The European Union Flashcards
A form of EU law similar to laws passed by national parliaments - these laws must be immediately applied in their entirety across all EU member states
Regulations
The argument that as few EU decision makers are elected, there is insufficient accountability to citizen and national parliaments
Democratic deficit
Action taken by the Supreme Court is it finds a UK law to conflict with EU law
Disapply the law
The idea that EU law replaces any conflicting national laws
Doctrine of Supremacy
A form of EU law that sets out particular aims but gives EU member states the flexibility to pass their own laws that will achieve these goals
Directives
1972 Act of Parliament led the UK to join the European Economic Community and made all UK law subject to directly applicable European law
European Communities Act
A form of EU development in which member states agree to expand EU membership and admit new states
Widened integration
Where nations delegate some decision making power to a higher body agreeing abide by its decision and thus losing some national sovereignty
Supranationalism
This treaty, signed in Maastricht in 1992. established the EU and committed members to greater political union and common European currency
Treaty on European Union
A legislative procedure where the Council in not legally obliged to take into account the European Parliament’s opinion - used less often since 1986
Consultations
Intergovernmental body consisting of the heads of state/government from all EU member states - discusses the EU’s overall direction and priorities
European Council
A controversial part of the Maastricht Treaty which the UK was exempts from until 1997 which expanded QMV into new social policy areas
Social Chapter
Allows EU citizens to call on the Commission to propose legislation by collecting a million signatures from at least a quester of members states
European citizen’s initiative
Formed in 1952 by France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg - cut tariffs and quotas to create a common market for coal and steel
European Coal and Steel Community
Directly elected, supranational European body, consisting of 751 MEPs serving 5 year terms - has legislative, budgetary and scrutiny powers
European Parliament
Established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome - lifted tariffs and quotas with the goal of creating a common European market - the UK would later join in 1973
European Economic Community
Qualifies majority rule introduced in the Council in 2014 - a majority required 55% of member states, representing at least 65% of the EU population
Double majority rule
Where the threshold for a majority vote is set higher than 50% and votes may be unequally weighted
Qualified majority vote
Policy areas where both the EU and member states can pass laws, however, member states can only act if the EU has not or has ceased to do so
Shared competences
Taxes places on imported goods that can help make domestic goods more competitive on price
Tariffs
Policy areas such as defence and taxation that national legislatures retain the exclusive right to legislate on
Retained competences
Treaty first singed in 1985 by 5 members of the EEC agreeing to gradually abolish border checks at their common borders
Schengen agreement
1986 Act that extended qualifies majority voting into additional policy areas, further limiting national veto power
Single European Act
A form of EU integration in which member states to agree to greater political and economic union
Deepened integration
Principle that political action should be taken at the lowest possible level
Subsidiarity
Part of the EU’s bicameral legislature - meets in 10 different configurations for different policy areas attended by relevant national ministers
Council of the European Union
The principle that EU law does not need the approval of Parliament
Doctrine of direct affect
Policy areas in which only the EU can adopt legal acts
Exclusive competences
Policy areas where the EU can pass laws, but only if they do not require member states to change any national laws
Supporting competences
The supranational executive of the EU acting as it’s civil service drafting and overseeing the implementation of EU law
European Commission
Term used when states voluntarily decide to share decision making power over a number of policy areas in a system of international cooperation
Pooled sovereignty
A non legislative procedure where the European Parliament holds a simple majority vote - used to approve new member states and international agreements
Consent
Where states are free to choose whether or not to cooperate on matters of common interest meaning there is no loss of national sovereignty
Intergovernmentalism
Where the constitution shares power between central/national and regional tiers of government - which are both sovereign in their particular sphere
Federalism
The power of EU member states to block decision made by the Council of the EU - used when proposals require unanimous support
National veto
A legislative procedure introduced by the 1992 Maastricht Treaty - requires the Council of the EU and European Parliament to approve new legislation
Co-decision
Where decision making powers are divided across supranational, national and sub national institutions
Multi-level governance
Restrictions on how much of a good can be imported and sold for other countries in order to help domestic producers of the same good
Quotas
2007 treaty that extended QMV, merged the three separate pillars into a single European Union, transferred powers related to justice and hone affairs
Lisbon Treaty
The highest court in the EU consists of one judge from each member state, in terriers EU law and ensures it is equally applied across the EU
European Court of Justice
A legislative procedure, repealed by the 2009 Lisbon Treaty which allowed the Council of the EU to overrule the EU Parliament with a unanimous vote
Co-operation
