The aims, role and impact of the European Union on UK Government - 4.3 - Relations between institutions - UK Government Flashcards
UK joined EU in
1973
European Union
An association of 28 states originally founded as the European Economic Community in 1957 which has evolved into a political and economic union
Factors driving closer European integration
Promoting peace Economic integration & single market Economic & monetary union Enlargement Social policy Political union
Promoting peace (as a factor driving closer European integration)
Important motive in the early years post WWII
Economic integration and the single market (as a factor driving closer European integration)
Member states wanted to break down internal barriers to trade & create customs union.
Single European Act 1986 and the abolition of customs controls helped achieve this
Single European Act 1986
Aimed to create single European market based on 4 freedoms
4 freedoms
Free movement of goods, services, people and capital within EU’s single market
Schengen agreement
1995 - enables EU citizens to live and work in other member states - UK and Ireland negotiated opt-outs & some states have introduced temporary restrictions on internal movement in response to 2015 migrant crisis.
Economic and monetary union (as a factor driving closer European integration)
UK opted out of Eurozone (kept the pound) not wanting to surrender economic sovereignty
2012 Fiscal Compact Treaty - in response to financial crisis ensuring those countries effected introduced stronger budget rules - UK opted out
Enlargement (as a factor driving closer European integration)
Post Cold War 10 new members from Eastern Europe added. Led to anxiety about migration from East Europe (e.g. Romania) - this was a large factor in Brexit
Social policy (as a factor driving closer European integration)
To ensure workers did not suffer disadvantage & discrimination & create level playing field for businesses in all countries
Political union (as a factor driving closer European integration)
Perpetual state of balance between institutions that operate in an intergovernmental way or supranational way
Intergovernmental operations
Member states co-operate with each other in decision making protecting respective interests and sovereignty whilst working towards common goal
Supranational operations
Decision making power is transferred to a higher body which operates independently of nation states
Intergovernmental institutions
Council of European Union
European Council
Supranational institutions
European Court of justice
European Parliament
European Commission
Lisbon Treaty 2007 (came into force 2009)
- European council given a permanent president serving 2 1/2 year term
- Organisation created to co-ordinate an agreed EU foreign policy
- System of double majority voting - enabling legislative proposals to be passed with 55% of member states representing at least 65% population
- Incorporated Charter of Fundamental Rights (UK refused to accept as legally binding
Charter of Fundamental rights
Includes rights to education, healthcare & right to strike
Roles of EU in policy making
Negotiating European treaties
Passing & enforcing European directives & regulations
Negotiating European treaties (role of EU in policy making)
Involves European council. Heads of government make up council & commit countries to deals made.
European parliament then votes on the treaty (agreement)
Ratified by each member state using own procedure (e.g. parliament votes)
Passing and enforcing European directives and regulations (role of EU in policy making)
European council sets broad guidelines in law proposition
Commission proposes new laws (assessing impact)
Council of European Union & European parliament decide whether to adopt the new law
Implementation of the law is responsibility of committees & commission
If a state does not comply they can be brought before the European Court of justice
Directive
Sets out a goal that all EU member states must work towards passing own laws to achieve this
Regulation
Binding on all member states & immediately enforceable
UK & Social policy case
Social chapter (Maastricht treaty) aims to protect workers’ rights. Major got an opt-out not wanting businesses to be held back.
1997 New Labour signed up to social chapter
Blair wanted to strike a balance between social protection & labour-market flexibility
Dispute when ECJ ruled travelling time counted towards 48-hour working week (Blair argued it would increase costs)
Factortame case
990 Factortame (Spanish fishing company) sued UK government for restricting its access to UK waters (EU allowed all member states to share waters but UK argued this jeopardised small fishermen in UK) Law Lords ruled in favour of EU - establishing primacy of EU law over an act of Parliament
