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European Union Flashcards

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1
Q

EU referendum outcome

A

52% leave
48% remain

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2
Q

What year did the UK join the EEC?

A

1973

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3
Q

What is ‘integration’?

A

The process of coordinating the activities of different states through common institutions and policies

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4
Q

Define ‘supranational’

A

Having authority independent of national governments

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5
Q

What year was the European Coal and Steel
Community formed?

A

1952

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6
Q

What countries originally joined the European Coal and Steel community?

A

France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg

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7
Q

What year was the European Economic
Community (EEC) formed?

A

1958

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8
Q

What treaty created the European Economic
Community?

A

Treaty of Rome (1958)

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9
Q

What year did the Common Agricultural
Policy begin?

A

1962

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10
Q

What year did the EU customs union begin?

A

1968

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11
Q

What did the creation of a customs union do?

A

• Internal trade barriers removed
• Common external tariff created

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12
Q

What countries joined the EEC in 1973?

A

UK, Ireland, Denmark

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13
Q

What year did Greece join the EU?

A

1981

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14
Q

What countries joined the EU in 1986?

A

Spain and Portugal

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15
Q

What did the Single European Act (1985)
introduce?

A

• The single European market
• QMV replaced unanimity when voting on single market legislation

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16
Q

What is Qualified Majority Voting (QMV)?

A

A voting arrangement in which proposals must win a set number of votes (over 50%) to be approved

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17
Q

What did the Maastricht Treaty (1991)
change?

A

EEC became the EU

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18
Q

What is an economic and monetary union
(EMU?

A

The creation of a single currency, central bank and common monetary policy (i.e. the Euro)

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19
Q

What year did the EMU come into force?

A

1999

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20
Q

How many countries adopted the Euro in
1999?

A

11

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21
Q

How many countries currently have the
Euro?

A

19

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22
Q

How many countries are currently in the EU?

A

27

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23
Q

What countries were bailed out by the EU following the financial crisis?

A

Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus

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24
Q

What is an Eurosceptic?

A

Someone who is sceptical of the EU and its authority

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25
Q

Four freedoms of the EU

A

• Movement of goods
• Movement of services
• Movement of people
• Movement of capital

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26
Q

How does the ‘free movement of goods’ operate?

A

• Members cannot impose duties or taxes on goods from another member state
• All goods produced in the EU must meet their minimum standards
• Border checks and restrictions have been removed

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27
Q

How does the ‘free movement of services’
operate?

A

• Oualifications from one EU state are recognised in others
• Workers can offer their services anywhere in the EU

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28
Q

How does the ‘free movement of people’ operate?

A

EU citizens have the right to work in any EU country
• Someone cannot be discriminated against based on their nationality (in relation to getting a job)
• International workers should have the same rights as national workers

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29
Q

How does the ‘free movement of capital’ operate?

A

Restrictions on capital movements (such as buying currency) have been removed

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30
Q

How many jobs is the EU’s single market estimated to have created?

A

2.5m

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31
Q

How many EU residents were living in the UK in 2014?

A

2.5m

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32
Q

How many UK citizens were living elsewhere in the EU in 2016?

A

1.8m

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33
Q

When did the issue of ‘free movement of people’ become a political issue in the UK?

A

Following the 2004 eastward expansion (countries like
Poland and Bulgaria joined the EU), the number of migrants coming to the UK dramatically increased

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34
Q

What are EU structural funds?

A

Money given to poor parts of the EU to help them develop

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35
Q

What organisation manages the monetary policy for the Eurozone?

A

The European Central Bank (ECB)

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36
Q

Examples of countries that opted-out of the Euro

A

Denmark, UK

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37
Q

Disadvantages of the EU’s economic and monetary union?

A

Loss of sovereignty as national governments give away control over their currency

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38
Q

What is the EU Charter of Fundamental
Rights (2000)?

A

It entrenched rights established by the European Convention on
Human Rights

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39
Q

Advantages of the EU’s economic and monetary union?

A
40
Q

How many consumers are in the EU’s single market?

A

500m

41
Q

5 EU institutions

A

• European Commission
• European Parliament
• European Court of lustice
• Council of the EU
• European Council

42
Q

Main executive body of the EU

A

European Commission

43
Q

Roles of the European Commission

A

• Sole right to initiate and draft legislation
• Executes EU legislation and makes sure it is applied correctly
• Administers EU expenditure and collects revenue
• Represents the EU on the world state, mostly in trade negotiations

44
Q

How is the President of the European
Commission chosen?

A

Nominated by the European Council and elected by the European Parliament

45
Q

How are commissioners for the European
Commission chosen?

A

Nominated by national governments and approved by European Parliament

46
Q

What is the main decision making body in the EU?

A

Council of the EU

47
Q

Who is a member of the Council of the EU?

A

Government ministers from the 27 member
states

48
Q

How is the President of the Council of the EU
chosen?

A

Each nation takes turns to hold the presidency for 6 months

49
Q

Roles of the Council of the EU

A

• Shares legislative power with the European Parliament
• Coordinates the economic policy of member states
• Develops the common foreign policy and security policy of the
Union

50
Q

What is needed for a vote to pass under
QMV?

A

• At least 55% of member states vote in approval
• Must represent 65% of the EU population
• A blocking minority must represent at least 4 states and 35% of the EU population

51
Q

Who is on the European Council?

A

Heads of government and foreign ministers

52
Q

How many times does the European Council meet a year?

A

At least 4 times

53
Q

What is the EU’s key strategic body?

A

European Council

54
Q

Roles of the European Council

A

• Discuss major issues
• Sets the political direction for the EU
• Makes key decisions on foreign policy and economy
• Launches new initiatives and agrees to treaties

55
Q

What is the EU’s directly elected institution?

A

European Parliament

56
Q

How often are European Parliament elections?

A

Every 5 years

57
Q

How are MEPs organised in the European
Parliament?

A

They sit in transnational groups based on ideology

58
Q

3 powers of the European Parliament

A

• Legislative
• Budgetary
• Democratic supervision

59
Q

Why are the European Parliament’s legislative powers limited?

A

They cannon initiate legislation

60
Q

What legislative powers does the European parliament have?

A

They can amend and veto proposed legislation

61
Q

2 parts of the EU legislatature

A

• Council of the European Union
• European Parliament

62
Q

What EU body elects the president?

A

The European Parliament (after nomination from the European Council)

63
Q

Role of the Court of Justice of the European
Union

A

Upholds EU law and ensures it is applied uniformly and effectively

64
Q

Where are most day-to-day decisions in the
EU made?

A

Between the:
- European Commission
- Council of the EU
- European Parliament

65
Q

Where are most “history-making decisions” in the EU made?

A

Between the:
- European Commission
- Council of the EU
- European Parliament

66
Q

What is the ‘democratic deficit?

A

The erosion of democratic accountability that occurs when decision-making authority is transferred from national governments to EU institutions

67
Q

Why is there a ‘distance between the EU and its citizens?

A

Many citizens do not understand and identify with the EU and therefore have opposed integration developments

68
Q

Is there a democratic deficit in the EU?
YES

A

• Legislation is initiated by the European Commission which is not directly elected
• National governments can be outvoted under QMV
• European Parliament is not powerful enough
• European Parliament election turnout is low

69
Q

European Coal and Steel Community

A

Formed in 1952 an international organization to control and integrate all European coal and steel production. Consisted of West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France. Aimed to be so close together economically that war against them impossible.

70
Q

European Economic Community (EEC)

A

The regional trade and economic organization established in
Western Europe by the Treaty of Rome in 1958; also known as the Common Market.

71
Q

1972 European Communities Act

A

Legislated for the accession of the UK to the
EU.

72
Q

1985 Single European Act

A

Created the EU single market.

73
Q

1991 Maastricht Treaty

A

Created the EU, began to develop the Euro.

74
Q

1997 Amsterdam Treaty

A

Created an ‘area of freedom, security, and justice’

75
Q
A

The group of European Union nations whose national currency is the euro.

76
Q

2001 Nice Treaty

A

Created a common EU security and defence policy.

77
Q

2007 Lisbon Treaty

A

Amended and reformed previous treaties to improve the democratic and accountable nature of EU institutions

78
Q

Debt crisis

A

Extended crisis which began in 2009 and led to five nations being bailed out by the EU.

79
Q

Migrant crisis

A

A a term given to a period beginning in 2013 when rising numbers of people arrived in the European Union from across the Mediterranean Sea or overland through Southeast Europe; new EU measures had little impact.

80
Q

Brexit referendum

A

2016, the UK vote to leave the EU by 51.9%

81
Q

Single market

A

A system in which goods, services, and capital move freely, with no barriers

82
Q

Four freedoms of movement

A

Goods, services, people, capital

83
Q

Structural Funds

A

Money distributed within the EU from richer members to poorer member states to help the latter develop economically and meet
EU standards.

84
Q

European Central Bank

A

The central bank for the EU’s single currency, the euro

85
Q

Europol

A

European Police Office. The integrated police intelligence-gathering and dissemination arm of the member nations of European Union.

86
Q

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

A

Issued in 2000, it enshrines the rights of the ECHR as well as rulings of the ECJ on rights into EU law.

87
Q

Liberal Democracy

A

A political system that promotes participation, competition, and liberty and emphasizes individual freedom and civil rights. The EU aims to promote this across formerly authoritarian or communist states in Europe.

88
Q

The European Council

A

Made up of the heads of government and foreign ministers of the EU member states; this body represents the interests of the member states within the EU. It sets the EU’s political direction.

89
Q

The European Commission

A

Made up of nation-nominated commissioners this body is like an executive branch, responsible for proposing EU legislation, implementing it, and monitoring compliance.

90
Q

The Council of Ministers

A

Made up of government ministers and also known as the Council of the EU, this body is the equivalent of an upper legislature and has legislative and some executive powers.

91
Q

The European Parliament

A

Made up of elected MEPs this body is the equivalent of a lower legislative house, it has legislative and budgetary powers.

92
Q

European Court of Justice

A

The EU’s judicial body, with sweeping powers to uphold EU law and ensure it is being applied.

93
Q

Policy competences

A

The areas in which the EU can act, conferred on it by the treaties.

94
Q

Democratic Deficit

A

The erosion of democratic accountability that occurs when decision-making authority is transferred from national governments to EU institutions which some see as undemocratic.

95
Q

Euroscepticism

A

Opposition to the process of European integration, based on a defence of national sovereignty and national identity.

96
Q

Three Criticisms of the UK’s Membership of the EU (9 marks)

A

Democratic Deficit - directly elected European Council is not sufficiently powerful (cannot initiate legislation)
Loss of Sovereignty - EU law primacy and has exclusive competences e.g Customs Union
Voting - legislation the UK supports can be vetoed by one country via unanimity voting, can be outvoted by qualified majority voting but has to follow, the will of the electorate thwarted e.g. Retained
EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill.

97
Q

Three Treaties That Have Altered the Work of
the EU since 1985 (9 marks)

A

The Single European Act - 1985, single European market, social and regional policy community role, qualified majority voting on single market legislation
The Maastricht Treaty - 1991, created the EU, the timetable for the economic and monetary union (EMU), intergov. cooperation in foreign, security, justice and home affairs policies
The Nice Treaty of 2001 - established European security and defence policy and introduced institutional reforms

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