The European Union (EU) Flashcards
Hague Congress/Congress of Europe
- Held in May 1948 in the Hague discussing ideas of European political cooperation
- Led to the creation of the Council of Europe
European Movement
Lobbying organization for European integration formally created in 1948 (but the ideas were around for a while)
Council of Europe
- Oldest intergovernmental organization in Europe (1949 until today)
- 46 member states, seperate from European Union
- Most important body is the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) upholding the European Convention of Human Rights
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
- Body of the Council of Europe
- Made up of parliamentarians from member states (delegates, not voted by population)
- Advises on policies, cannot make laws
European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)
- Body of the Council of Europe
- Upholds the European Convention of Human Rights
- Judges are appointed by Council Parliament (one per country)
European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR)
- Established 13 articles outlining fundamental rights for citizens of all member states of the EU (more articles with limitations/exceptions/logistics etc.)
- Drafted in 1950 by the Council of Europe and also established the court upholding it
Articles 2-5 - European Convention of Human Rights
Article 2: Right to life
Article 3: Prohibition of torture
Article 4: Prohibition of slavery/servitude
Article 5: Right to liberty and security
Articles 6-10 - European Convention of Human Rights
Article 6: Right to a fair trial
Article 7: Prohibits retroactive criminalization
Article 8: Right to privacy
Article 9: Right to freedom of thought and religion
Article 10: Right to freedom of expression
Articles 11-14 - European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR)
Article 11: Freedom of assembly and association
Article 12: Right to (heterosexual) marriage
Article 13: Right to an effective remedy of infringement of rights
Article 14: Prohibition of discrimination
The European Union (EU)
- Political and economic union of 27 European countries
- Officially established in 1993 with the Maastricht treaty
- It has seven main institutions
The 7 institutions of the European Union
- European Parliament
- European Council
- Council of the European Union
- European Commission
- Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)
- European Central Bank
- European Court of Auditors
European Parliament
- One of the two legislative bodies of the EU together with the Council of the EU
- Composed of 720 members since election in 2024 (every 5 years) voted on directly by citizens
European Council
- Composed of EU heads of state (presidents, prime ministers)
- Do not pass laws but decide more on general direction of the EU
- Meet four times a year
Council of the European Union
- Shares legislative power with parliament
- Made up of ministers from the member states government (decided on by head of state), therefore also calles the Council of Ministers
European Commission
- Executive body of the EU
- Proposes laws to the Council/Parliament and is tasked with implementing them afterwards
- If member state fails to comply, commission can take it to the Court of Justice of the EU
Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)
- The European Unions highest court, made up of two seperate courts:
1. The Court of Justice (ECJ)
2. The General Court - Responsible for upholding EU laws
