The European Union

Question 1

European Coal and Steel Community

Answer 1

Formed in 1952 an international organization to control and integrate all European coal and steel production. Consisted of West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France. Aimed to be so close together economically that war against them impossible.

Question 2

European Economic Community (EEC)

Answer 2

The regional trade and economic organization established in Western Europe by the Treaty of Rome in 1958; also known as the Common Market.

Question 3

1972 European Communities Act

Answer 3

Legislated for the accession of the UK to the EU.

Question 4

1985 Single European Act

Answer 4

Created the EU single market.

Question 5

1991 Maastricht Treaty

Answer 5

Created the EU, began to develop the Euro.

Question 6

1997 Amsterdam Treaty

Answer 6

Created an ‘area of freedom, security, and justice’

Question 7

Eurozone

Answer 7

The group of European Union nations whose national currency is the euro.

Question 8

2001 Nice Treaty

Answer 8

Created a common EU security and defence policy.

Question 9

2007 Lisbon Treaty

Answer 9

Amended and reformed previous treaties to improve the democratic and accountable nature of EU institutions

Question 10

Debt crisis

Answer 10

Extended crisis which began in 2009 and led to five nations being bailed out by the EU.

Question 11

Migrant crisis

Answer 11

A a term given to a period beginning in 2013 when rising numbers of people arrived in the European Union from across the Mediterranean Sea or overland through Southeast Europe; new EU measures had little impact.

Question 12

Brexit referendum

Answer 12

2016, the UK vote to leave the EU by 51.9%

Question 13

Single market

Answer 13

A system in which goods, services, and capital move freely, with no barriers

Question 14

Four freedoms of movement

Answer 14

Goods, services, people, capital

Question 15

Structural Funds

Answer 15

Money distributed within the EU from richer members to poorer member states to help the latter develop economically and meet EU standards.

Question 16

European Central Bank

Answer 16

The central bank for the EU’s single currency, the euro

Question 17

Europol

Answer 17

European Police Office. The integrated police intelligence-gathering and dissemination arm of the member nations of European Union.

Question 18

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

Answer 18

Issued in 2000, it enshrines the rights of the ECHR as well as rulings of the ECJ on rights into EU law.

Question 19

Liberal Democracy

Answer 19

A political system that promotes participation, competition, and liberty and emphasizes individual freedom and civil rights. The EU aims to promote this across formerly authoritarian or communist states in Europe.

Question 20

The European Council

Answer 20

Made up of the heads of government and foreign ministers of the EU member states; this body represents the interests of the member states within the EU. It sets the EU’s political direction.

Question 21

The European Commission

Answer 21

Made up of nation-nominated commissioners this body is like an executive branch, responsible for proposing EU legislation, implementing it, and monitoring compliance.

Question 22

The Council of Ministers

Answer 22

Made up of government ministers and also known as the Council of the EU, this body is the equivalent of an upper legislature and has legislative and some executive powers.

Question 23

The European Parliament

Answer 23

Made up of elected MEPs this body is the equivalent of a lower legislative house, it has legislative and budgetary powers.

Question 24

European Court of Justice

Answer 24

The EU’s judicial body, with sweeping powers to uphold EU law and ensure it is being applied.

Question 25

Policy competences

Answer 25

The areas in which the EU can act, conferred on it by the treaties.

Question 26

Democratic Deficit

Answer 26

The erosion of democratic accountability that occurs when decision-making authority is transferred from national governments to EU institutions which some see as undemocratic.

Question 27

Euroscepticism

Answer 27

Opposition to the process of European integration, based on a defence of national sovereignty and national identity.

Question 28

Three Criticisms of the UK’s Membership of the EU (9 marks)

Answer 28

Democratic Deficit - directly elected European Council is not sufficiently powerful (cannot initiate legislation)

Loss of Sovereignty - EU law primacy and has exclusive competences e.g Customs Union

Voting - legislation the UK supports can be vetoed by one country via unanimity voting, can be outvoted by qualified majority voting but has to follow, the will of the electorate thwarted e.g. Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill.

Question 29

Three Treaties That Have Altered the Work of the EU since 1985 (9 marks)

Answer 29

The Single European Act - 1985, single European market, social and regional policy community role, qualified majority voting on single market legislation

The Maastricht Treaty - 1991, created the EU, the timetable for the economic and monetary union (EMU), intergov. cooperation in foreign, security, justice and home affairs policies

The Nice Treaty of 2001 - established European security and defence policy and introduced institutional reforms