General EU Flashcards
How many members does the EU have?
27 members.
How many members does the Council of Europe have?
47 members.
When was the European Union created?
1957.
Where does the Court of Justice of the European Union sit?
Luxembourg.
When was the European Convention on Human Rights created?
1950.
How many parties does the European Convention on Human Rights have?
47 parties, including all former Soviet Union states.
Where does the European Court of Human Rights sit?
Strasbourg.
How was the ECHR enacted into national law in the UK?
Via the Human Rights Act 1998.
What is the EEA?
The European Economic Area.
What does the EFTA stand for?
The European Free Trade Association.
What does the ECSC stand for?
The European Coal and Steel Community.
What are some examples of populist governments?
Poland and Hungary.
Give an example of an independence movement within the EU states?
Catalonia.
What is the top political body in the EU?
The European Council (Council of Ministers).
How long is the presidency of the European Council?
It has a rotating presidency every 6 months.
What are the main functions of the European Council?
Policy-making and coordinating functions.
How are decisions made within the European Council?
Mostly, Qualified Majority Voting which is based on the proportion of Members and also representing the proportion of the population.
What is the main role of the Commission?
It is the executive administrator and the sole proposer of legislation.
How many people sit on the Commission?
27 members.
How long is each term of the Commission?
It has a fixed term of 5 years.
How many members does the European Parliament have?
750 elected members.
What areas of competences are exclusive to the EU?
Customs Union, competition law and commercial policy and international agreements on such areas.
What are some shared competences?
Consumer protection and the environment.
What is an example of the EU supporting competence?
Harmonisation - it makes the rules the same across the EU as part of the foundation of the single market.