Definitions Flashcards
Acquis communautaire
The Community acquis[1] or acquis communautaire (/ˈækiː kəˈmjuːnətɛər/; French: [aˌki kɔmynoˈtɛːʁ]),[2] sometimes called the EU acquis and often shortened to acquis,[2] is the accumulated legislation, legal acts and court decisions that constitute the body of European Union law that came into being since 1993.
Acquis screening
Screening, or analytical examination of the European Union’s (EU) acquis (the body of EU law applicable in the EU), is the preparatory stage of accession negotiations.
Agenda 2000
Agenda 2000 was an action programme of the European Union whose main objectives were to reform the Common Agricultural Policy and Regional policy,[1] and establish a new financial framework for the years 2000–06 with a view to the then upcoming Eastern Enlargement of the European Union.
Amsterdam leftovers
A number of institutional issues (which became known as the ‘Amsterdam leftovers’)
had been addressed by the Maastricht and Amsterdam Intergovernmental Conferences
(IGCs) but not satisfactorily resolved. These included size and composition of the
Commission, weighting of votes in the Council, and extension of qualified majority
voting. On the basis of a report by the Finnish Presidency, the Helsinki European
Council decided in late 1999 that an IGC should deal with the leftovers and all other
changes required in preparation for enlargement.
Association Agreements
An association agreement is a bilateral agreement between the EU and a third country. In the context of accession to the EU, it serves as the basis for implementation of the accession process. Turkey currently has an association agreement. Association agreements between the Western Balkan countries and the EU and its Member States are called ‘stabilisation and association agreements’.
Avis
We adopt opinions in the context of legislative consultations requested by the European Commission (EDPB opinions under Art. 70 GDPR or EDPB/EDPS joint opinions under Art. 42 of Regulation 2018/1725).
We also adopt consistency opinions addressed to national Supervisory Authorities (Art.64 GDPR). The national Supervisory Authorities can request EDPB opinions on any matter of general application of the GDPR, or any issue producing effects in more than one Member State. Where a national Supervisory Authority intends to adopt a measure on legal issues having cross-border effects, they must request an EDPB opinion on their draft decision (please see the full list of these measures under Art. 64(1) GDPR, e.g. codes of conduct, standard contractual clauses, …).
Following our consistency opinions, the national Supervisory Authorities adopt their national decisions. Do not hesitate to visit our Register for Decisions taken by supervisory authorities and courts on issues handled in the consistency mechanism
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CEFTA
Central European Free Trade Agreement
CFSP
The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) contributes to the EU’s objectives of preserving peace, strengthening international security, promoting international cooperation and developing and consolidating democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Chicken war
The chicken war began in mid‐1962 when the six member nations of the Common Market—France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg—raised their common outer tariff on poultry to 13.43 cents a pound. In Germany, the biggest market for American chicken exports, the tariff had been 4.8 cents a pound.
Common price (Common Agricultural Policy)
The CAP is a partnership between society and agriculture that ensures a stable supply of food, safeguards farmers’ income, protects the environment and keeps rural areas vibrant.
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was set out in the Treaty of Rome (1957) and established in 1962. It was intended to enable the European Community to avoid the food-shortages experienced during and after the war.
Constructive abstention
As a general rule, all decisions taken with respect to the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy are adopted unanimously. However, in certain cases, an EU country can choose to abstain from voting on a particular action without blocking it. This could arise, for example, where the EU proposes to condemn the actions of a non-EU country.
Under Article 31 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), the country that constructively abstains may qualify its abstention by making a formal declaration. In that case, it shall not be obliged to apply this decision, but shall accept that the decision commits the EU.
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is the continent’s leading human rights organisation. It includes 46 member states, 27 of which are members of the European Union.
Council of the European Union
The Council of the EU is where national ministers from each EU country meet to negotiate and adopt EU laws.
Crocodile Club
The Crocodile Club was an informal group of members of the European Parliament (MEP) that favoured greater European integration, to the extent of a European federation, and greater powers to the European Parliament.
Currency snake
The snake entered into force on 24 April 1972 and allowed central banks to buy and sell European currencies provided that the exchange rate fluctuation margin of 2.25 %, corresponding to the authorised margins between the dollar and the currencies of the Six, was not overstepped.
Customs union (stages of economic integration)
The four main levels of economic integration are free trade areas, customs unions, common markets, and economic unions. A free trade area consists of countries working to remove trade barriers as they conduct business. It still allows the countries to conduct business with non-members freely.
Decision
A decision is a binding legal act that either may be of general application or may have a specific addressee. A decision is part of the EU’s secondary law, the body of law that derives from the principles and objectives set out in the EU treaties (primary law).
Directive
A directive is a legal act adopted by the EU institutions addressed to the EU Member States and, as laid down in Article 288 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, is binding as to the result to be achieved. A directive is part of the EU’s secondary law, the body of law that derives from the principles and objectives set out in the EU treaties (primary law).
Double majority
A qualified majority (QM) is the number of votes required in the Council for a decision to be adopted when issues are being debated on the basis of Article 16 of the Treaty on European Union and Article 238 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Under the ordinary legislative procedure, the Council acts by QM, in codecision with the Parliament.
Economic (and monetary) union (stages of economic integration)
Specialists in this area define seven stages of economic integration: a preferential trading area, a free trade area, a customs union, a common market, an economic union, an economic and monetary union, and complete economic integration.
ECU
The European Currency Unit (ECU) was the official monetary unit of the European Monetary System (EMS) before it was replaced by the euro. The value of the ECU was used to determine the exchange rates and reserves among the members of the EMS, but it was always an accounting unit rather than a real currency.
EFTA
The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is the intergovernmental organisation of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, set up for the promotion of free trade and economic integration between its members, within Europe and globally.
Empty chair crisis
In July 1965, de Gaulle boycotted European institutions due to issues he had regarding new political proposals by the European Commission. This event, known as the “Empty Chair Crisis”, affected the European Community. Several issues regarding European political integration led to the confrontation.
