EU Institutions and Decision Making

Question 1

What are the 5 main institutions of the EU

Answer 1

• european council
• council of ministers
• european commission
• european parliament
• european court of justice

Question 2

What is the European council?

Answer 2

-heads of government of 28 EU Member states + President

Question 3

what is the council of ministers?

Answer 3

-ministers of national governments (9 policy-specific constellations)

Question 4

what is the european parliament?

Answer 4

-has 751 MEPs, directly elected by the citizens every 5 years

Question 5

What 2 EU institutions co-decide on EU legislation?

Answer 5

Council of ministers & european parliament

Question 6

what is the european commission?

Answer 6

-college of 28 commissioners +president + administrative staff

Question 7

What EU institution declares long-term goals and make decisions on major/fundamental things such as treaties?

Answer 7

European council

Question 8

what EU institution co-decides on EU legislation and carry out some executive policies of EU?

Answer 8

Council of ministers

Question 9

what EU institution Co-decides on EU legislation and appoint and control european commision?

Answer 9

European Parliament

Question 10

what EU institution proposes specific legislation and oversee budget and implementation of EU laws?

Answer 10

european commission

Question 11

what is the european court of justice?

Answer 11

28 judges appointed by member states

Question 12

what EU institution sanctions implementation of EU laws, decision making, and resolves legal disputs?

Answer 12

european court of justice

Question 13

EU institutions in the EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Answer 13

• intergovernmental: european council (+council of ministers)
• supranational: european commission

Question 14

EU institutions in the LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Answer 14

• intergovernmental: council of ministers

- supranational: european parliament

Question 15

EU institutions in the JUDICIAL BRANCH

Answer 15

• intergovernmental: national courts

- supranational: european court of justice

Question 16

What are the main policies of the EU?

Answer 16

• expenditure policies
• regulatory policies
• external action policies

Question 17

What are expenditure policies?

Answer 17

• common agricultural
• cohesion funds
• research funding

Question 18

what are regulatory policies?

Answer 18

• single market: competition rules and market regulation
• single european currency
• fundamental rights and non-discrimination

Question 19

what are external action policies?

Answer 19

• trade and development aid
• political relations
• global governance

Question 20

what are the similarites and differences between EU and a federal nation state if we look at POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS?

Answer 20

similar: 3 branches of government
different: no unifeid executive aka no one person in charge of everything like a president

Question 21

what are the similarites and differences between EU and a federal nation state if we look at DECISION-MAKING?

Answer 21

similar: bicameral legislative politics and consensus requirements
different: monopoly of legislative initiative by the commission

Question 22

what are the similarites and differences between EU and a federal nation state if we look at INTERNAL COMPETENCES and POLICIES?

Answer 22

similar: regulatory policy making through legislation
different: exclusion of most core state competences such as taxes and police

Question 23

what are the similarites and differences between EU and a federal nation state if we look at EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION, COMPETENCES and POLICIES?

Answer 23

similar: foreign policy representative actor in trade negotitations
different: no EU military, foreign policy depends on consensus of MSs

Question 24

what are the similarites and differences between EU and a federal nation state if we look at ELECTIONS and DEMOCRATIC LEGITIMACY?

Answer 24

similar: direct election of european parliament, referenda at national level
different: no full fledged citizenship and political community

Question 25

what are the 5 reasons political leadership is made possible in th eu?

Answer 25

1. personalized leadership
2. institutional division of tasks
3. political and admistrative specialization
4. informal negotiation
5. flexible integration

Question 26

how do division of tasks help effective decision making?

Answer 26

eu institutions operate based on different tasks so that they minimize the interference with each other

Question 27

how does political and administrative specialization help effective decision making?

Answer 27

it ensures the detailed preparation of legislation and smooth decision making in the council and parliament

Question 28

how to infromal agreements help effective decision making?

Answer 28

the european council usually agrees during infromal dinners and currently meetings between germany and france have almost been too informal(beach)

Question 29

how does flexible integration help effective decision making?

Answer 29

by granting opt-outs

Question 30

whats the one difference between the parliament procedures and national procedures?

Answer 30

the parliament doesnt have a right to legislative initiative

Question 31

who is the european council held accountable to?

Answer 31

national parliaments?