The European Union Flashcards
Integration
The process of coordinating the activities of different states through common institutions and policies.
Supranational
Having authority independent of national governments.
Enlargement
The expansion of the EU to include new member states
Economic and monetary union (EMU)
The creation of a single currency, central bank and common monetary policy.
Qualified majority voting (QMV)
A voting arrangement in which proposals must win a set number of votes (over 50%) to be approved.
Unanimity
A voting arrangement in which all states must be in agreement for a proposal to be passed.
Eurosceptic
Someone who is critical of the extension of supranational authority in the EU and hostile to further integration.
Four freedoms
The principles of the free movement of goods, services, people and capital within the EU’s single market.
Opt-out
An exemption set out in a treaty or law which means that a state does not have to take part in a specific EU policy.
Differentiated integration
A form of integration in which states move at different speeds or towards different objectives.
Democratic deficit
The erosion of democratic accountability that occurs when decision making authority is transferred from national governments to EU institutions.
Competence
The legal capacity to act in a particular area.
Legal sovereignty
Supreme legal authority-the theoretical exercise of sovereignty
Multilevel governance
A system of decision making in which subnational, national and supranational institutions all have policy competences.
Political sovereignty
The political ability to exercise sovereignty-sovereignty in practice.
