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Sciences Po Stras exams > History, Institutions, Policies of the EU > Flashcards

History, Institutions, Policies of the EU Flashcards

1
Q

What can be said of European integration?

A
  • cooperation vs. integration
  • process of integration: transfers of national sovereignty
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2
Q

What did the professor say about European integration? (what it looks like)

A
  • like a train moving along which started with the Treaty of Paris in 1951
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3
Q

What are the institutions of Europe-those in the EU, and not?

A
  • European Commission
  • EU Parliamentarians
  • Council of European Union
  • European Council
  • Council of Europe not part of the EU supranational
  • Eurobank (ECB)
  • European Court of Justice
  • European Court of auditors
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4
Q

What is considered the first step to European Integration?

A
  • the establishing of the Council of Europe along with NATO in 1949
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5
Q

What were the 3 communities established in the 1950’s?

A
  • ECSC in 1951
  • EEC 1957
  • Euratom
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6
Q

What is the timeline of EEC enlargement? (and later EU enlargement)

A
  • 1950: France, West Ger, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg
  • 1973 (first enlargement): Denmark, Ireland, U.K.
  • 1981 (2nd enlargement): Greece
  • 1986: Spain, Portugal
  • 1995: Sweden, Finland, Austria
  • 2004: Cyprus, Estonia, Czech Rep., Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia, Poland, Malta, Slovakia
  • 2007: Romania, Bulgaria
  • 2013: Croatia
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7
Q

What are the 2 spectrums of the EU parliament?

A
  • left—right
  • Pro EU—EU skeptic
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8
Q

What can be said of the recent EU parliamentary elections?

A
  • a shift to the right
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9
Q

What can be said of the timeline of Europe from 1949-1971?

A
  • 1949: creation of NATO/Council of Europe
  • 1950: Schuman declaration and EU convention on Human Rights
  • 1951: Treaty of Paris
  • 1955 West Germany joins NATO–Warsaw Pact signed
  • 1957: treaties of Rome signed
  • 1961: First UK (plus Ireland, and Denmark) application for EEC membership & construction of the Berlin Wall
  • 1963: First French Veto of U.K.’s application (De Gaulle)
  • 1967: second U.K. (plus Ireland & Denmark) application for membership
  • 1968: Customs Union established
  • 1971: President Nixon ends U.S. Gold standard
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10
Q

What can be said of the timeline for Europe from 1973-1991?

A
  • 1973: 1st enlargement of EEC
  • 1974: European Council established
  • 1975: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) introduced
  • 1979: European Monetary System (EMS) ad Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) established; first direct Euro Parliament elections
  • 1981: 2nd enlargement
  • 1986: 3rd enlargement–Single European Act signed
  • 1989: declaration of end of Cold War (Malta Summit)
  • 1990: reunification of Germany
  • 1991: dissolution of Union of Soviet Sovereign Republics (USSR) and Warsaw Pact
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11
Q

What took place between 1991-1995? (in relation to European integration)

A
  • the Balkan wars
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12
Q

What took place between 1992–2013 in relation to Europe?

A
  • 1992: Treaty of Maastricht signed
  • 1995: 4th Enlargement
  • 1996: Russian Federation joins Council of Europe
  • 1997: Treaty of Amsterdam signed
  • 1998-1999: Kosovo War
  • 2001: Treaty of Nice signed
  • 2002: the Euro introduced
  • 2004: 5th enlargement of EU; and constitutional treaty signed
  • 2005: “No votes” in France and Netherlands
  • 2007: 5th pt. 2 enlargement, Treaty of Lisbon signed
  • 2009-2011: EU wide recession; sovereign debt crisis
  • 2013: Croatia joins EU (sixth enlargement)
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13
Q

What can be said of the timeline in Europe from 2014-to the present day?

A
  • 2014: Russia annexes Crimea and Donbas region
  • 2016: Brexit referendum, election of Donald Trump in the U.S.
  • 2017: Le Pen comes second in French Presidential election (a shift to the right)
  • 2017-2018: Article 7 procedure launched against Poland and Hungary
    – infringement of key provisions in rule of law
  • 2018: Cinque Stelle/Lega coalition in Italy
  • 2019: European Parliament (EP) elections a victory for Front National, Lega, Brexit Party
  • 2020: the U.K. leaves the EU, COVID-19 crisis, Next Gen EU
  • 2022: Le Pen comes second at French Pres election, RN wins 89 Parliamentary seats, election of Fratelli d’Italia
  • 2024: shift to far right in EP elections
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14
Q

What comprises the “EU constitution”?

A
  • Treaty of Rome
  • Maastricht treaty
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15
Q

What are the sources of EU law?

A
  • Primary Law: treaties negotiated and agreed by member states–all member states ratify and agree on treaties
  • Secondary law: legal acts passed by EU institutions
    –directives-legally binding
  • Case Law: judgements of European Court of Justice and general court
    – jurisprudence, precedence
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16
Q

What is true of EU law?

A
  • it takes precedence over domestic law of the member states
  • EU law now covers individuals, businesses
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17
Q

What are areas of expenditure in the EU?

A
  • total budget 2021-2027: (MFF and NGEU)
    • 1.824 trillion Euros
  • MFF (Multiannual Financial framework)
    • 1.074 trillion Euros
    • direct member state contributions, member states contributions via VAT, customs duties
  • NGEU (next gen EU)
    • 750 billion euros
      • NGEU temporary recovery mechanism financed through borrowing by the commission
  • the MFF is ~1% of EU GDP
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18
Q

What is the European Council?

A
  • a supranational organization, made up of 27 heads of state from European member states
  • “captain of the ship”
  • under treaties meet 2 times every 6 months
  • elects someone who is the president of the European Council
  • have NO direct role in proposing legislation
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19
Q

What is the Council of the EU?

A
  • ministers, ordinary legislature procedure–qualified majority voting, 55% of ministers must represent 65% of the EU
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20
Q

What is true about the European Commission?

A
  • members nominated by member states, and confirmed/voted by parliament
  • 1 commissioner per member state
    • supports smaller states
  • parliament votes for leaders of the commission
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21
Q

What are the roles of the European Commission?

A
  • propose legislation
  • enforce EU law with Court of Justice overseeing
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22
Q

What is true about the European Parliament?

A
  • 720 MEP’s
  • sitting by ideologies (political parties)
  • more populous member states have more MEP’s
  • made up of 24 committees
  • legislative role have say over legislative budget
  • elect a Parliament President
    • decides bills/times each bill gets
  • democratic oversight
    • looks over other bodies
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23
Q

What is true about the EU single/common market?

A
  • internal market: area of free movement of goods, services, capital and persons including workers
  • established to boost member states’ economies and strengthen member states in the face of international cooperation
  • established by lowering/removing barriers to movement (physical, technical, fiscal), and introduction of policies to even the playing field
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24
Q

What are examples of fiscal barriers brought down in the new common market?

A
  • taxes, sales taxes
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25
Q

What can be said about businesses and barriers remaining to the movement of goods, etc.?

A
  • some barriers remain in the movement of goods, etc.
  • however for the case of Renault they were able to move some of their car plants from France to Slovakia due to cheaper costs potentially
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26
Q

How can some member states be more competitive towards others?

A
  • there exist different economic situations, levels of employment, etc.
  • regulation, taxes, public services also
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27
Q

What can be said about the Monetary Union?

A
  • single monetary policy exists–one interest rate for all member states, inflation target of ~2%
  • single monetary authority (ECB)
  • single currency: Euro
  • economic policy coordination: Eurogroup and EcoFin council
  • 1 interest rate exists for all member states in the Eurozone
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28
Q

What can be said about the U.S. and Europe economically speaking?

A
  • the EU is more uneven economically than the U.S.
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29
Q

Since the sovereign debt crisis, what can be said about the economic union?

A
  • the balanced budget rule to be enshrined in national legislation
  • monetary system to present draft budget to commission each year
  • creation of European stability mechanism
    —- in a way a European IMF
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30
Q

What other measures have been put in place since the debt crisis in 2010?

A
  • one member state cannot take on the debt of other member states
  • new stricter rates introduced to make sure member states would follow the convergence criteria after joining
  • the commission has oversight over member states budgets to make sure debt to GDP is around 60%
  • the better a states credit rating, the lower in interest rate states will get when borrowing
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31
Q

What can be said about regional cohesion policy of the EU?

A
  • EU’s main investment policy – strengthen economic, social and critical cohesion
  • aims to boost economic growth, jobs, improve quality of life
  • structural and investment funds used–to maximize transport networks and energy supply
    • facilitate access to employment and education
    • support small and medium size businesses
    • support research and innovation
    • investment in environmental policy
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32
Q

What can be said about the structural and investment fund of the EU?

A
  • European regional development fund
  • European social fund
  • Cohesion fund
  • European agricultural fund for Rural development
  • European maritime and fisheries fund
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33
Q

What is true about the structural and investment fund (not its uses)?

A
  • used only in member states where GDP is 20% less than the EU average
  • it has leveled out the playing field among member states
34
Q

What can be said of enlargement in the EU?

A
  • it acts as a part of foreign policy
    – exert foreign policy in its neighborhood
    – for others to become more like the EU
  • desirability of EU membership
    – membership hasn’t been as desirable in recent years
35
Q

What are the impact of enlargement on the EU?

A
  • more members in parliament
    • clogs up institutions (slows the EU down)
    • especially if big member states join–could shift the EU geographically
    • ex: 2004 enlargement shifted the center of the EU to Eastern Europe
  • France wants to restrict EU enlargement to keep itself more in charge
36
Q

When enlarging what could be said of the U.K. and its role in the EU?

A
  • after coming into the EU, the balance in Europe was shifted to the U.K. from France
  • the U.K. brought the Commonwealth, and its special relationship with the U.S. to the table
37
Q

When enlarging what could be said about Ireland and its role in the EU?

A
  • Ireland wanted more regional development for rural and poorer areas
  • as well they wanted rules for the budget discussions
38
Q

When enlarging what could be said about Greece and its role in the EU?

A
  • 7 years after a military junta ended, difficult economic state, so wanted to consolidate Democratic reforms over the past 7 years
39
Q

What could be said about Spain when being allowed into the EU?

A
  • Spain had been democratizing since 1975, but had been isolated on the international stage
40
Q

What did the Copenhagen summit do in 1993?

A
  • established the Copenhagen criteria
    • criteria for joining the EU (enlargement)
41
Q

What did the Thessaloniki summit do in 2003?

A
  • acknowledged the European perspective for Western Balkan partners
  • promised membership to Western Balkans if they followed Copenhagen Criteria
42
Q

What are the political criteria of the Copenhagen criteria?

A
  • stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy
  • rule of law
  • respect for Human rights
  • respect for and protection of minorities
43
Q

What are the Economic criteria of the Copenhagen criteria?

A
  • existence of a functioning market economy
  • capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union
    • can’t enforce quotas or tariffs
  • administrative criteria: acquis commentaire
    – ability to adapt EU laws into national laws
44
Q

What can be said about the membership process for membership in the EU?

A
  • application by prospective member state-fulfillment of political and economic criteria
  • commission opinion
    • reports published in autumn on candidates progress
      – then green light from the commission comes first
  • unanimous decision of the European Council to begin negotiations
  • negotiation of chapters
    • free movement of goods, etc.
    • 32 or 33 chapters to get through
    • each chapter to be negotiated by.a unanimous vote
  • negotiations led by Council Presidency and Commission
  • accession treaty: adoption by Council, Commission, and European Parliament
  • ratification by all member states’ parliaments
45
Q

What is true about the membership process into the EU?

A
  • it can last decades especially in this age (21st century)
46
Q

What is the financial assistance for the membership process?

A
  • instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA)
  • beneficiaries=candidates and potential candidates
    5 thematic windows:
    • rule of law, fundamental rights, and democracy
    • good governance, EU acquisitions, good neighborly relations
    • green agency and sustainability connectivity
    • competitiveness and inclusive growth
    • territorial and cross-border cooperation
47
Q

What are policies exclusively handled by the EU and not by the member states?

A
  • Customs union and Common commercial policy
  • competition rates
  • monetary policy
48
Q

What are policies shared between the EU and member states?

A
  • internal market
  • economic, social, and territorial cohesion
  • agriculture and fisheries
  • environment, energy
  • freedom, security, and justice
49
Q

What are policies that are coordinated between the EU and member states?

A
  • human health
  • culture
  • tourism
  • education, youth, and sport
  • common foreign and security policy
    • not legally binding–intergovernmental approach
50
Q

What is true about trade deals and their relations to the EU?

A
  • all trade deals are done at the EU level (supranational) no treats can be done at the national level (led by member states)
51
Q

What are some facts about the European Council?

A
  • set up by Article 15 of the Treaty on European Union
  • heads of state/government meetings are “summits”
  • a permanent President created in 2007
    • someone who isn’t a head of state
    • elected by QMV of MS serve a 2.5-5 year term
52
Q

What are the roles of the President of the European Council?

A
  • chair meetings, ensure continuity, facilitate consensus, cooperate with Commission President
53
Q

What can be said about the meetings of the European Council?

A
  • it meets 2 times every 6 months
  • seen as a form of elite socialization” leaders meet multiple times a year
  • alliances begin to form–cooperation can be affective
  • when parties are in power they tend to be less skeptic–in opposition tend to be more skeptic
54
Q

What can be said about the Council of the European Union?

A
  • “little brother of the European Council”
  • brings together Government ministers
  • meets in 10 different thematic configurations
    • foreign ministers (2 times a week)
    • finance ministers (some thematic config.)
    • education ministers (some thematic config.)
    • energy ministers (some thematic config.)
      – the council of the EU meets 100 times a year in Brussels
  • Shares legislative power with Parliamentary members
55
Q

What can be said about the Treaty of Lisbon?

A
  • rotation Trio (3 states work together somewhat for an 18 month period
    • come up with a common agenda
56
Q

What are the roles of the Council of the EU?

A
  • 2 different bodies pass legislation
  • council of the EU shares with EU parliament
  • shares budgetary power with Parliament
  • 7 year budget (7 different headings)
    • each year is annualized
    • parliament authorizes
  • it represents the EU on the World stage
  • high representative for Foreign Affairs and security policy also a member of the council
  • also the Vice President of the European Commission
57
Q

What are the top 5 parties of the European Council?

A

1) EPP (European Peoples Party
2) Socialists and Democrats
3) Renew/ALDE
4) ECR
5) Other

58
Q

What did the Treaty of Paris do?

A
  • 1951
  • Created the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
  • free trade in coal and steel, had a high authority
59
Q

What did the Treaty of Rome do?

A
  • 1957
  • Created the European Economic Community, Euratom,
60
Q

What did the Merger Treaty do?

A
  • 1965
  • merged the 3 high authorities already created into one
    • ECSC
    • Euratom
    • EEC
61
Q

What did the Single European Act do?

A
  • signed in 1986
  • complete single market
  • QMV, strengthen EP (cooperation, assent)
  • new policy domains (R&D, Social Policy, environment…)
  • like a double sided Vinyl
62
Q

What is Qualified Majority Voting (QMV)?

A
  • 2/3 votes needed
63
Q

What did the Treaty on European Union (or Maastricht) do?

A
  • 1992
  • created economic and political union (EMU, CFSP, JHA)
  • EU citizenship
  • further QMV, strengthen EP (co-decision), committee of the regions
64
Q

What did the Treaty of Amsterdam do?

A
  • 1997
  • furthered QMV and Co-decision, HR CFSP
65
Q

What did the Treaty of Nice do?

A
  • 2001
  • Prepared for EU enlargement, (seats, voting)
  • further QMV and co-decision, modified composition of Commission (1 Commissioner per Member state)
66
Q

When did European integration peak?

A
  • 1991
  • EU skeptic parties started to gain popularity
67
Q

What did the Treaty of Lisbon do?

A
  • 2007
  • consolidated treaties of the European Union
    • treaty on European Union
    • treaty on the functioning of the EU
    • legal personality–EU gave ability to sign Intl treaties
    • greater unity, (President of the European Council, HR, FASP & EEAS)
    • further QMV and co-decisions ordinary legislative procedure
    • citizens initiative
    • procedure to leave the EU
68
Q

What was the context of the Treaty of Lisbon?

A
  • 2004 member states signed and began ratifying the constitutional treaty act, but had failed referendums in France and the Netherlands
69
Q

What is the EEAS?

A
  • European External Action Service
    • diplomatic service
    • can guide member states to pursue a more European foreign policy
  • hope with this: member states don’t contradict EU positions
    • passing legislation–pass legislation together
70
Q

What is the Citizens initiative?

A
  • allow citizens of member states to propose legislation
    • need 1 million signatures collected within 1 year
    • from 25% of member states
71
Q

What is the Article in which a member state invokes to leave?

A
  • Article 50
72
Q

What are some trends that can be seen in each of the revisions to the treaties?

A
  • at first wanted to create closer ties b/w EU countries
  • but over times saw more skepticism over EU policies/institutions and closer ties, especially with Brexit
  • as closer economic ties came, states began to give sovereignty away to EU level–more Euroskepticism came
  • an increased scope of policies
  • a balance b/w intergovernmental and supranational bring people closer to institutions
  • euro citizenship
  • ongoing effort to increase EU representatives on world stage
73
Q

What can be said about the current makeup of the EU parliament?

A
  • Group of European People’s Party (largest)
    • 187 seats
    • Germanys CDU
    • Civic platform
    • Partido Popular
    • Les Republicans
    • Forza Italia
  • Group of Progressive Alliance for Socialists & Democrats
    -136 seats
    • Partito Democratico
    • Partido Socialista
    • Social Democrat Party
    • Parti Socialiste
  • Patriots for Europe Group
    • 86 seats
    • Rassemblement National
    • Lega
    • Fridesz
    • Austrian Freedom party
    • Vox
  • European Conservatives and Reformists group
    • 78 seats
    • Fratelli d’Italia
    • Law & Justice
  • Renew Europe (alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe)
    • 77 seats
    • Renaissance
    • Horizons
    • Movement Democrate
    • Free Democrats
    • VVD
  • Group of Greens/Europeans Free Alliance
    • 53 seats
    • Die Grünen
    • Les ecologists
  • The Left
    • 46 seats
    • 5 Stelle
    • La France Insomise
    • Die Laike
  • Europe of Sovereign Nations
    • 25 seats
    • AFD
    • Confederation
  • Non-attached
    • Sakra Wagenkmenkht alliance
    • Se acabo la fiesta
74
Q

Who is the current president of the European Parliament?

A
  • Roberta Metsola (2022)
  • Malta, Centre-right/EP
  • second term (2024-2026)
  • 14 vice presidents
  • 20 specialized standing committees (25-90 full members)
75
Q

What can be said about the European Court of Justice?

A
  • Created from Article 19 of the Treaty of European Union
  • comprised of 2 courts:
    • Court of Justice
    • General court
  • the general court assists the Court of Justice for similar cases already ruled on
  • ECJ: 1 judge per member state
  • GC: 2 judges per member state
  • judges serve 1 6 year term
76
Q

What are the roles of the ECJ?

A
  • ensure correct interpretation and application of EU law
  • determine whether actions of the EU institutions and member states are in conformity
    • failure to act, failure to fulfill and obligation, action for annulment
  • the European Court of Justice is an Appeals Court**
  • provides national courts with interpretations of EU law
    • preliminary rulings
77
Q

Who can bring a case before the ECJ?

A
  • any legal person can bring a case against a state, an organization
  • can argue against a state, or anyone can bring cases against EU institutions
78
Q

How do the different institutions interact together?

A
  • The European Council gives big ideas that the EU should pursue to the European Commission
  • The European Commission then proposes budget, and initiates laws with the Council of the EU
  • The Council of the EU alongside the Parliament vote/decide on the budget, and laws
  • The European Parliament chooses and votes for Commissioners, and President of the Commission
79
Q

What is the legislative procedure in the EU?

A
  • use of co-decision procedure involves the Council of the EU, and European Parliament (EP)
  • usually qualified majority voting used in Council of the EU
  • up to 3 readings by Council of EU and EP–both must approve legislation
  • conciliation committee small group from parliament, and the council come together to discuss
80
Q

What is the implementation and enforcement procedure of laws in the EU?

A
  • implementation is generally ensured at the member state level
    • governments, sub-national authorities…
    • as “guardian of the treaties” commission ensures implementation
    • ultimately commission can bring case to European Court of Justice (ECJ)
      • if one fails to fulfill their obligation the ECJ can fire member states

Sciences Po Stras exams (3 decks)

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