THE EUROPEAN UNION Flashcards
Name the source of primary EU legislation of the EU.
the Treaty on European Union, the Treaty on the functioning of the EU and the Treaty on the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)
Mention the EU major treaties and acts and their significance.
- Treaty of Rome (1957): This treaty established the European Economic Community (EEC), which aimed to create a common market among its member states. It laid the foundation for economic integration and cooperation among the original six member states.
- Single European Act (1986): brought amendments to the Treaties establishing the EEC and established European political cooperation
- Maastricht Treaty (1992): This treaty established the European Union, laying the groundwork for the creation of the euro currency and the development of common foreign and security policies. It also introduced the concept of EU citizenship.
- Amsterdam Treaty (1997): This treaty aimed to reform EU institutions to prepare for enlargement.
- Treaty of Nice (2001): This treaty aimed to reform EU institutions to prepare for enlargement, including changes to voting weights in the Council of the EU and the allocation of seats in the European Parliament.
- Lisbon Treaty (2007): This treaty created the position of President of the European Council and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
Name the components of the EU decision-making system.
the European Parliament, representing EU citizens
the Council of the European Union, representing EU governments
the European Commission, representing the EU’s overall interests
Explain the structure of the European Parliament.
Parliament is to be composed of no more than 751 representatives of the EU’s citizens (750 Members plus the President
- Members of the European Parliament (MEPs): are elected by the citizens of the EU member states. The number of MEPs for each country is determined based on the size of its population.
- Political Groups: MEPs are organized into political groups based on their political affiliations.
- President: The European Parliament is presided over by a President who is elected by the MEPs for a renewable two-and-a-half-year term.
- Committees: The work of the European Parliament is supported by a system of committees, each specializing in specific policy areas.
- Plenary Sessions: The European Parliament holds plenary sessions in Strasbourg, France, and Brussels, Belgium, where all MEPs gather to debate and vote on legislative proposals, resolutions.
Name the ways the European Parliament takes part in the legislative work of the EU.
- Passing EU laws, together with the Council of the EU, based on European Commission proposals
- Deciding on international agreements
- Deciding on enlargements
Explain the structure of the European Council.
made up of the heads of state or government of all EU countries, the European Council President, and the European Commission President
Name the main functions of the EC.
- Defining the EU’s general political direction and priorities – but does not pass laws!!!
- deals with complex or sensitive issues that cannot be resolved at lower levels of intergovernmental cooperation
- sets the EU’s common foreign & security policy
Explain the structure of the Council of the EU.
Representative of each EU member state at ministerial level, grouped by policy area
Name the main functions of the EU Council.
Negotiating and adopting EU legislation (in most cases with the European Parliament)
- adopt the EU budget with the European Parliament
-develop the EU’s foreign and security policy
Describe the process of taking decisions by the EU Council.
- Every legislative proposal is first examined at the technical level by experts in working parties
- Every Council meeting is prepared by Coreper – the Committee of the Member States’ Permanent Representatives
→Who: permanent representatives (ambassadors) to the EU and their deputies
- At the top level, the Council adopts EU legislation
→Who: national ministers
The European Council takes its decisions mostly by consensus.
The Council takes decisions by:
1) QUALIFIED MAJORITY – 55% of member states
2) UNANIMITY – All member states must be in favour
3) SIMPLE MAJORITY – 14 member states must vote in favour
Explain the structure and functions of the European Commission.
27 Commissioners (one from each EU country) – led by the Commission President, who decides who is responsible for which policy area.
The European Commission is the executive branch of the European Union.
- proposing legislation
- implementing decisions
- upholding the EU treaties
- draws up annual budgets for approval by the Parliament and Council
Name the institutions handling monetary matters.
The institutions of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) are largely responsible for establishing European monetary policy, rules governing the issuing of the euro and price stability within the EU.
These institutions are: the European Central Bank (ECB), the Economic and Financial Committee, the Eurogroup and the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin).
Comment on the most important policy areas of the European Union. The Single market.
The EU aims to enable EU citizens to study, live, shop, work and retire in any EU country and enjoy products from all over Europe. To do this, it ensures free movement of goods, services, capital and persons in a single EU internal market.
The EU Relations with the World. Global Challenges. The role of the European Union as an international player. The EU partnership
The EEAS is the European Union’s diplomatic service. It carries out the Union’s Common
Foreign and Security Policy to promote peace, development, security, and the interests
of European citizens around the world. It is led by the High Representative for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy.
The EU addresses global challenges through international partnerships.
The EU’s partnership with Africa is a key priority for the Commission. At the 6th EU-AU Summit in Brussels in February 2022, the partners adopted a “Joint Vision for 2030”.
Global Gateway is the new European strategy to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport sectors and to strengthen health, education and research systems across the world.
Our cooperation with African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries is longstanding and has deepened over time, as demonstrate the successive ACP-EU partnership agreements signed over the years since the first Lomé Convention (1975).
Brexit. The future of the European Union. Outline the prospects of the EU enlargement.
It is a combination of ‘Britain’ and ‘exit’.
Brexit was the withdrawal of the UK from the EU. Following a referendum on 23 June 2016, Brexit officially took place on 31 January 2020. The UK is the only sovereign country to have left the EU.
On March 9, 2024, the Armenian Foreign Minister said on a Turkish TV channel that the idea of membership in the European Union is being actively discussed in Armenia
There are nine countries that are recognised as candidates for membership: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Norway, Switzerland and Iceland have submitted membership applications in the past, but subsequently frozen or withdrawn them.
Additionally Kosovo is officially recognised as a potential candidate
