Unit 3. The European integration process Pt 3 Flashcards
Objectives of the Maastricht Treaty
Broaden the scope of European integration.
Reform existing institutions
Reform decision-making procedures.
Reach economic and monetary union.
The birth of the European Union
Entirely new entity with a mix of supranational integration and intergovernmental cooperation.
Three pillars of the EU
- European Communities (economic and Monetary Union)
- Direct response to the external challenges of the post- Cold War period.
- Cooperation on issues such as immigration, asylum, criminal matters.
Pillar 1: The European Communities
The European Communities
- Focus on economic integration
Political respnsabilities:
*the internal market (competition and external trade).
*Enviromental, cohesion, consumer protection, social and agricultural policies.
*Economic and monetary union.
Decision-making style: Primarily supranational.
Pillar 2: Common Foreign and Security Policy.
Common Foreign and Security Policy.
Political responsibilities:
*Common political positions on foreign policy.
*Joint action to stregthen EU security.
*Preserving peace
*Promoting internacional cooperation.
Decision-making style
*Primarily intergovernmental.
*Unanimous.
Pillar 3: Cooperation in the Sphere of Justice and Home Affairs
Cooperation in the Sphere of Justice and Home Affairs
Political responsibilities:
*Cross-border crime
*Criminal law
*Police cooperation
Decision-making style
*Primarily intergovernmental
*Unanimous
The character of the EU
Mixture of supranationalism and integovernmentalism - less union thant expected
Plans for Economic and Monety Union.
Opt-out options create fragmentation: à la carte EU -> 1995 -> new states do not get the same privileges.
Plans for Economic and Monetary Union (groups)
- Participant countries.
- Countries that didn’t meet convergence criteria.
- Countries that didn’t want to participate.
Legitimacy
Point of discussion in the 90’s -> democratic deficit -> belief that the EU lacks sufficient democratic control.
Permissive concensus
1960’s: judicial rulings define more clearly European legal order (supremacy and direct effect)
1970’s: Community starts to act in more policy areas
Transition of power from national to European level not sufficiently accompanied by democratic control
Weakening of national parliaments without strong European parliament
Originally the EU
provide functional expertise, more important than democratic participation
Parliament merely consultative powers.
Two solutions to the legitimacy of the EU
- Supranational/federal solution: democratize European legislation through increased parliamentary representation at EU level -> introduction of direct elections of the European Parliament.
- Intergovermental solution: limiting transfer of powers to the EU -> more power for the Parliament in the budgetary and legislative process (bicameral system)
Difficulties for democratization
- The Parliament has limited control over implementation and the Commision (election of president)
- The European Union has no “demos” (people with shared identity and values) - no social unity, public sphere, media.
Actions to strengthen democracy
Establishment of co.decision (now: ordinary legislative procedure) between Parliament and Council.
Treaties reinforcing the link between Parliament and the Commision.
Principle of subsidiarity.
Creation of the Committee of the Regions.
Introduction of European citizenship.
The EU: an ongoing process
*Maastricht Treaty was not seen as final product.
*The creation of the EU marked a new phase in the process of creating an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe.
*Last treaty: Treaty of Lisbon (ratified 2007, started 2009)
