The EU

Question 1

Aims of the EU

Answer 1

1. Promote Peace
2. Economic union - facilitate trade
3. Social Union - Protect rights and security
4. Political Union - establish EU political institutions

Question 2

what is a key element of the EU that achieves their aims

Answer 2

The 4 freedoms of the single market

Question 3

4 Freedom of Single Market

Answer 3

1. Free movement of goods - no import/export tariffs
2. Free movement of services - no limits on providing services in other countries
3. Free movement of financial capital - no limits on investing in other EU countries
4. Free movement of persons - Free to work and live in other countries and be treated equally as citizens of that country

Question 4

how is the EU organised

Answer 4

Like a country

Question 5

features of the EU - organisation

Answer 5

President
Legislature - EU Parliament - Elected every 5 years, 750 MEPS, votes on law
Executive - European Commission - 1 commisoner per country which is appointed, they propose laws and carry out EU policy
Judiciary - European Court of Justice - Highest court in the EU, overrides national courts, 1 judge per country

Question 6

can individual member state block decisions

Answer 6

yes

Question 7

how is the EU undemocratic

Answer 7

EU laws once adopted overrides the national laws of member states. That means: If EU law and UK Acts of Parliament contradicted, EU law ‘won’ The European Court of Justice was the highest court of appeal, higher than the Supreme Court

Question 8

what are EU laws also called

Answer 8

directives

Question 9

impact of the EU on the UK

Answer 9

it has an impact on policies - EU law is applied in the UK and overrides UK law

Question 10

aspects of the UK that the EU had has an impact on

Answer 10

1. Impact on Trade
2. Impact on Migration
3. Impact on workers rights
4. Impact on Parliamentary Sovereignty
5. Political Impact

Question 11

political impact

Answer 11

The EU was never a key issue for voters, but did become so after the referendum
Bitter divisions since the 1990s within the Conservative Party between Eurosceptic (ERG) and pro-EU factions
The rise of UKIP, campaigning to leave the EU (and after it the Brexit Party)
Cameron and May both resigned as Prime Minister over EU-related issues
Brexit was the key issue in the 2019 elections, allowing a 4th Tory win