CM 4 Flashcards
what is the European union
an embryonic political union since 2009
advanced budgetary union project
monetary union of 20 countries - euro
above all, the single market : primary objective of founding treaties
European Union identity card
27 European states
4.2 M km²
447 million inhabitants
governed by The Treaty of the European Union (Dec. 2009)
main institutions of EU
European Parliament
European Council
Council of Ministers
European Commission
Court of Justice
EU today
6% of world’s population
generates 18.6% of global GDP (2nd largest)
generates 16% of global GDP at power purchase agreements
1nd of 15 main protagonists in merchandise trade
the United States of Europe
Renaissance : 1st pro-European ideas appear
1756 : Rousseau proposes an association of states
1795 : Kant advocates a federation of free states
1876 : Victor Hugo appealed to the construction of a pan-European state
20th C. march towards Europe
after WW1 : Treaty of Versailles imposes humiliating regulation on Germany and pushes the project away
1929 : Briand at League of Nations favours a federal European bond
after WW2 : emergence of Europe
1946 : Churchill “stand up Europe”
1947 : Orwell favours socialist united states of Europe
1949 : 10 states sign statutes at Council of Europe (47 members today)
common commercial policy (PCC)
manifestation of desire for European economic cooperation
creation of first & main common policy
1951, Rome : European Coal & Steel Community treaty signed by 6 countries
1957 : these countries sign 2 treaties creating European Economic Community & European Atomic Energy Community
PCC : first common policy
‘common market’ project of acceptance of abolition of obstacles to trade between members
direct result of Treaty of Rome
liberalisation of goods the first step to future ‘common market’
Commission can take initiatives to negotiate & sign trade agreements
article XXIV - customs unions (UD)
GATT tolerance to customs unions (UD)
facilitates trade & bans obstacles to trade
prohibits over protective blocs
principles of PCC : internal level
negotiating mandates adopted by majority with unanimity in 3 areas
- trade in services, commercial aspects of intellectual property & FDI
- trade in cultural & audiovisual services, when agreements risk undermining ‘cultural exception’
- trade in social services, education & health if agreements risks undermine competence of members
principles of PCC : external level
problem of consistency between European rules & WTO principles
‘community preference’ considered it in contradiction to WTO doctrine
ECJ ruled it a political, not legal principle
preferential trade regimes granted by EU to developing countries denounced by 3rd countries.
support for export of agri prodcuts considered obstacle to world treade by some WTO members
62% of internal trade is EU trade
the Commission
technical body
foundation of PCC
propose positions to be adopted
leads discussions with partners
made of of Commissioners
Trade Commissioner : voice of EU within WTO
the Council of Ministers
political body
what supplies the Commission with projects & proposals
meets once a month
rare for states to challenge them
approves or disapproves agreements
the Trade Policy Committee
advisory
created with the Lisbon Treaty in 2009
originates from ‘133 Committee’ of Treaty of Amsterdam (1997)
special committee designated by the Council to assist the Commission
an essential cog in relations between Commission & Council
elimination of non-tariff barriers to trade
removal of quantitative restrictions on trade
initially, combated by GATT doctrine as infringement of trade freedom
European states use health & safety arguments to protect themselves
ECJ reduced these restrictions
harmonisation of competition rules still thwarted
comes up against national imperatives
lots of public public aid requires prior European authorisations
