Week 6: The institutions of Justice and Home Affairs; the institutions of Common Foreign and Security Policy

Question 1

Policy areas covered within “AFSJ” that are EU key priority

Answer 1

• Migration
• Asylum
• Border control
• Policing
• judicial cooperation

Question 2

Transboundary

Answer 2

Transboundary policy issues are challenges that cross national borders, requiring cooperation between countries to address. These include environmental concerns, public health, trade, and security matters that affect multiple nations.

Question 3

Key function of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO)

Answer 3

• Conducts investigations, prosecutions and exercises prosecutorial functions in the courts of participating member states

Question 4

Transboundary environmental issues involve…

Answer 4

substantial participation from supranational institutions (e.g., the European Commission, EEA, ECB)

Question 5

Transboundary security issues rely heavily on…

Answer 5

national-level officials and intergovernmental executive bodies (minister of interior affairs and justice, Europol, Eurojust).

Question 6

Hybrid mode of governance

Answer 6

Mid-way between intergovernmentalism and supranationalism (retaining power at the national level, while ensuring effective cooperation, coordination, and implementation of policies at the EU level).

Question 7

The European External Action Service (EEAS)

Answer 7

In charge of managing the EU’s foreign policy relations

Question 8

The limited role of suprantional institutions: The commission, the EP and the CJUE.

Answer 8

• The Commission has lost the shared right to initiate actions in the **CFSP **; it can only act via the High Representative.
• The EP has a consultative role (The Ordinary Legislative Procedure does not apply in the CFSP): the High Representative must consult the EP, take its position into consideration, and keep it regularly informed.
• The CJEU has no jurisdiction in the CFSP.

Question 9

Dimension 1

CFSP Institutions and the five dimensions of Institutional politics

Answer 9

The CFSP is predominantly intergovernmental in both treaties and practice

Question 10

Dimension 2

CFSP Institutions and the five dimensions of Institutional politics

Answer 10

The CFSP deals with “high politics” (involving issues related to national security and diplomatic relations)

Question 11

Dimension 3

CFSP Institutions and the five dimensions of Institutional politics

Answer 11

• The issue of ‘who exercises power’ is central in the CFSP
• The establishment of the High Representative is a first sign of willingness to give some powers to Brussels-based institutions
• However, member states still control the decision-making (e.g., the High Representatives follow the lead of member states)