History Flashcards
Date of accession of Croatia
2013
(Euro introduced in 2023)
Feb 2001
Treaty of Nice
Signed: 26 February 2001
Into force: 1 February 2003
aims to reform the institutions to the EU can function efficiently after reaching 25 MS and prepare for next accessions
with the Treaty of Nice, Parliament’s legisl and supervisory powers are increased; Qualified majority voting extended to more areas within the Council
May 2004
10 new countries
CY, CZ, EE, HU, LV, LT, MT, PL, SI, SK
When did BG&RO join the EU?
Jan 2007
January 2002
Euro notes and coins launch in 12 countries
(Greece joined the euro zone in 2001 and more follow after 2002)
29 May - 1 June 2005
EU constitution
Voters in FR and NL reject the Treaty establishing a constitution of Europe, which was signed by 25 EU MS in Oct 2004
Dec 2007
Lisbon Treaty (signed by 27 MS)
amends previous treaties; designed to make the EU more democratic, efficient and transparent;
Into effect: Dec 2009
2008
Global economic crisis - leading to closer economic cooperation
2000 Nice
Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
Signed: at Nice EC, Dec 2000; slightly modified on Dec 2007
Into Force: As part of Treaty of Lisbon (previously part of the unsuccessful Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe), becomes legally binding once the Treaty of Lisbon enters into force
Laeken Declaration
at the end of 2001
European Council Declaration on the future of the European Union
Lisbon Treaty as Constitutional project
Which MS voted against the constitution and when?
two negative referenda on the Constitutional Treaty NL FR May and June 2005
Who chaired the Convention on the Future of Europe? What & when was it?
2002 chaired by Valery Giscard d’Estaing
following 2001 Laeken Declaration; in total 105 members (15 MS represent., 30 national Parl., 16 - EP, 2 - EC, applic. countries)
Aim: bring together main parties concerned for debate ON THE FUTURE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION:
1) Division of comp
2) Simplification EU instruments
3) Increased democracy, transparency, efficiency
4) Drafting of constitution
During 1st half 2003 - draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe
rejected by France (May 2005) and Netherlands (1 June 2005) in national referendums
When was the Schengen Agreement? Who did initially sign it? When did implementation start?
in 1985; signed by 5: BE, DE, FR, LU, NL
Implementation from 1995
Schuman declaration
9 May 1950, (fifth victory day after WWII)
Institutions of the ECSC
High authority (predecessor of the European Commission), first president: Jean Monnet
Common Assembly (predecessor of the EP) first president: Paul-Henri Spaak
Rey Commission
First “merged commission” after the merger treaty. Based on former three executives: 1) commission of EEC, 2) Commission of Euratom and 3) high authority of ECSC
First president: Jean Rey
Held office from 1967 to 1970
Hallstein Commission
First executive of the EEC was called “Commission” and presided by Walter Hallstein
Delors commission
Names after the commission president Jacques Delors, president for three terms from 1985 - 1995 (last term lasted a year)
Longest president in office, important for European integration, Maastricht treaty
Copenhagen criteria
Define, whether a country can join the union:
- political criteria: stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;
- economic criteria: a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces;
- administrative and institutional capacity to effectively implement the acquis and ability to take on the obligations of membership.
When does the EU receive the Nobel prize?
2012
EU receives the Nobel peace Price for
“contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe”
Treaty of Paris
- Signed 1951 (18 April), entered into force 1952 (23 July)- Established the ECSC
- European Parliamentary Assembly (members selected by national parliaments) & High Authority (precursor of EC); Assembly had the right to dismiss the High Authority
- expiration 2002 (23 July)
Treaty of Rome
- Signed 25 March 1957; entered into force 1958
- created the EEC and EURATOM
- established the Commission
- institutions: Commission, Council of ministers, Parliamentary Assembly, Court of Justice (& EESC)
- EIB
- creates common market based on free movement of goods, people, services, capital: MS to gradually align economic policies
- “ever-closer union”
- abolished quotas and customs tariffs & established common external tariff (customs union+common trade policy)
- other areas covered: CAP, transport policy
Altiero Spinelli
- co-author of Ventotene Manifesto (1941): one of first documents to argue for a united Europe and a European constitution; he wrote it while imprisoned by the fascists in Italy
- After 2nd world war he creates the Federalist Movement in Italy
- Member of EC 1970-1976
- Member of EP 1979-1986
- 1980 as MEP founded the “Crocodile Club” whose members tables proposal for a new treaty, which was adopted by EP in 1984: the “Spinelli Plan” (“Draft Treaty establishing the EU”)- rejected by national parliaments but still provided basis for SEA
Robert Schuman
- Born German citizen in Luxembourg, became French when Alsace-Lorraine region was returned to France in 1919
- was French MP
- Schuman Plan and Schuman Declaration in 1950 (together with Jean Monnet): proposed joint control of coal and steel production (to prevent countries from building up armies)
- “Europe will not be made all at once, or accortto a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which firsr create a de facto solidarity.”
- first President of Parliamentary Assembly in EEC
Jean Monnet
- Deputy SG of League of Nations in 1919
- Member of French Government in 1943
- Monnet Plan: “There will be no peace in Europe if states are reconstituted on the basis of national sovereignty. The European States must constitute themselves into a Federation.”
- co-worked on Schuman Declaration
- first “High Authority” (like EC President) of ECSC (1952-1955)
EC Presidents serving 2 terms
- Walter Hallstein (58-67)
- Jacques Delors (85-95) (3 terms)
- José Manuel Barroso (04-14)
Paul-Henri Spaak
- Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs during WWII
- helped creating a customs union between BE, NL, LUX: in 1944 Benelux was founded with free movement of persons, goods, services and money; this became inspiration for European integration
- President of First General Assembly of UN (1946)
- SG of NATO (1957-1961)
- chairman of working party which prepared the Treaty of Rome
- first President of Common Assembly of ECSC
- Spaak report in 1956 leading to Treaty of Rome
Winston Churchill
- 1946 speech at University of Zurich: advocated a “United States of Europe”, “European Family”
Walter Hallstein
- Head of German Delegation at Schuman Conference which established ECSC
- first President of EC (58-67) in EEC
- his proposal to increase institution’s budget let to the crisis of the empty chair
Messina Conference
- 1955, assessed ECSC and proposed further integration, which eventually led to Treaty of Rome (creation of EEC and EURATOM)
- attended by Foreign Ministers of the 6 ECSC members (
Antoine Pinay for FR,
Joseph Bech for Lux,
Walter Hallstein for DE,
Paul-Henri Spaak for BE,
Johan Willem Beyen for NL,
Gaetano Martino for IT)
ECSC
- first proposed by Schuman Declaration 1950
- established by Treaty of Paris 1951
- created “High Authority” (9 members) to supervise market, monitor compliance with competition rules and ensure price transparency
- “High Authority” assisted by “Consultative Committee” (forerunner to EESC)
- Common Assembly (78 members) nominated by national parliaments
- Special Council (6 members - national ministers)
- Court of Justice (7judges)
- 1967 Brussels Treaty merged ECSC’s institutions into EEC, but ECSC maintained legal personality until Treaty of Paris expired in 2002
EURATOM
- EURATOM Treaty 1957 (at same time like Treaty establishing EEC) - both together: Treaty of Rome
- general objective: create specialist market for nuclear power
- specific objectives: promoting research and disseminating technical info; setting safety standards; ensure civil nuclear materials are not use for military purposes
- EURATOM still exists: EU and EURATOM share institutional framework, budget and financial provisions, have same members but are legally distinct
- only remaining community organisation outside of EU and outside of regulatory control of EP
First publication of OJEU
30 December 1952
Equality women men
- principle first enshrined in Treaty of Rome 1957
NATO
- created in 1949
- initial members: US, Canada and 10 Western European countries
Council of Europe
- established in 1949 (May)
- initially 10 members: BE, NL, LUX, IT, FR, IE, UK, DK, NR, SE
Date of first Erasmus program
1987
Dates of adoption of symbols of Europe
- 1985 Europe day of May 9
- 1986 flag and 9th symphony of Beethoven
EU Transparency Register
To counter criticism of the Commission’s proximity to lobbies, the Commission adopted a Decision in 2014 establishing a “transparency register” to force commissioners, cabinets and directos-generals to publish meetings they hold with interest group representatives.
Brexit
- UK referendum in 2016, with 52% voters voting to leave
- As a result, UK invoked Article 50 of TEU (Lisbon) and withdrew from the Union
- Negotiations led by European Commission (although the Council is the ultimate arbiter of the EU position, Art 218 TFEU specifies that the Council has to act on the basis of the Commission’s recommendation)
- Brexit withdrawal agreement came into force in 2020
Agencies to tackle the financial crisis
In 2011, three European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) were established in response to the 2008 financial crisis:
- the European Banking Authority (EBA), Paris: stress tests on European banks
- the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), Paris: improve investor protection; promote stable, orderly financial markets
- the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), Frankfurt: financial stability of insurance and occupational pensions sectors
Single Resolution Board (SRB)
The SRB, the central resolution authority within the Banking Union representing 20 member states, was created in 2015; Brussels
- key element of the Banking Union and its Single Resolution Mechanism.
- Purpose: ensure “an orderly resolution of failing banks, protecting the taxpayer from state bail-outs, which is promoting financial stability.”
- created in response to the 2008 financial crisis.
Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFE)
- Launched in 2021, concluded in 2022
- Exercise to increase participatory democracy by offering EU citizens to participate in discussions on the future of Europe
- Submitted 49 proposals to EU institutions, 326 specific measures
- 9 themes, e.g., eu in the world, migration, health, climate etc.
NextGenerationEU
- NextGenerationEU was adopted in 2020 as a temporary fund (i) to support the COVID pandemic recovery, and (ii) to support the green and digital transition
- 807 billion EUR (724 RRF —> 338 grants + 386 loans, b) 83bn to other EU programmes)
- Not part of the EU budget
Rule of law conditionality regulation
In December 2020, the EU introduced a rule of law conditionality regulation, according to which budget payments can be witheld from countries in where a breach of rule of law (Art 2 TEU) is occuring which compromises the management of EU funds.
EU funds have been cut from Hungary and Poland.
Presidents of the European Council
- Herman Van Rompuy (2009 - 2014), Belgian
- Donald Tusk (2014 - 2019), ex Polish prime minister
- Charles Michel (2019 - 2024), Belgian
- Antonio Costa (2024 - ), Portuguese
Barroso Commission
- From Portugal
- 2 terms: 2004, 2009
- First to introduce operational (instead of representative) vice presidents
Juncker Commission
- From Luxembourg
- 1 term: 2014
- Set 10 goals of his Commission
Von der Leyen Commission
- From Germany
- 1 term: 2019 (incumbent)
- Set 6 priorities
- Retained vice-president system and added executive vice-presidents, who are responsible for the top proprities defined in the Political Guidelines
- Sought party-balance across executive vice-presidents
Spitzenkandidaten process
Expansion of EP powers to propose candidate for the Commission President to the European Council. (Successful in 2014 with Juncker, unsuccessful in 2019 with the EP’s preferred candidate, Manfred Weber)
European External Action Service
- Created by the Treaty of Lisbon;
- Formally launched on 1 December 2010,
- first transfer of staff from commission to eeas in January 2011
- Led by High Representative / Vice President
When was EFTA created
May 1960
Creation of European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
- purpose: “to promote free trade and economic integration between certain countries not in the EEC”
- initial members: Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom
August 1961
Berlin Wall is built
When was first CAP
1962?
First CAP (Common Agricultural Policy)
Yaounde Convention
Yaoundé Convention: July 1963
20 July 1963 - EEC’s first big international agreement
purpose: to promote cooperation and trade with 18 former colonies in Africa
Merger Treaty
- signed on 8 April 1965
- entry into force: July 1, 1967
- purpose: merged the executives of the 3 Communities (the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community and Euratom) into a single administrative arm (the Commission) and a single executive (the Council)
July 1968
- 1 July 1968 – beginning of the Customs Union
- removal of customs duties on goods imported from each other
- common duties on their imports from outside countries
August 1968
The Prague Spring is crushed
August 1961
Britain unsuccessfully tries to join the EEC
- vetoed by French President Charles de Gaulle, who was concerned that British membership would weaken the French voice within Europe
Fontainebleau agreement. When? What?
1984.
Margaret Thatcher won argument - UK gets money back - Annual rebate.
“Any member states sustaining a budgetary burden which is excessive in relation to its relative prosperity may benefit from a correction at the appropriate time.”
Val Duchesse Summit
- Initiated by Delors in 1985
- Meetings of organisations of workers and employers (UNICE - now Business Europe, CEEP - now SGI Europe, ETUC)
- Emergence of EU social dialog
- Recognition in SEA (now articles 154-155 TFEU)
- Triple Social Summit established in 2003 and meets 2x year (Art 151 TFEU)
- VdL said in SOTEU 2023 that a new Val Duchesse summit is to take place in early 2024
Fontainebleau Council of 1984
(Different from that of 1974)
- UK rebate
- Dooge Committee, leading to SEA AND Maastricht
Fontainebleau Council 1974
(Different from that of 1984)
- Decision on direct election of EU Parliament
- Decision to name summits European Council and to hold them twice a year
Change in CJEU in 1969
CJEU established a body of case law to serve as a framework of fundamental rights.
CJEU assumes it’s assumes responsibility for basic rights
12 December 2007
Charter of fundamental rights was proclaimed solemnly by heads of all three institutions
- now as separate document, not part of the constitution
Treaty of Dunkirk
- 4 March 1947
- Treaty of Alliance and Mutual Assistance signed between UK and FR
- In March 1948, alliance was expanded in Treaty of Brussels to Benelux States - alliance took the name of Western Union (WU)
Western Union (WU) and Western European Union (WEU) we
- established in Treaty of Brussels (signed 17 March 1947; in force 25 August 1948) - also called Brussels Pact
- FR, UK, Benelux
- was expansion of alliance between UK and FR, established in Treaty of Dunkirk 1947
- In 1950, the Defence arm of WU (the Western Union Defence Organisation (WUDO)) decided to transfer it’s headquarters, personnel and plans to NATO (established in 1949) - i.e. Defence Arm of WU handed to NATO
- failure of European Defence Community in 1954 (was proposed as prerequisite of ending allied occupation of Western Germany and of re-arming Western German: London and Paris Conferences led to Modified Treaty of Brussels, in which WU has transformed into Western European Union (WEU), and was joined by Italy and West Germany
- In the WEU - CoE agreement of 21 October 1959, the social and cultural tasks of the WEU were handed to the CoE
- In Amsterdam Treaty, functions of WEU were basically transferred to EU CFSP
- In Lisbon Treaty, the Defence functions of WEU were transferred to EU CSDP; WEU was now redundant and Modified Treaty of Brussels was terminated on 31 March 2010 followed by closure of WEU bodies in 2011
European Defence Community (EDC)
- Treaty establishing EDC (Treaty of Paris) signed in 1952 by Benelux, FR, IT, Western DE
- Treaty aimed at establishing unified defence force acting as autonomous European pillar in NATO
- ratification failed in FR
- Treaty was initiated by Pleven Plan (FR Prime Minister Rene Pleven), proposed in response of US call to rearm Western Germany
- EDC intended to harness West Germany’s military potential in case of conflict with Soviet Bloc
- Instead of EDC, Western DE acceded to NATO and Western Union was tranformed into less powerful Western European Union
Failure of the European Defence Community
1954
Christian Fouchet
French ambassador; chaired intergovernmental committee to put forward proposals for ‘union of European peoples’; twice not successful 1961 and 1962 with MS; despite strict respect for identity of MS; instead: European Political Cooperation (EPC);
Luxembourg Compromise
following 1966 crisis (move from unanimity to qualified majority) and ‘empty chair policy’
Dooge Committee
1984 - named after its chairman; committee was asked to make proposals for improving functioning of Community system & of pol. cooperation; led up to Single European Act
How many members had the Common Assembly of the ECSC?
78 members; nominated by national parliaments.
Act of 20 September 1976
election of the representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage (1976 Electoral Act)
Council Decision of 25 June and 23 September 2002
Principle of proportional representation
- modified 1976 Electoral Act\
- also on number of incompatibilities between national and European mandates
Amendments to 1976 Electoral Act
2002: Principle of proportional representation
2009: uniform statute for MEPs came into force -> more transparent, introduces a uniform salary for all MEPs, which is paid from the EU budget.
2018: Possibility of different voting methods: advance voting, electronic, internet & postal); also data protection; penalisation of double voting; etc.
How/When was the term “Commission” introduced?
The first executive of the EEC was called “Commission” - subsequently, Commissions would be named after their presidents (Hallstein, Rey, Malfatti, Masnholt, Ortoli, Jenkins, Thorn, Delors, Santer, Prodi, Marin, Barroso, Juncker, Von der Leyen
How many Commission presidents are there?
13
Date on which “Convention on certain institutions common to the European Communities” was signed
25 March 1957
Creation year of the European economic and social committee
1958
Introduction of system of own resources
Council decision of 21 April 1970 set up a system of Community own resources, replacing financial contributions by the Member States
Court of Auditors
set up by Treaty of Brussels in 1975, a body responsible for scrutinising the Community’s accounts and financial management
