EU Construction

Question 1

What is the date of the Schuman Declaration and what did it contain/state?

Answer 1

• 09/05/1950
• Objectives and methods to reach them + United Europe at the service of peace in the continent and globally.

Question 2

What treaties followed the Schuman Declaration in the first stage of the EU integration?

What did they push the creation of?

Answer 2

• Treaty of Paris (1951): Created the ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community)
• Treaties of Rome (1957): Created the Euratom + European Economic Community
• High Authority, Special Council of Ministers, Common Assembly, Court of Justice.

Question 3

Which States were part of the Communities until 1986?

Answer 3

• West Germany, France, Italy, BENELUX (since 1950)
• UK, Ireland and Denmark (1973)
• Greece (1981)
• Spain and Portugal (1986)

Question 4

The Single European Act:
- When did it come into force?
- What is it?
- What were its objectives?

Answer 4

• It came into force in 1987 (signed in 1986).
• It’s the first treaty carrying a hige reform of the treaties.
• The objective was to create a European Single Market (free circulation of goods, people and services) to respond to the expansion of the Communities and make sure the objectives of the Treaties of Rome were respected.

Question 5

The Treaty of Maastricht:
- When does it come into force?
- What transformations does it bring?

Answer 5

• 1993
• It is both a revising and a constituent treaty. Brings new policies. The EEC becomes the European Community. Created the European Citizenship and the Economic Monetary Union. The EP can submit a legislative proposal. Talks about a UNION in Art.1 but the Communities still exist.

Question 6

What are the three pillars of the Treaty of Maastricht?

Answer 6

1. Community Law: Establishment of a common market and monetary policy.
2. Common Foreign and Security Policy: Common values, international cooperation and conformity to the UN Charter.
3. Cooperation on Justice and Home Affairs: Community’s external borders, creation of Europol, asylum and terrorism.

Question 7

What are the traties that followed the TEU?

Answer 7

• Treaty of Amsterdam (1999): EP more powers; reforms; closer cooperation among MS.
• Treaty of Nice (2001): Charter of Fundamental Rights adopted (not legally binding); EP more powers.
• Treaty of Lisbon (2009)

Question 8

What transformations does the Treaty of Lisbon bring?

Answer 8

1. Treaty of Maastricht into TEU (principles) and TFEU (framework).
2. No more “Community” but “Union”.
3. Gives the EU full legal personality.
4. Clarifies the competences of the EU (exclusive, shared, support).
5. Charter of Fundamental Rights incorporated into the body of the treaties -> legally binding.

Question 9

Which article of the TEU states the requirements to be a MS? What does it say?

Answer 9

• Art. 49: Only a European State that respects the values stated in Art. 2 can.
• Copenhagen Criteria (1993): Add political (democracy), economic (stable market) and legislative (acquis communautaire) requirements.

Question 10

What is the procedure to send the application to become a MS?

Answer 10

1. Council receives the application and has to vote unanimously.
2. Commission screening, Copenhagen Criteria.
3. Parliament also has to approve.

Question 11

Is the EU an International Organisation? Could it be a federation of States?

Answer 11

• Yes. From the Vienna Convention of 1969 it respects all the criteria: “A Collectivity of States established by a treaty with a Constitution, a legal personality and common organs”
• It cannot be considered a Federation as it has a territory, a population and an organized political power, but not a sovereignety of its own.

Question 12

What are the sources of the EU law?

Answer 12

1. Primary law - the Treaties and the CFR (since 2009)
2. General principles of EU law
3. International agreements
4. Secondary law (regulations, directives and decisions)