week 5 eu

Question 1

! what are three policy types?

Answer 1

• distributive: giving attention to one group or problem
• regulatory: negative/positive, creating rules, standards
• redistributive: transfer of wealth across groups

Question 2

! What are the three principles of policy-making in EU?

Answer 2

1. principle of conferral: Union only has competences conferred upon by the treaties
2. principle of proportionality: competences may not exceed what is strictly necessary to achieve the objectives of treaties
3. principle of subsidiarity: EU can only intervene (with shared competences) if it is capable of acting more effectively than MS

Question 3

! What can the EU do (competences)?

Answer 3

• exclusive competences (monetary policy, eurozone, customs union)
• shared competences (internal market, social policy, environment)
• supportive (research and development, protection of health, tourism, culture)

Question 4

! What are three types of EU decisions? (John Peterson)

Answer 4

1. history making; determining EU future (high politics, European Council)
2. policy-setting: picking options (high (EP) and low politics (EP, Council, Commission, interest groups))
3. policy -shaping; choices between policy instruments (low politics)

Question 5

! describe the policy cycle of the EU

Answer 5

1. agenda setting
2. decision making
3. implementation
4. evaluation and feedback

Question 6

! describe agenda setting in the EU

Answer 6

three agenda’s (public / media / political)
- informal discussion
-multiannual action plans
-commission annual work programme
-expert groups
-green papers
- white papers
- proposals

States can influence discussion in European Council and influence people
People have right to initiative, vote in elections and participate in society

Question 7

! describe decision-making in EU

Answer 7

directives (binding, objectives not means) / regulations (binding, objectives and means) / decisions (binding specific cases) / recommendations and opinions (non-binding)
Ordinary Legislative Procedure
- both Council (QMV) and Parliament (right to make amendments) need to agree
- three readings
* first reading (Parliament & Commission (right to initiative)
* second reading (Parliament & Council)
*conciliation (committee)
* third reading (Parliament & Council)

Question 8

How does Special Legislative Procedure work?

Answer 8

• commission shares initiative with MS
• parliament has no powers
• Council votes on unanimity
• EP only advisory

Question 9

! what is the open method of coordination?

Answer 9

mechanism which aims for convergence of socio-economic member state policies by setting objectives and indicators and monitoring performance of MS.

Question 10

what are five main bargaining tactics?

Answer 10

• coalition forming; teaming up with like-minded allies
• persuasion; reframing proposals
• challenging other ms; bluffing
• issue linkage and side payments
• splitting the difference; finding middle ground

Question 11

What are the two types of veto according to George Tsebelis?

Answer 11

1. institutional veto players: institutions that need to approve proposal (Commission/EP/Council)
2. partisan veto players: actors within institution that are needed to adopt proposal (Commissioners and minority of council)

Question 12

Why is decision-making in EU seen as technocratic?

Answer 12

policy-making is based on technical expertise rather than politics. most decisions in EU taken by expert committees behind the scenes that want to reach consensus instead of politicians that try to overpower each other

Question 13

What is meant with the lowest common denominator?

Answer 13

It is so hard to make decisions in EU, thus MS governments agree on lowest common denominator, a proposal that is so unambitious that it is acceptable to everyone

Question 14

What is the joint decision trap, created by Fritz Scharpf?

Answer 14

it describes a situation in which non-central governments can block inefficient policies from being changed when these policies benefit them. MS try to veto (for example) which could lead to joint decision trap where it is impossible to get out without working together.

Question 15

! describe the implementation in EU

Answer 15

member state level:
- formal implementation (transposing (directives))
- practical implementation (agencies, monitoring, compliance)
at EU level:
- direct responsibility (EU AIDS)
- comitology (ms and EU together)
- monitoring member states (guardian of treaties)
- EU agencies (implementing by proxy)

Question 16

! What is competition policy?

Answer 16

• pillar of common market (lower prices & better quality)

Question 17

! What happened between Apple and EU (news)

Answer 17

• Apple was ordered to pay 13bn euros to Ireland after European Commission ruled that a tax deal between Apple and Irish tax authorities were illegal state aid.
• Apple also has to give in to the fact that it has to change the charging cable, since EP has approved a common charging cable (USB-c)

Question 18

! What is the Qualification Directive?

Answer 18

• UNCHR studies the implementation, which was formally ok but practically had different interpretations

Question 19

! What is the Seveso II Directive?

Answer 19

• First Seveso directive implemented after chemical accident in Italy, but more accidents happened dus Seveso II implemented.
• It is to prevent chemical accidents with citizens especially

Question 20

! what are procedures of implementation

Answer 20

1. early settlement
2. letter of notice
3. reasoned opinion
4. referral to court of justice
5. judgement of courts
6. return to court with fine

Question 21

! describe evaluation in EU

Answer 21

• assessing outcome (direct, indirect / intended, unintendid / short vs. long term / expensive vs. cheap /etc..
• assessing process (legal vs. illegal / open vs. closed / inclusive vs. exclusive / efficient vs. unefficient
• feedback: proposing changes / policy termination

Question 22

! How do EU agencies play a role in implementation process?

Answer 22

• social dialogue
• observation centers; gather information on specific topics
• suppliers: specific services
• regulatory agencies: closely involved in legal and practical implementation (but lack decision-making authority because of meroni doctrine which holds that agencies should never be involved in political decisions-making because of different interests and exercise of discretionary power)