European Union

The European Union represents the most ambitious experiment in supranational governance in modern history. Unlike purely international bodies, the EU possesses genuine sovereignty transferred from member states, including authority over trade policy, competition law, and monetary policy for eurozone members. It demonstrates how formerly independent entities can evolve into a higher-order organism while retaining distinct identities.

The EU's structure mirrors biological federation patterns - a federal layer handling system-wide coordination while member states retain autonomy over local adaptation. This creates tension between harmonization and diversity, efficiency and resilience. The EU's regulatory apparatus, particularly in technology and competition policy, has become a global standard-setter, demonstrating how governance can shape market evolution.