The European Union Flashcards
What were the aims for the European project?
-economic recovery and prosperity across Europe
-embedding democratic and human rights in Europe
-reconciliation and peace between warring states
What key events were there in the structural history of the EU?
-began as the European Coal and Steel community (1952)
-European Economic Community (1958)
-European Community (1967)
-The European Union (1993)
Treaty of Paris (1951)
-established the European Coal and Steel Community (1952)
-membership was only 6 countries- France, West Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy and Luxembourg
Treaty of Rome (1957)
-established the European Economic Community
-creates a wider common market, expanding the scope of the institution to agriculture and common tariff policy
1973- Englargement Round 1
-Denmark, Ireland and the UK join
The Single European Act (1985)
-the European Market created
-Qualified majority voting
-adopted for votes on legislation
-regarding the single market
The Schengen Agreement (1985)
-removed border controls for EU citizens travelling between members states
-The UK and Ireland opt out
Maastricht Treaty (1992)
-creates the EU
-increases co-operation between members states states in foreign and security policy
Enlargement round 2- 1995
-Austria, Finland and Sweden join
Amsterdam Treaty (1997)
-extends the role of the EU into immigration and security
-amends parts of the Treaty of Rome (updates integration clause)
Eurozone created (1999)
-11 countries abolish their national currencies and adopt the Euro
-meant that monetary policy for those states was in the hands of the European Central Bank, not national governments
-since 1999, 8 more countries have adopted the Euro
Nice Treaty (2001)
-created a European security and defence policy
Enlargement round 3- 2004
-single largest influx of new members
-mainly Eastern European countries that had gained independence after the Cold War
The Lisbon Treaty (2007)
-qualified majority voting extended to 45 policy areas
-creates the president of the European council
What was the outcome of the 2014 Brexit referendum?
-52% leave
-48% remain
What is Qualified Majority Voting?
-requires 55% of members states who represent at least 65% of EU population in order to pass a piece of legislation
-weakens the powers of individual nations
What are the four freedoms promoted by the EU?
-freedom of the movement of people
-freedom of the movement of services
-freedom of the movement of capital
-freedom of the movement of goods
What proportion of goods produced in the EU are exported to other EU countries?
-2/3s (2 thirds)
What are the wider aims of the EU?
-peace and stability
-promotion of economic growth for member states
-promotion of individual rights and freedoms
-integration into an ever closer union
Has the EU achieved its aim to create peace and stability?
-mainly yes…
-the collapse of the USSR in 1998 had the potential to lead to violence
-however the EU allowed for the region to be reintegrated
Argument that the EU does promote economic growth to member states?
-some economically impoverished states like Ireland and Eastern European countries have enjoyed economic growth
-the Single Market has had a GDP increase by 15%
Argument that the EU does not promote economic growth to member states?
-economic member counties remain disparate
-the GDP of Germany is 5 times that of Bulgaria
-Greece and Italy were several impact by the 2008-9 financial crisis (required economic aid from the EU)
Argument that the EU haas protected individual rights and freedoms?
-freedom of the movement of people has allowed people to access higher paid jobs
-EU citizens largely enjoy easy travel across the EU
Argument that the EU has not protected individual rights and freedoms?
-influx of immigration into the EU (1.8 million in 2015 as a result of the conflict in Syria)
-Germany took in 1 million migrants
-Hungary was more reluctant and closed its borders with Croatia
Argument that the EU has achieved an ‘ever-closer union’?
-integration achieved through an extension of competences through treaties and the eurozone
-the extension of QMV has allowed for more decisions to be made
What economic integration has there been in the EU?
-the single customs union
-the EU wide standards in environmental production food safety
How have structural changes increased integration?
-the adoption of a flag and anthem
-creation of the European Council President
-the concept of EU citizenship
Examples of the growth of populism in Europe undermining unity
-Northern League in Italy
-National Rally in France
Why can the EUs response to the pandemic be viewed as negative?
-lack of a co-ordinated EU response led to a temporary re-imposition of border controls
-France, Germany and other EU countries rejected EU officials attempts to lift controls on the exports of protective medical equipment
Why can the EU’s response to the pandemic be viewed as positive?
Unprecedented intervention by the European Central Bank
-April 2020 EU finance minsters agreed a 500 billion euro rescue package for EU countries hit hard by covid
Argument that the EU has achieved its aims:
-the single market has promoted colonic growth and boosted trade (500 million members)
-EU has co-ordinated large scale support during covid and the 2008-9 financial crisis
-co-ordinated in eras such as political (European Arrests Warrant)
-democracy cemented in countries emerging from authoritarian rule
-Europe is more united (EU competences and the eurozone)
Argument that the EU has not achieved its aims
-the single market is over regulated and there are disparities in wealth of countries
-criticism of EUs response to crisis
-European security enhanced in agreements outside of the EU (Interpol)
-EU’s own institutions lack full democratic accountability
-EU reflects differentiated integration (Denmark isn’t part of the Eurozone)
-National governments still take the lead on foreign affairs
-Arguable that NATO is more important in Europes security
-Hungary and Poland accused of being undemocratic (restricting press freedoms and politicising their courts)
What are the 5 key institutions of the EU:
-The European Commission
-The Council of the European Union
-The European Parliament
-The Court of Justice of the European Union
Where is the location of the European Commission?
Brussels
What is the membership size and method of appointment of the European Commission?
-27 commissioners (one from each EU state)
-Commission president (Ursula Von Der Leyen)
-The president is nominated by the European council and approved by the European Parliament
-Commissioners are voted on by international governments, then voted on by the European Parliament
What is the function of the European Commission?
-civil service and administrative branch of the EU
-devises policy via its directives
-proposes new laws (the only EU body that can do this)
-allocates EU funding
-enforces EU law and ensures that member states comply
-Represents the EU nationally (negotiating agreements)
Examples of the work of the European Commission
-2020 Commissioned announced a 9% reduction in funding for common agriculture policies
-1982 the commission issues the sever so directive delaying with the storage of dangerous substances (affected 12,000 industrial establishments in the EU)
Where is the Council of the European Union located?
Brussels
What is the membership size and method of appointment for the council of the European Union?
-made up of government ministers from each EU country according to the policy area being discussed
-membership is decided by national govs
What is the function of the Council of the European Union?
-main decision-making body
-it has sectional council (agriculture and fisheries)
-shares legislative power with the European Parliament
-negotiates and approves laws from the European Commission
-makes most decisions via QMV (for foreign policy and taxation unanimity is required)
Examples of the work of the Council of the European Union
-negotiated trade deal with non-EU states such as Japan in 2019 which effectively removed 98% of trade tariff between the 2 states
Where is the European Council located?
-Brussels (except in April, June and October when its in Luxembourg)
What is the membership and method of appointment of the European Council?
-quarterly summit meetings of leaders of member states
-chooses a president for a 5 year term (currently Antonio Costa)
-meeting are also attended by the president of the commission BUT they do not have a vote
What is the function of the European Council?
-agenda setting (defining EUs direction and priorities)
-can’t legislate
-strategic body of the EU
Examples of the work of the European Council
-oversaw the 2019 Brexit deal negotiation with the UK and laid out the EU’s terms
-formulated the EU response to the conflict in Ukraine
Where it the location of the European Parliament?
-Strasbourg (some meetings held in Luxembourg)
What is the membership size and method of appointment of the European Parliament?
-contains 705 MEPs elected from their member states
-number of MEPs determined by the size (Germany has 96 MEPs and Malta has 6)
-sit in pan- national groupings (The Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats)
What is the function of the European Parliament?
-approves the EU annual budget
-amends and vetoes EU legislation proposed by the council of the European Union
-confirms appointments of commissioners
-oversees the work of EU institutions
Examples of the work of the European Parliament
-vetoed the commissioner nomination for Romania, Rovana Plumb (2019), over irregularities in a wealth declaration form
-2019, approved a new copyright law which required social media outlets to take more responsibility for copyrighted material being shared illegally
Where is the court of justice of the EU located?
Luxembourg
What is the membership size and method of appointment of the EU court of justice of the EU?
Split into two courts:
-court of justice: deals with requests for preliminary rulings from national courts
-general courts: rules on action as for annulments by individual companies and EU governments
-each judge appointed for a renewable 6 year term by national govs
-judges pick a president for a 3 year renewable term
What is the function of the court of justice in the EU?
-to uphold EU laws
-many cases are brought to the court by the commission
-the ultimate source of legal authority
-it can’t be overruled by another EU body or a national government
Examples of the Court of Justice of the EU
2020, The General Court overturned the commission’s decision to block the merger of 2 UK telecom companies (O2 and Three)
Example of UK parliamentary sovereignty being affected by the EU
-campaign to repeal the ‘tampon tax’ floundered due to the EU laws on varying tax rates
Example of how membership to the EU impacted the UK judiciary
Judges had to give precedent to EU laws over UK laws
-Factortame (1990) ruled unanimously that the Merchant Shipping Act 1998 was already illegal under EU law
Example of the EU dividing UK political parties
-1970’s Labour divided over the EU
-2019 21 Tory rebels has the whip removed for voting to stop a no-deal Brexit
Example of the EU unifying political parties
-LibDems 2019 election campaign was based around their promise to revoke article 50
