FRE EU Flashcards
european council
Institution of the European Union, consisting of the heads of state or government from the member states together with the President of the European Commission, for the purpose of planning Union policy. Brussel
Council of the Europe
An international organisation in Strasbourg which comprises 47 countries of Europe. It was set up to promote democracy and protect human rights and the rule of law in Europe.
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive of the European Union. This means that it is responsible for initiating laws, enforcing the laws of the EU and managing the EU’s policies.
It is made up of 27 commissioners (one from each member state) and is based in Brussels. Each member state nominates a commissioner, but the nominated candidates must be approved by the European Parliament. The Parliament must also approve the President of the European Commission.
European Parliament
The European Parliament is part of the legislative, or law making, process in the EU.
Most proposed laws must be approved by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union to become law.
The Parliament has 705 seats and elections to fill these seats are held in all member states every 5 years. The European Parliament is the only directly elected body within the EU.
The European Parliament is based in Brussels, Luxemburg and Strasbourg.
European Court of Justice
he European Court of Justice (ECJ) is the judicial institution of the European Union. This means that it deals with disputes between parties as the courts do in Ireland.
9 May 1950
The French Foreign Minister Robert Schumann submits a plan laying out a common market for coal and steel. The author of the plan is the head of the French General Planning Commission, Jean Monet. For this reason 9 May is now commemorated as Europe Day.
18 April 1951
Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands sign the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). The Treaty of Paris comes into force on 23 July 1952.
27 March 1957
Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands sign the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) – the Treaties of Rome come into force on 1 January 1958.
6 July 1968
European Community Member States begin to trade without internal tariffs on imports. Uniform tariffs are put in place for third world countries.
1 January 1973
The European Community expands by the accession of Denmark, Ireland and Great Britain.
1974
The European Council is established
14 June 1985
The Member States sign the Schengen Agreement, which foresees the abolition of internal border controls, the unification of asylum and visa policies and the establishment of the Schengen Information System (SIS). This main information system ensures access to important information for the police and customs authorities of individual Member States
17 February 1986
The Single European Act (SEA) is signed in Luxembourg (by nine Member States), and on 28 February in The Hague (by Denmark, Italy and Greece). This Treaty is the first significant revision of the founding Treaties of the Community. Its main goal is to establish a common internal market by the end of 1992.
1989
Berlin
7 February 1992.
In Maastricht, the Foreign Ministers and Finance Ministers of the EC Member States sign the Treaty on the European Union (EU). This is the second major revision of the founding Treaties of the Community. This Treaty introduces the term ‘European Union’, the three-pillar structure (the Maastricht Temple), the principle of subsidiarity (which ensures that decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen), the citizenship of the Union and the requirement to create the Economic and Monetary Union by the end of 1999.
