The EU's Institutions and Policies (1)

Question 1

What is the EU?

Answer 1

A collection of institutions and its system is complex; the informal can be as important as the formal in how the institutions work, influence etc.

Question 2

What right does the European Commission have?

Answer 2

The right to initiate legislation, although in practice it has been undermined

Question 3

Which body has to agree proposals for them to become law?

Answer 3

The Council of Ministers

Question 4

Which body ensures that the terms of treaties are respected?

Answer 4

The European Court of Justice

Question 5

Which 2 arms is the European Commission divided into?

Answer 5

Political Arm - College of Commissioners (including the President of the Commission)

Administrative Arm - Directorate of Generals

Question 6

Give 2 functions of the European Commission

Answer 6

• Is the Executive of the EU because it has the power of legislative proposal
• Is the promoter of the interests of the Union (Protector of the European Treaties); represent European citizens and their interests

Question 7

Give 3 aspects of the College of Commissioners

Answer 7

• Each commissioner is responsible for a different area of policy
• Often from the same party as the national government
• Commissioners must abandon all national allegiances during their run; they’re expected to prioritise European interests over their home state

Question 8

What are the 3 key functions of the Council System in the EU?

Answer 8

• Legislature - council votes on proposed legislative acts
• Executive - council takes non-legislative decisions (e.g. On common foreign and security policy)
• Setter of guidelines - council sometimes steers the course of policy (e.g. Oversees the detail of enlargement negotiations)

Question 9

When was the European Council set up and why?

Answer 9

1974 - to bring together heads of state and government, allowing national leaders to set the direction of European Integration

Question 10

When was the Lisbon Treaty created and why?

Answer 10

2007 - to establish the EC as a formal EU institution and redefined membership

Question 11

Give 3 functions of the European Council

Answer 11

• Oversight of treaty reform and enlargement
• Foreign policy making
• Decision maker of a last resort

Question 12

What happened in 1957 regarding the European Parliament?

Answer 12

The European Parliamentary Assembly wasn’t directly elected and had limited powers

Question 13

When were direct elections introduced in the European Parliament and why did this backfire?

Answer 13

1979 - was expected as a means of increasing the legitimacy of the EU and its institutions yet turn out had gradually fallen

Question 14

Give 2 reasons for a falling turnout of EP elections

Answer 14

• EP elections seen as second order national elections

* Campaigns organised around national parties and campaigns run on national platforms

Question 15

Give 3 points regarding the legislative powers of the EP

Answer 15

• Under the Ordinary Legislative Procedure (OLP), the EP shares final decision on most proposals with the Council

Question 16

When was the EP given the right to reject budget as a whole?

Answer 16

1975

Question 17

Give 3 functions of the European Court of Justice

Answer 17

• To ensure EU law is interpreted and applied the same in every EU country
• To ensure countries and EU institutions abide by EU law
• Be the final arbiter of legal disputes

Question 18

Give 4 summaries of the EU

Answer 18

The European Commission has the role right to initiate legislation (although in practice this power has been undermined to some extent)

The Council of Ministers, acting increasingly by QMV, has to agree to proposals for them to become law

Increasingly the EC has become active, setting the EU’s broad policy agenda and the general direction of integration

The EP plays an important oversight role over the European Commission and can dismiss the whole college on mass if need be

Question 19

What did Kenealy state the Parliament is viewed as by its admirers?

Answer 19

The voice of the people

Question 20

Is voting turnout higher or lower in the EP than most national elections?

Answer 20

Lower

Question 21

How does the EP relate to the Council and Commission?

Answer 21

Council - equal to the EP in terms of legislation

Commission - EP elects the president and can confirm/dismiss the Commission

Question 22

Can the EP dismiss the President?

Answer 22

Yes

Question 23

How do MEPs not represent citizens equally?

Answer 23

The ratio of member to population is lower in smaller member states

Question 24

What has participation been like for Parliamentary elections?

Answer 24

It has been declining

Question 25

How does the European Council base their seat allocation?

Answer 25

Base it on the size of the state so it is proportional to its citizens (undemocratic as smaller nations lack representation)

Question 26

How does the European Parliament base their seat allocation?

Answer 26

The ratio of member to population is lower in smaller member states (over represents smaller states)

Question 27

What does the EU require of its member states and what is the consequence if this is not obeyed?

Answer 27

Requires that member states are democratic and has a procedure for suspending a state that doesn’t abide by this