EU Institutions and Decision Making Flashcards
What are the 5 main institutions of the EU
- european council
- council of ministers
- european commission
- european parliament
- european court of justice
What is the European council?
-heads of government of 28 EU Member states + President
what is the council of ministers?
-ministers of national governments (9 policy-specific constellations)
what is the european parliament?
-has 751 MEPs, directly elected by the citizens every 5 years
What 2 EU institutions co-decide on EU legislation?
Council of ministers & european parliament
what is the european commission?
-college of 28 commissioners +president + administrative staff
What EU institution declares long-term goals and make decisions on major/fundamental things such as treaties?
European council
what EU institution co-decides on EU legislation and carry out some executive policies of EU?
Council of ministers
what EU institution Co-decides on EU legislation and appoint and control european commision?
European Parliament
what EU institution proposes specific legislation and oversee budget and implementation of EU laws?
european commission
what is the european court of justice?
28 judges appointed by member states
what EU institution sanctions implementation of EU laws, decision making, and resolves legal disputs?
european court of justice
EU institutions in the EXECUTIVE BRANCH
- intergovernmental: european council (+council of ministers)
- supranational: european commission
EU institutions in the LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
- intergovernmental: council of ministers
- supranational: european parliament
EU institutions in the JUDICIAL BRANCH
- intergovernmental: national courts
- supranational: european court of justice
What are the main policies of the EU?
- expenditure policies
- regulatory policies
- external action policies
What are expenditure policies?
- common agricultural
- cohesion funds
- research funding
what are regulatory policies?
- single market: competition rules and market regulation
- single european currency
- fundamental rights and non-discrimination
what are external action policies?
- trade and development aid
- political relations
- global governance
what are the similarites and differences between EU and a federal nation state if we look at POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS?
similar: 3 branches of government
different: no unifeid executive aka no one person in charge of everything like a president
what are the similarites and differences between EU and a federal nation state if we look at DECISION-MAKING?
similar: bicameral legislative politics and consensus requirements
different: monopoly of legislative initiative by the commission
what are the similarites and differences between EU and a federal nation state if we look at INTERNAL COMPETENCES and POLICIES?
similar: regulatory policy making through legislation
different: exclusion of most core state competences such as taxes and police
what are the similarites and differences between EU and a federal nation state if we look at EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION, COMPETENCES and POLICIES?
similar: foreign policy representative actor in trade negotitations
different: no EU military, foreign policy depends on consensus of MSs
what are the similarites and differences between EU and a federal nation state if we look at ELECTIONS and DEMOCRATIC LEGITIMACY?
similar: direct election of european parliament, referenda at national level
different: no full fledged citizenship and political community
what are the 5 reasons political leadership is made possible in th eu?
- personalized leadership
- institutional division of tasks
- political and admistrative specialization
- informal negotiation
- flexible integration
how do division of tasks help effective decision making?
eu institutions operate based on different tasks so that they minimize the interference with each other
how does political and administrative specialization help effective decision making?
it ensures the detailed preparation of legislation and smooth decision making in the council and parliament
how to infromal agreements help effective decision making?
the european council usually agrees during infromal dinners and currently meetings between germany and france have almost been too informal(beach)
how does flexible integration help effective decision making?
by granting opt-outs
whats the one difference between the parliament procedures and national procedures?
the parliament doesnt have a right to legislative initiative
who is the european council held accountable to?
national parliaments?
