The EU Flashcards
EU referendum outcome
52% leave
48% remain
What year did the UK join the EEC?
1973
What is ‘integration’?
The process of coordinating the activities of different states through common institutions and policies
Define ‘supranational’
Having authority independent of national governments
What year was the European Coal and Steel Community formed?
1952
What countries originally joined the European Coal and Steel community?
France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg
What year was the European Economic Community (EEC) formed?
1958
What treaty created the European Economic Community?
Treaty of Rome (1958)
What year did the Common Agricultural Policy begin?
1962
What year did the EU customs union begin?
1968
What did the creation of a customs union do?
- Internal trade barriers removed
- Common external tariff created
What countries joined the EEC in 1973?
UK, Ireland, Denmark
What year did Greece join the EU?
1981
What countries joined the EU in 1986?
Spain and Portugal
What did the Single European Act (1985) introduce?
- The single European market
- QMV replaced unanimity when voting on single market legislation
What is Qualified Majority Voting (QMV)?
A voting arrangement in which proposals must win a set number of votes (over 50%) to be approved
What did the Maastricht Treaty (1991) change?
EEC became the EU
What is an economic and monetary union (EMU)?
The creation of a single currency, central bank and common monetary policy (i.e. the Euro)
What year did the EMU come into force?
1999
How many countries adopted the Euro in 1999?
11
How many countries currently have the Euro?
19
How many countries are currently in the EU?
27
What countries were bailed out by the EU following the financial crisis?
Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus
What is an Eurosceptic?
Someone who is sceptical of the EU and its authority
Four freedoms of the EU
- Movement of goods
- Movement of services
- Movement of people
- Movement of capital
How does the ‘free movement of goods’ operate?
- Members cannot impose duties or taxes on goods from another member state
- All goods produced in the EU must meet their minimum standards
- Border checks and restrictions have been removed
How does the ‘free movement of services’ operate?
- Qualifications from one EU state are recognised in others
- Workers can offer their services anywhere in the EU
How does the ‘free movement of people’ operate?
- EU citizens have the right to work in any EU country
- Someone cannot be discriminated against based on their nationality (in relation to getting a job)
- International workers should have the same rights as national workers
How does the ‘free movement of capital’ operate?
Restrictions on capital movements (such as buying currency) have been removed
How many jobs is the EU’s single market estimated to have created?
2.5m
How many EU residents were living in the UK in 2014?
2.5m
How many UK citizens were living elsewhere in the EU in 2016?
1.8m
When did the issue of ‘free movement of people’ become a political issue in the UK?
Following the 2004 eastward expansion (countries like Poland and Bulgaria joined the EU), the number of migrants coming to the UK dramatically increased
What are EU structural funds?
Money given to poor parts of the EU to help them develop
What organisation manages the monetary policy for the Eurozone?
The European Central Bank (ECB)
Examples of countries that opted-out of the Euro
Denmark, UK
Advantages of the EU’s economic and monetary union?
- Ends exchange rate uncertainty
- Eliminates transaction costs on cross-border trade
Disadvantages of the EU’s economic and monetary union?
Loss of sovereignty as national governments give away control over their currency
What is the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (2000)?
It entrenched rights established by the European Convention on Human Rights
How many consumers are in the EU’s single market?
500m
5 EU institutions
- European Commission
- European Parliament
- European Court of Justice
- Council of the EU
- European Council
Main executive body of the EU
European Commission
Roles of the European Commission
- Sole right to initiate and draft legislation
- Executes EU legislation and makes sure it is applied correctly
- Administers EU expenditure and collects revenue
- Represents the EU on the world state, mostly in trade negotiations
How is the President of the European Commission chosen?
Nominated by the European Council and elected by the European Parliament
How are commissioners for the European Commission chosen?
Nominated by national governments and approved by European Parliament
What is the main decision making body in the EU?
Council of the EU
Who is a member of the Council of the EU?
Government ministers from the 27 member states
How is the President of the Council of the EU chosen?
Each nation takes turns to hold the presidency for 6 months
Roles of the Council of the EU
- Shares legislative power with the European Parliament
- Coordinates the economic policy of member states
- Develops the common foreign policy and security policy of the Union
What is needed for a vote to pass under QMV?
- At least 55% of member states vote in approval
- Must represent 65% of the EU population
- A blocking minority must represent at least 4 states and 35% of the EU population
Who is on the European Council?
Heads of government and foreign ministers
How many times does the European Council meet a year?
At least 4 times
What is the EU’s key strategic body?
European Council
Roles of the European Council
- Discuss major issues
- Sets the political direction for the EU
- Makes key decisions on foreign policy and economy
- Launches new initiatives and agrees to treaties
What is the EU’s directly elected institution?
European Parliament
How often are European Parliament elections?
Every 5 years
How are MEPs organised in the European Parliament?
They sit in transnational groups based on ideology
3 powers of the European Parliament
- Legislative
- Budgetary
- Democratic supervision
Why are the European Parliament’s legislative powers limited?
They cannon initiate legislation
What legislative powers does the European parliament have?
They can amend and veto proposed legislation
2 parts of the EU legislatature
- Council of the European Union
- European Parliament
What EU body elects the president?
The European Parliament (after nomination from the European Council)
Role of the Court of Justice of the European Union
Upholds EU law and ensures it is applied uniformly and effectively
Where are most day-to-day decisions in the EU made?
Between the:
- European Commission
- Council of the EU
- European Parliament
Where are most “history-making decisions” in the EU made?
Between the:
- European Commission
- Council of the EU
- European Parliament
What is the ‘democratic deficit’?
The erosion of democratic accountability that occurs when decision-making authority is transferred from national governments to EU institutions
Why is there a ‘distance’ between the EU and its citizens?
Many citizens do not understand and identify with the EU and therefore have opposed integration developments
Is there a democratic deficit in the EU?
YES
- Legislation is initiated by the European Commission which is not directly elected
- National governments can be outvoted under QMV
- European Parliament is not powerful enough
- European Parliament election turnout is low
