The European Union

Question 1

In what ways has the UK always lacked commitment to the EU?

Answer 1

• It is an island, meaning the commitment to members pursuing a foreign policy and security policy established in the Maastricht Treaty 1991 is less relevant.
• Britain has its own currency, distancing itself from the Single European currency aim of the Maastricht Treaty.
• Parliamentary sovereignty highlights how parliament can always retain the sovereign right to legislate to restore full parliamentary sovereignty (EU Withdrawal Agreement Act 2020)
• Imperial legacy through the common wealth.

Question 2

What did the Maastricht Treaty 1991 establish?

Answer 2

• The EU with common citizenship.
• common foreign & security policy
• launched plans for a Single European Currency.
• monetary union was agreed, inspiring economic union too.
• created European Central Bank - a common interest rate for members

Question 3

What is the only directly elected EU institution?

Answer 3

The European Parliament

Question 4

What does The European Court of Justice ensure?

Answer 4

That European law is applied equally and interpreted the same way in all member states.

Question 5

What Act recognised the centrality of a fully functioning internal market to European integration?

Answer 5

The Single European Act

Question 6

What are the four freedoms among member states established in the Treaty of Rome?

Answer 6

• The free movement of goods
• The free movement of services
• The free movement of capital
• The free movement of people

Question 7

What does ‘free movement of goods’ mean?

Answer 7

States should not impose tariffs on goods from another member state.

Question 8

What does ‘free movement of services’ mean?

Answer 8

Businesses should be able to open up and operate in any member state.

Question 9

What does ‘free movement of capital’ mean?

Answer 9

Capital should be able to move freely throughout the member states.

Question 10

What does ‘free movement of people’ mean?

Answer 10

No internal internal barriers should stop citizens working in any member state and be able to claim social benefits.

Question 11

What is the central importance to European integration?

Answer 11

• Eliminating national barriers to achieve prosperity through inter-connectedness.
• The liberal principle ‘if goods do not cross borders armies will’ - Frédéric Bastiaf

Question 12

What 3 things should European integration encourage?

Answer 12

• Protection of human rights.
• Political/social union.
• Common foreign and defence policy.

Question 13

How is social unity encouraged through EU membership?

Answer 13

The Maastricht Treaty included the Social Chapter which established certain rights which all workers in the EU could claim in areas like health & safety, freedom from discrimination, equal treatment for men and women, pain holidays, and parental leave on birth of child.

Question 14

How is the protection of human rights guaranteed through EU membership?

Answer 14

• The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union became legally binding to all member states when they ratified the Lisbon Treaty in 2009.

Question 15

What charter will not be retained by the European Union Withdrawal Act 2020?

Answer 15

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

Question 16

How is political union encouraged by EU membership?

Answer 16

The Maastricht Treaty 1991 also established a common EU citizenship and, significantly, changed the EU from a community to a Union.

Question 17

What are the arguments for UK membership of the European Union?

Answer 17

• 3.1 million British jobs rely upon EU trade.
• The confederation of British Industry estimated that the net benefit was worth between 4-5% of GDP during the EU ref.
• Most economists agree the UK economy has benefited from EU immigration. In 2013-4, EU citizens living in the UK paid £14.7billion in tax and National insurance, but claimed only £2.6 billion in tax credits and child benefit.
• Has brought together independent, multipolar nations encouraging peace and stability, and shared values like democracy & human rights.
• The Social Chapter of the Maastricht Treaty provided important safeguards to workers rights like 4 week pay holiday and paternity leave.

Question 18

What are the arguments against UK membership of the EU?

Answer 18

• It undermined parliamentary sovereignty and its right to legislate on the behalf of the British people. (Factortame case)
• UK contributes more to the EU than it gets back. In 2017, the UK made a net contribution of £9 billion to the EU.
• The EU has been accused of having democratic deficit as the commission is not directly elected. The EU’s only directly elected body, the parliament, has less direct influence than most legislative assemblies.
• EU legislation creates another layer of unnecessary law which may not serve the interests of British citizens. The think tank Open Europe estimated the implementation of EU regulation costed £33 billion every year.

Question 19

What were the points made by the leave campaign?

Answer 19

• ‘Take back control’- (EU’s lack of democratic accountability, parliamentary sovereignty)
• More control over laws.
• Brexit would allow the UK to make own global free trade deals.
• Greater border control.
• More money for the UK.

Question 20

What were the points made by the remain campaign?

Answer 20

• ‘Britain stronger in Europe’.
• Being part of the EU keeps the cost of living down.
• Increased opportunities through right to work and study across the UK.
• Guarantees employment rights.

Question 21

What is legal sovereignty?

Answer 21

Defined in law as a body in a state with unlimited legal authority.

Question 22

What is political sovereignty?

Answer 22

Stand above legal sovereignty in a democracy as it comes from the people- they elect, thus delegate their authority to parliament. Parliament is accountable.