium is not sufficient.

Duties

The Vatican City State belongs neither to the EU internal market or the EU customs territory. The customs regulations between the Vatican City State and the EU go back on an agreement with Italy in 1930, which was closed shortly after the entry into force of the Lateran Pacts. Then the Vatican City from all customs duties and taxes in mutual trade is excluded. The Vatican manufactured and exported to Italy are exempt from customs duties and benefit from a preferential trading system.

Euro

Until the introduction of the euro in Italy, the Italian Lira was, together with the Vatican and San Marino's official currency in the Vatican City State. The EU finance ministers gave Italy with regard to the introduction of the euro (2002) their agreement to negotiate a monetary agreement with the Vatican City State, which was signed in 2000.

The currency arrangement allowed the Vatican City State to bring Vatican euro coins in circulation that are recognized throughout the euro area as a valid method of payment. It provides for the right of the State of Vatican City, to bring from 1 January 2002 annual Euro coins up to a height of 670,000 euros in circulation. They are the proportion of Italy at the peripheral euro coins attributed. At times the Holy See is vacant, it is the Vatican City State permitted to bring additional coins amounting to a nominal value of € 201,000 a year in traffic. The same applies to the years in which there is an Ecumenical Council, or it is a Holy Year of the Catholic Church.

On January 1, 2010, a new currency agreement between the EU and the State of Vatican City came into force. It provides for an increase of the maximum nominal amount of one million euros per year.

The Vatican City State also reserves the right to mint collector coins. However, these are not a means of payment in the euro area.

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The question of Vatican membership application to the European Union does not arise. The state is aware not a member of most international organizations and has observer status in this excess, including the Euro Europe. The Vatican City State would not meet the policy conditions for admission to the EU, the so-called Copenhagen criteria. They presuppose a democratic system of the state. The Vatican City State, however, is an elective monarchy without direct democratic participation rights of its nationals.