The European Group of Five (E5) in the European Union is an unofficial group of five European states —France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain with the largest populations and thus with the majority of votes in the Council of the European Union. The group (then with the United Kingdom) was established in 2003 to deal with immigration, terrorism, and enforce law and order.EU G6 nations agree to fight terrorism and illegal immigration. WorkPermit.com. 27 October 2006.Reid urges human rights shake-up. BBC News. 12 May 2007. In 2006, Poland joined the group, making it the G6. On 29 March 2017, the United Kingdom triggered Article 50, and left the European Union entirely on 31 January 2020, ending the G6, and beginning the European Group of Five (E5) without the United Kingdom.
G6 Member State PopulationVotes in the Council Notes Germany 83,314,906 29 8.4% France 65,027,000 29 8.4% United Kingdom 63,182,000 Left the EU in 2020 Italy 60,000,068 29 8.4% Spain 47,016,894 27 7.8% Poland 38,116,000 27 7.8% Joined in 2006 Total 348,658,527 170 49.3%
Under the third pillar of the EU, Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters, powers are largely intergovernmental; this is the one EU policy area where there is no Commission monopoly on proposing law.Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters: Will the EU Constitutional Treaty Keep it Together, Euractiv.com 08/04/04 In other policy areas, the commission can usually create balance among the states, but in this one, the G6 has a great deal of influence over the commission.
Nicolas Sarkozy has called on the G6 to lead the Union following the dilution of the power of France and Germany after the 2004 enlargement of the European Union.Sarkozy calls for 'G6' to lead EU, Financial Times The lack of transparency and accountability of the G6 has been criticised by a number of figures, notably by a report in 2006 by the UK's House of Lords.European Union - Fortieth Report, House of Lords, United Kingdom
See also Area of freedom, security and justice Big Four (Western Europe) Big Five (Eurovision) Brexit Council of the European Union Democratic deficit in the European Union European Commission Eurovision Song Contest EU three Group of Seven Inner Six Intergovernmentalism List of European Union member states by population Salzburg Forum Voting in the Council of the European Union
References