Europe

Question 1

When and what was the Shuman plan?

Answer 1

1950 —> coal and steel community

Question 2

When and what set up the EEC?

Answer 2

1957–> Treatyof Rome

Question 3

Opinions of EEC at beginning?

Answer 3

Capitalist club working against socialist values
Trade with commonwealth damaged

Question 4

When was EFTA created?

Answer 4

1959

Question 5

When was first EEC application and who was the chief negotiator?

Answer 5

1961–> Edward Heath

Question 6

What happened to the first EEC application?

Answer 6

(1963) veteod by de Gaulle

Question 7

Labours position 1964 on EEC?

Answer 7

not as committed–> Wilson preferred US and Atlantic Alliance

Question 8

When was 2nd application?

Answer 8

1966

Question 9

What happened to second application?

Answer 9

(1967) vetoed again

Question 10

When was 3rd application?

Answer 10

1971

Question 11

What happened with 3rd application?

Answer 11

(1973) entered
Help of new French President Geroges Pompidou
DId they miss formative years?

Question 12

When was the referndum to enter EEC?

Answer 12

(1975) Yes= 68.3%
No=32.5%
–> Roy jenkins left parliamtent to become European commisioner

Question 13

What was Thatchers opinion over EEC?

Answer 13

wanted a better deal for Britian over financial contributions to EEC
They were paying more than they were getting back
(1984) Britain successfully given rebate after a thatcher persistent

Question 14

Thatcher relationship with France after joining?

Answer 14

(1981-95)close relationship with French President Mitterrand
(1986) agreed over Channel a tunnel project

Question 15

Most important piece of European legislation since UK joined?

Answer 15

(1986) Thatcher negotiated Single European Act
—> changed Assmbly to European Parliament with possibility of a European monetary union (shared currency)

Question 16

Opinions of Single European Act?

Answer 16

Positive: would make Europe a free market
Negative: surrendered elements of British sovereignty

Question 17

Conservative divisions over Europe?

Answer 17

(1986) Westland affair
Only a few, like Enoch Powell, spoke against SIngle European act
–> most agreed, even some EUrosceptics

Question 18

What was outcome of Westland Affair?

Answer 18

Divisions on whether COns. should prioritise European ties over other

Question 19

What was Westland affair?

Answer 19

—> Michael Heseltine resigned after Thathcer blocked dicsussion in gov. over who should take over fialing helivopter company
–> he favoured EU but Thatcher didnt want any interference even if it meant it would go to a US company

Question 20

Imapct of Single EUropean Act?

Answer 20

changed Britains relation with Europe –>it limited influence of individual nation states

Question 21

What did Thatcher do to ocunter impact of Single European Act?

Answer 21

(1988) speech in Bruges of her vision of future for Europe
–> emphasise EEC was trades association between soverign states
She was opposed to fedarilsm whereas other leaders thought that was the right direction

Question 22

Opinions of Thatcher Bruges speech?

Answer 22

Infuriated other Europan leaders
raised doubts about Britains commitment to further European intergration
Bruges group formed –> focus opposition to any European federal state
–> balmed federalists in Brussels in chaning EEC from the Common market which they first joined

Question 23

How did Thatchers opinion over partially failed Single European Act affect cabinet?

Answer 23

caused tensions
Howe and Major thought she was backtracking from their position in 1985

Question 24

Thatchers opinion of Europe after collapse after communism?

Answer 24

Enthusiastic to expand EEC to incl. Eastern Europe
–> extend free trade and enuse communism truly defeated
–> also weakne power of European ocmmission
–> preffered wider and shallower union over a deeper one
–> only became anti-Euroupe after she left

Question 25

Majors initial position with Europe?

Answer 25

inherited gov. becoming more divided by EUrope
Key Europhile: Ken Clarke and Chris Patten
Key Eurosceptics: Micahel Portillo, John Redwood, Iain Duncan Smith and Bill Cash

Question 26

When and significance of Massstricht Treaty?

Answer 26

(1992) gave Euroscpetics chance to voice their concerns over direction of European Union
Major established good personal links with other heads of gov. and diplomatic skills enabled him to secure opt-outs for bRitians paln with single currency

Question 27

What was Maastricht Treaty?

Answer 27

designed to set up new structures to deal with expansion of EEC
–> EEC became EU
–> condiitons set up for single currecny by 1999
–> Social Chapter: part of Threaty whcih regulated working coniditons but Cons. preffereed dereuglation

Question 28

What were the Maastricht rebels?

Answer 28

(July 1993) rebel MP’s blocked Majors attempt for Parliament to ratify Maastricht
Major won by threatning vote of no confidence wchich would have dissolved Parliament
Damaged majors authority–> reporter blunder

Question 29

Outcome of Maastricht?

Answer 29

ratified by Parliament after 18months
–> Euroscpetics continued to oppose Majors EU decisions
–> Deabte mobilised anti-Europeans outside parliament
–> (1993) Anti-Fedarlist League formend
–> (1995) Referendum PArty set-up on the single issue of demanding a referendum of Britain relationship with Europe

Question 30

Blairs aims over Europe?

Answer 30

develop psotive relations with European partners
opt back into Social Chapter
stregnthen EU in wider world: climate change, world trade, get rid of poverty by reforming aid to Africa

Question 31

Blair position with Europe?

Answer 31

good relations meant he could take a leading role in negotiations for EU enlargement and (2001) Treaty of Nice –> extended institutions of EU
(1999) enthusiastic about joining Euro however Gordon Brown wasnt and set stringent conditions that were unlikely to be met
At centre to develop common strategy against terrorism and bridge Europe and US

Question 32

Position with Europe by 2007

Answer 32

EU expanded to 27 states
–> rapid englargement changed desicion making in EU and made fofreign policy difficult for Britain
–> how much would Britian be at the heart of Europe
Still strong relations with leaders