EU training Flashcards
Which treaty gave EU full legal personality?
Lisbon 2009, EU can sign intl agreements.
Exec Vice Presidents of EC
8 = 3 ExVP+1HRVP+4VP
Executive Vice-Presidents
Frans Timmermans
European Green Deal
Margrethe Vestager
A Europe Fit for the Digital Age
Valdis Dombrovskis
An Economy that Works for People
High Representative/Vice-President
Josep Borrell Fontelles
A Stronger Europe in the World
EU Stabilization and Association Agreements
6 SAA
4 candidates for membership: Albania (2009), North Macedonia (2004), Montenegro (2010) and Serbia (2013)
2 Bosnia and Herzegovina (2015) and Kosovo (2016) are not recognised as candidate countries, but as potential candidates
Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP)
EU’s GSP removes import duties from products coming into the EU market from vulnerable developing countries. This helps developing countries to alleviate poverty and create jobs based on international values and principles, including labour and human rights.
Almost 50 years ago, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development asked developed countries to help developing countries integrate into the world economy. The Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) was born and today, about a dozen countries have GSP mechanisms in place
Standard GSP, GSP+, and EBA
Standard GSP for low and lower-middle income countries. This means a partial or full removal of customs duties on two third of tariff lines.
GSP+: the special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance. It slashes these same tariffs to 0% for vulnerable low and lower-middle income countries that implement 27 international conventions related to human rights, labour rights, protection of the environment and good governance.
EBA (Everything But Arms): the special arrangement for least developed countries, providing them with duty-free, quota-free access for all products except arms and ammunition.
Members of Single Market
EU27 + Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway (via EEA)
+ Switzerland via bilateral treaty
Schengen Area
22 of 27 EU member states (excluding Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania) and the four EFTA members (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland)
Turkey Customs
Turkey has participated in the European Union–Turkey Customs Union since 1995, which enables it to participate in the free movement of goods (but not of agriculture or services, nor people) with the EU
EEAS year>
Launched following ToL on January 2011
Which treaty introduced OLP?
ToL
With a few exceptions, the Treaty puts the European Parliament on an equal footing as law maker with the Council in areas where this was not previously the case, notably in setting the EU budget (Parliament enjoys full parity), agriculture policy and justice and home affairs.
Green direct payments into CAP
2013
EU countries have to allocate 30% of their income support to “greening”.
European Small claims covers matters up to …
5000
Cotonou agreement
overarching framework for EU relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.
adopted in 2000 to replace the 1975 Lomé Convention.
79 countries, including 48 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa.
aims to reduce and eventually eradicate poverty and contribute to the gradual integration of the ACP countries into the world economy.
three pillars:
development cooperation
economic and trade cooperation
political dimension
Current budget size
The EU’s multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2021-27, adopted on 17 December 2020, amounts to €1.21 trillion (in current prices) with an additional €808 billion from the next generation EU recovery instrument.
Two pillars of CAP
The European agricultural guarantee fund (EAGF (the “first pillar” of the CAP) has an allocation of €291.1 billion. Up to €270 billion will be provided for income support schemes, with the remainder dedicated to supporting agricultural markets.
European agricultural fund for rural development (EAFRD)(the CAP’s “second pillar”), the total allocation amounts to €95.5 billion.
Strategic Investments (EFSI)?
EFSI is an initiative launched jointly by the EIB Group – the European Investment Bank and European Investment Fund – and the European Commission to help overcome the current investment gap in the EU. EFSI is one of the three pillars of the Investment Plan for Europe
Failed Referendums
Norway — 1972 against EC Membership
1982 Greenlandic European Communities membership
Switzerland 1992 reject EEA
DK Maastricht failed in 1992 with 50.7% against, then negotiated and received four opt-outs from portions of the treaty: EMU, Union Citizenship, Justice and Home Affairs, and Common Defence-> 56.7 in favour
1994 Norwegian European Union membership referendum, 52.2% against,
Euro referendum: No in DK (2000) and SW (2003)
DK: Opt-in in JHA rejected in 2015
UK 23 June 2016, 51.9% to leave, turnout 72.2%
EU citizenship
Since Maastricht 7 February 1992
Entry into force: 1st November 1993
Interinstitutional bodies
Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT)
European School of Administration
European Personnel Selection Office
Publications Office
ESRB
The European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) was established on 16 December 2010
independent body of the EU
The ESRB is hosted and supported by the European Central Bank. It includes representatives from the ECB, national central banks and supervisory authorities of EU member states, and the European Commission.
Head: Lagarde
Monetary agreements without being in the EU
Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican
Unilaterally adopted: Kosovo+Montenegro
The Hague Summit
(1–2 December 1969): completion (common market): (the Werner Report)
enlargement chaired by Étienne Davignon
deepening
Consultation procedure
consultation is a special legislative procedure,
requires the Council to take into account the EP opinion and, possibly, EESC and CoR, ECB
applicable in a limited areas, such as internal market exemptions and competition law, as well as financial matters and aspects of intellectual property and administrative issues.
also used for the adoption of instruments such as recommendations and opinions issued by the Council and COM
Dual membership for MEP
Ended As of 2004 (UK,IE in 2009)
Average length of infringement
40months
Germas as recognized language
DE,AT,BE,LU (national)
+ PO,DK, IT (subnational)
Reduced VAT rates in 2014-2020 MFF
DE, NL, SW
5 European structural and investment funds
European regional development fund (ERDF) –
European social fund (ESF) -
Cohesion fund (CF) –
European agricultural fund for rural development (EAFRD)
European maritime and fisheries fund (EMFF)
Green paper/ white paper
Green Papers stimulate discussion on given topics at European level.
invite the relevant parties (bodies or individuals) to participate in a consultation process and debate on the basis of the proposals they put forward.
may give rise to legislative developments that are then outlined in White Papers.
Trio in presidency
Introduced by ToL
The current trio Germany, Portugal and Slovenia. (since 2020H2)
Before RO, FI, HR
After: FR, CZ, SW (end H1 2023)
Other VP COM
Vice-President
Maroš Šefčovič
Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight
Věra Jourová
Values and Transparencyr
Dubravka Šuica
Democracy and Demography
Margaritis Schinas
Promoting our European Way of Life
IE referendums
Treaty of Nice, 2001 Ireland — a referendum to approve the Twenty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2001 (Ireland), 7 June 2001, 53.9% against, turnout 34.8%”
2002, IE not having to join a common defence policy + the right to decide on enhanced cooperation
ToL
IE reject in 2008,
“Irish Guarantees”, other MS would not diminish the number of permanent commissioners in favour of a rotating system with fewer commissioners, and not threaten Ireland’s military neutrality and rules on abortion
EU constitution rejected
European Constitution:
FR — 29 May 2005, 54.7% against,
NL 61.5% against
Council configurations
Agriculture and fisheries
Competitiveness
Economic and financial affairs
Education, youth, culture and sport
Employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs
Environment
Foreign affairs
General affairs
Justice and home affairs
Transport, telecommunications and energyEP President
First of Common Assembly
Elected EP
Some others
Poettering
First: Spaak, De Gaspei Simone Veil (2nd woman: Nicole Fontaine) Borrell Poettgering Jerzy Buzek Martin Schulz Tajani Sassoli
Twinning
Twinning projects bring together public sector expertise from EU Member States and beneficiary countries with the aim of enhancing peer to peer activities.
SIGMA
SIGMA (Support for Improvement in Governance and Management) is a joint European Commission and OECD initiative, principally financed by the EU. It focuses on strengthening public management in areas such as administrative reform, public procurement, public sector ethics, anti-corruption, and external and internal financial control
ERAC
ERAC is the EU’s strategic policy advisory committee on topics related to research and innovation (R&I) within the European Research Area (ERA).
ECB Supervisory Board
meets every three weeks to discuss, plan and carry out the ECB’s supervisory tasks
Chair, Vice-Chair, Four ECB repr., 28 EU MS repre.
European Social Dialogue
Since SEA (1986)
negotiations conducted by the social partners
Prior to taking action in the social field, the European Commission must consult the social partners
Then, the partners can negotiate agreements that can be implemented independently according to their national practices, or request their implementation through a Council decision
European social dialogue may be either:
tripartite (social partners and EU institutions) or bipartite (employer organisations and trade unions).
Recasting
adoption of a new legal act, when an amendment is made to a basic instrument.
result: single, legally binding act incorporating the initial legal act and any amendments to it.
This new act passes through the entire legislative process and repeals and replaces all the acts being recast.
Unlike codification, it involves new substantive changes, as amendments are made to the original act.
Gold-plating
process whereby the powers of an EU directive are extended when being transposed into the national laws of a member state.
the European Commission defines gold-plating as “an excess of norms, guidelines and procedures accumulated at national, regional and local levels, which interfere with the expected policy goals to be achieved by such regulation”
Treaty language
Official languages
24, Irish used to be “treaty language, but upgraded to official. Derogated as working language until 2022 (lack of translators).
Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA)
The IPA beneficiary countries are divided into two categories:
EU candidate countries (Turkey, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia and the Republic of North Macedonia) are eligible for all five components of IPA; Potential candidate countries in the Western Balkans (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo under UN Security Council Resolution 1244/99) are eligible only for the first two components.
Candidate
Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey are candidate countries.
Potential candidate
SAA: Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Recipients of Cohesion FUnd
All 13 NMS + Greece+Portugal+
of chapters in accession negotiations
35
Principles of treaty
conferral – the EU has only that authority conferred upon it by the EU treaties, which have been ratified by all member countries
proportionality – the EU action cannot exceed what is necessary to achieve the objectives of the treaties
subsidiarity – in areas where either the EU or national governments can act, the EU may intervene only if it can act more effectively
Exclusive competences
customs union
competition rules for the single market
monetary policy for the eurozone countries
trade and international agreements (under certain circumstances)
marine plants and animals regulated by the common fisheries policy
Shared competences
single market
employment and social affairs
economic, social and territorial cohesion
agriculture
fisheries
environment
consumer protection
transport
trans-European networks
energy
security and justice
public health
research and space
development cooperation and humanitarian aidSupporting competence
public health
industry
culture
tourism
education and training, youth and sport
civil protection
administrative cooperationSchengen
signed on 14 June 1985, Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands agreed to gradually remove controls at their internal borders and to introduce freedom of movement
The Schengen Convention supplements the agreement the same five countries on 19 June 1990, and entered into force in 1995.
Since ToA the EU in 1999 and has become EU legislation.
22 out of 27 EU countries
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania will join the area in time. Ireland have opt-outs
+, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland
Services Directives
The Services in the Internal Market Directive 2006/123/EC (also called the “Bolkestein Directive”) is an EU law aiming at establishing a single market for services
A items, B items
‘A’ item on the Council agenda, meaning that agreement is expected without debate.
The ‘B’ section of the Council agenda includes points:
left over from previous Council meetings upon which no agreement was reached in Coreper or at working party level that are too politically sensitive to be settled at a lower level
Coreper I and II
I: Deputy perm representatives
II Perm. repr.
Commission priorities for 2019-24
A European Green Deal
A Europe fit for the digital age
An economy that works for people
A stronger Europe in the world
Promoting our European way of life
A new push for European democracy
Seat of European Institute for Gender Equality
Vilnius, Lithuania
New areas of co-decision in Treaty of Amsterdam
Social exclusion, public health, fight against fraud
First countries in mobility partnership
Moldova, Cape Verde
Europe Agreements
The Europe agreements were association agreements between the EU and its Member States and the Central and Eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004/2007. They formed the legal framework for the accession process of these countries to the EU.
Val Duchesse
emergence of the European social dialogue in the mid-1980s.
initiative taken by Jacques Delors, the incoming President of the Commission in January 1985, to invite the chairs and general secretaries of all the national organisations affiliated to the EU-level organisations of employers and workers
received formal recognition by the new Single European Act’s
HR of CFSP
Created by Treay of Amsterdam (97,99)
and developed by ToL (2007,2009)
Refusal of EP to discharge EC in the budgetary procedure
1984,1998
Meroni Judgments
a delegation of power that is too broadly and insufficiently defined is prohibited (Meroni)
agencies cannot adopt normative measures (Romano
Sabena case
Concerning direct effect and the European Social Charter in the European Union.
Each Member State shall ensure that the principle of equal pay for male and female workers for equal work or work of equal value is applied”
Van Gend en Loos v Nederlandse Administratie der Belastingen
Treaties capable of creating legal rights which could be enforced by both natural and legal persons before the courts of the Community’s member states.
Steps of infringement
Formal notice, Reasoned opinion, Take to CoJ
subsidiarity history
SEA context of environmental policy
Europ. Council 1992 in Edinburgh
Treaty of Amsterdam to Protocl
ToL to second protocol + proportionality
COSME
COSME is the EU programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises running from 2014 - 2020 with a planned budget of EUR 2.3 billion.
SMEs are the backbone of Europe’s economy, providing 85% of all new jobs.
EESC
The ESC was set up by the 1957 Rome Treaties
Employers, trade unionists and representatives of social, occupational, economic and cultural organisations.
329 Appointed for renewable 5-year term by the Council on a proposal by Member States.
Veto against enhanced cooperation which Treaty abolished
Nice
Codification
Codification is the process of bringing together a legal act (or several related acts) and all its amendments into a single new act.
2 forms:
vertical: where an original act and its amendments are incorporated in a single new act; or horizontal: where 2 or more original acts covering related subjects, and any amendments to them, are merged in a single new act.
Unlike in the case of consolidation (i.e. the unofficial simplification of a legal act incorporating its amendments), the new act goes through the full legislative process (e.g. ordinary legislative procedure, consultation procedure or consent procedure) and replaces the acts that are being codified.
FIrst time in 2001
Consent proecdure
The procedure requires the European Parliament’s consent to a proposed act, before certain decisions can be taken. It is based on a single majority vote on consent.
EP may accept or reject a proposed act and cannot amend it
As a non-legislative procedure
the ratification of certain agreements
in cases of serious breach of fundamental rights
for the accession of new EU members; or
arrangements for the withdrawal from the EU.
As a legislative procedure
when new legislation on combating discrimination is being adopted; and
