EU

Question 1

Why was the EU established?

Answer 1

Stop 1 country becoming too powerful after WW2, Free market (tariffs and quotas), Free movement of people between member states, protect civil rights, policy integration, collective security

Question 2

How it happened? (Timeline)

Answer 2

'Treaty of Rome; creates EEC (1957)
UK join 1973
Maastricht treaty '1992' EEC becomes EU
Lisbon treaty 2007 devolved some powers
EU referendum 2016 48% - 52%

Question 3

Structure of the EU?

Answer 3

EU Council (hold summits 4 times a year, Tusk Chairs, Unanimous voting for strategies and policies)
EU Commission (27 commissioners each have own responsibility, 20.000 civil servants bureaucratic)
EU Commissioner (President of Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, commissioners appointed every 5 years)
Council of Ministers (Head of Departments, all gather weekly for different department)
European Court of Justice (Clears EU law, superior to all, Factorame: Fish are fair game 1998)
President (Donald Tusk, elected by members, country can put forward candidate, 2.5 year terms)

Question 4

Supranational

Answer 4

Organisation bigger than a country (HRA 1998)

Question 5

Democratic Deficit

Answer 5

Not democratic, big countries make deals, power dominated by bureaucrats ad other countries politicians, not elected by countries.

Question 6

Eurosceptic

Answer 6

Doesn’t like EU, Misrepresentation of states (Malta 67,000 per representative, Germany 857,000 per representative)

Question 7

Is the EU a Federation?

Answer 7

Has central power and states control internal affairs, and has single currency for most, however EU states have control over external affairs as each are part of the organisation.

Question 8

Impact of UK

Answer 8

Undermines Parliamentary sovereignty, Threatens individual nature, domestic laws must fit EU

Question 9

Positives of EU

Answer 9

Shared security approach (European arrest warrants)
Created jobs/economic benefits
Enforced democracy in places like Poland
Common agricultural policy, better market choices

Question 10

Negatives of EU

Answer 10

Unelected officials, parliament only accountable body
Commissioners elected by EU not UK
High Costs, wasted bureaucracy
Lose control of key issues (immigration)
Parliament not strong, seen as separate