EU Enlargement

Question 1

Define ‘Intergovernmentalism’

Answer 1

The principle that policy-decisions should be taken on the basis of debate in which national interests are considered and accommodated.

Question 2

Define ‘Subsidiarity’

Answer 2

It is the principle that policy-decisions should be taken as close to those affected by the decisions as possible

Question 3

EU as a federal super states

• Supranationalism

Answer 3

Supranationalism, and therefore federalism, has been extended in recent years, with the extension of QMV and the reduction of the veto

Question 4

EU as a federal super states

• The ECJ

Answer 4

The ECJ is a supranational institution with the power to overrule national courts and with an expanding role, including into home affairs

Question 5

EU as a federal super states

• The Lisbon Treaty

Answer 5

The Lisbon Treaty moved more decisions away from national governments, changing the role and powers of key institutions

Question 6

EU as a federal super states

• features within the EU

Answer 6

1) Has its own currency
2) Has a president
3) Has a constitution - Lisbon
4) Has a foreign secretary - HRFA

Question 7

EU as a federal super states

• Subsidiarity

Answer 7

The principle of ‘subsidiarity’ is akin to federalism, institutionalising the taking decisions at different levels of government

Question 8

EU as a federal super staes

• Sharing sovereignty

Answer 8

The EU has moved towards its own brand of Euro-federalism, where member states share sovereignty with supranational organisations, which cold be seen as similar to the US model

Question 9

The EU is not a federal super state

• Intergovernmentalism

Answer 9

The institutions of the EU are still essentially intergovernmental in nature and attempts to make the EU more federal have failed, e.g. aspects of the Constitution Treaty

Question 10

The EU is not a federal super state

• Defence

Answer 10

There are still a number of gaps in EU control of areas traditionally run by states, such as tax harmonisation, criminal law, defence and much of foreign policy

Question 11

The EU is not a federal super state

• The Euro

Answer 11

The euro has not fully integrated the economies of Europe as note all member states have joined the Eurozone, whilst the zone itself saw a lack of supranational direction in response to the Euro-crisis

Question 12

The EU is not a federal super state

• Enlargement

Answer 12

Enlargement has prevented the EU from becoming federal as reforms have focused on how to make decision making smoother

Question 13

The EU is not a federal super state

• Lack of consensus

Answer 13

There remains a lack of consensus on the European social model versus the free market model, inhibiting the feasibility of greater supranationalism.

Question 14

What does intergovernmentalism imply?

Answer 14

It implies that national governments should be able to veto proposals that they see as threatening their vital national interests.

Question 15

Why does intergovernmental is seen as a hinderance

Answer 15

It forces all EU member states to progress at the pace of the EU’s most reluctant members

Question 16

What is the benefits of two speed Europe

Answer 16

It would release some members from the constraints of intergovernmental decision-making.

Question 17

What was subsidiarity designed for?

Answer 17

It was originally designed to guarantee regional autonomy and to limit the EU’s ability to intervene and further encroach on national sovereignty

Question 18

Policy under subsidiarity

Answer 18

Policy should only be made at EU level if local or national governments are less able to achieve goals of the policy

Question 19

Impact of subsidiarity on integration

• Too easy to make a case

Answer 19

It is too easy to make the case for almost all policy areas being addressed most effectively at EU level rather than at the lowest level, pointing to the increasing number of policy areas introduced to EU control by recent treaties, such as social policy, CFSP, and the environment

Question 20

Impact of subsidiarity on integration

• Excuse to limit further integration

Answer 20

Subsidiarity is being used as an excuse to limit further integration, by potentially allowing national parliaments to decide whether EU legislation complies with the principle of subsidiarity, under the Lisbon Treaty

Question 21

Impact of subsidiarity on integration

• To retain national control

Answer 21

Used as an excuse to retain national control in areas which might be best dealt with at EU level, such as defence, foreign affairs and the environment

Question 22

Impact of subsidiarity on integration

• Additional bodies

Answer 22

Subsidiarity prevents further integration by creating additional bodies to deal with locally or regionally decided policy issues, such as the Committee for the Regions.

Question 23

Federalism can be seen in:

• EU Law

Answer 23

EU law takes precedence over national law, and this can be enforced by the ECJ, meaning that national parliaments are no longer sovereign.

Question 24

Federalism can be seen in:

• The Commission

Answer 24

EU laws are proposed by the Commission which is a supranational and unelected body with no direct accountability to member states

Question 25

Federalism can be seen in:

• HRFA

Answer 25

The President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs could be characterised as the beginnings of a centralised executive for the EU

Question 26

Federalism can be seen in:

• Common currency

Answer 26

Much of the EU shares a common currency, with a loss of economic sovereignty as members no longer control their interest rates or much of their fiscal policy, and are subject to enforced conditions from the centre in exchange for financial aid.

Question 27

Federalism can be seen in:

• The Schengen agreement

Answer 27

The Schengen agreement has removed countries’ sovereignty over national borders, reducing them to states with limited territorial integrity or control of immigration

Question 28

Federalism can be seen in:

• QMV

Answer 28

The use of Qualified Majority Voting means that member states can be outvoted in key areas, without being able to block decisions that they disagree with, such as CAP, unless they are able to negotiate an opt-out

Question 29

Ever closer union and the legal base

Answer 29

‘Ever closer union between the peoples of Europe’ does not comprise a legal base to extend the scope of the measures contained in the treaties and the Union’s secondary law

Question 30

What is the Schengen Information System

Answer 30

It enables police forces across Europe to share data on law enforcement.

Question 31

Sovereignty and resettlement scheme regarding the migrant crisis

Answer 31

EU ministers approved the resettlement scheme by majority vote rather than unanimous approval

Question 32

What is the resettlement scheme regarding migrant crisis

Answer 32

The deal will see thousands of migrants moved from Italy and Greece to other EU countries

Question 33

What is the financial penalty for country refusing migrants

Answer 33

Financial penalty of 0.002% of GDP for those member countries refusing to accept relocated migrants