Understanding the European Economy

How many languages are in the EU? Which of them are the official ones?

-24 official languages (Croatia now makes it 24) -About 150 regional and minority languages

The Maastricht treaty (1992)

-3 pillars: 1) Steel and coal, atomic energy, Economic 2) Common Foreign and Security policy 3) Home affairs and justice -Increased Citizenship right: mobility to live in any member state and to stand and vote inlace or European elections -Creation of Europe (Police intelligence agency) -New EU competences: consumer protection, public health, transport, education, NOT cannabis consumption

The EU acts in crisis regions

-A military force to the Congo was composed by 3500 under German command -A number of member states, led by France and Italy, contributed 7500 troops to strengthen the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)

Cheaper phone calls when traveling...

-Already in 2005, the Commission tried to "name and shame" mobile operators into lowering prices by publishing their roaming rates on the internet -Because roaming calls involve operators in twenty countries, it is difficult for EU members to regulate prices at national level. This is why EU stepped in -Prices for calling from one EU country to another were on average FOUR (NOT 40%) -It will cut prices across the board, bringing down the highest rates by up to 70% (NOT 700%)

Which of these is not a European Institution?

-European Criminal Court (only a European Court of Justice)

First successful space test for Galileo

-Galileo is the EU's very own satellite navigation system -It will consist of a constellation of 30 satellites -The Galileo system is destined exclusively for military (NOT CIVIL) purposes

Could you guess about Silvio Berlusconi...

-He has been Italy's prime minister 4 times -He owns 90% of private television in Italy -Leader of a political party: Forza Italia -NOT: Owner of one of Italy's soccer teams: Napoli (He won Milan)

The European Commission

-Is the Executive Branch of the EU -Is the first stage of the EU laws and policies -It is truly supranational institution -NOT: Has its headquarters in Rome

Slovenia adopts the Euro

-It became the 13th EU country to use the Euro -It was the first of the 2004 intake of members to do so -Denmark, Norway, and the UK have chosen not to join at present -Other non-euro countries have set dates for entry

The Council of Ministers

-It has a president who changes every 6 months -It is not well known, because there is not a big media coverage and few academic studies about it -It is helped by the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CoRePer) -NOT: It has a big role in taking final decisions, historically by double majority, but now more and more by consensus (True if switch double majority and consensus)

The European Court of Justice

-It is divided into chambers of 3-6 judges -In the case of conflict with national law, EU law prevails (more true than false) -NOT members are elected by the citizens -NOT It has less work now than when it was created

The European Parliament

-It is not as powerful as the European Commission or the Council of Ministers, but it has a growing role in the EU -It has one single chamber and currently 751 MEPs, elected by the citizens for a 5 yr term, by proportional representation, ie each state gets seats according to the population -NOT: It is based in 3 different citites: Luxemburg (admin), Brussels (plenary sessions), Strasbourg (committees)- True if switch plenary sessions and committees -NOT: it is divided into chambers of 3-6 judges (that´s the EU Court of Justice)

The Single European Act...

-It transferred competence to Brussels on the new policy areas: Environment, R&D, Regional policy... -It gave new powers to ECJ, EP, and Council of Ministers -It started removing Non-Tariff Barriers: physical, Fiscal (NOT mental), and technical -DID NOT create the European Central Bank (linked to Euro which was created in 1992 with Maastricht treaty)

Maastricht: Convergence criteria

-Limit on public debt less than 60% -Limit on national budget deficit less tan 35 (not 300%) GDP -Limit on inflation rate within 15% (not 150%) to the lowest rate -Limit to long term interest rates within 2% (not 200%)

The European economic community and later the European Union is Mainly a....

Economic community

2nd Enlargement

Greece in 1981

No more misleading claims on food...

-Claims about health on food packages must be based on scientific facts -"low fat" and "low fat" have been harmonized -This forms part of the EU's attempt to tackle obesity in the EU (not China) -About 400,000 (NOT 400) children become obese every year

More service jobs through fair and open competition

-Major deal to make it easier for companies based in one EU country to establish themselves in another country or to offer services to clients in another country -An integrated European market for services could create 600,000 additional jobs in the services sector all over Europe -Clients will enjoy a wider choice of services and gain additional rights as consumers -The services sector includes activities such as (NOT FARMING), catering, advertising, real estate, management consulting, architecture, car rental, travel agencies, construction services and many more

About the EU Constitution

-So far there is no Constitution, but a series of Treaties -The EU Constitution was drafted in a Convention in 2002-2003 and approved by the governments, but several states voted against it in referendum -Was meant to be short and easy to understand (It was meant this way because the treaties were so long and complicated) -Was meant to be a contract among governments, and not among citizens (as in the US)

Parallels between European institutions and member state institutions

-The College of Commissioners is something similar to a cabinet of Ministers -There is nothing similar to the European Council -Similar to the national Court of Justice there is a European Court of Justice -NOT There is nothing similar to the European Parliament

-Reducing risks from chemicals

-The Eu agreed new rules to make the manufacture and use of chemicals safer for workers and consumers and less harmful for the environment while maintaining the competitiveness and innovative capabilities of the European industry -The regulatory system (REACH) will provide info on the possible hazardous properties of some 30,000 chemicals currently on the EU market and how to handle the associated risks -This is a radical step forward in chemicals management. It differs from previous legislation by requiring importers and producers to test, register their substances and take appropriate risk management measures and communicate them to the users -REACH also ensures that animal testing is kept to the strict minimum (NOT Maximum) and that alternative methods are encouraged

About the EU body of law

-There are 5 different kinds of rules below the treaty: Regulations, Directives, Decisions, Recommendations, and Opinions -It is applicable in all member states -NOT: It does not involve any surrender of powers by the member states -NOT: It does not involve new levels of legal authority

European Commission II

-There is one Commissioner per member state -NOT: The commisioners are elected directly by the citizens (Commisioners appointed not elected) -NOT: It negotiates with EU applicants -NOT: It is helped by CoRePer

In the 70s there was still little progress towards the Common Market. Why?

-They had independent strategies to curb unemployment and wanted to keep them this way -National monopolies were not interested in EU competitive options -European states did (NOT Did not) want to protect their national markets

Tackling illegal immigration. According to the EU commission...

-This is "solidarity in action" among EU countries -The operations were not about building "Fortress Europe" -They were of a humanitarian character, aimed at saving lives at sea -The EU works with countries of origin and transit in Africa to deal with these matters in a mutually beneficial way

Sugar reforms will cut prices

-This is part of its programme to reform its common agricultural policy -This reform of the sugar sector is the latest in a series of CAP reforms that has brought down farm spending from a peak of 70% of the EU budget in the 1970s to the present level of just 37% -The EU support system had resulted in prices 3 times (NOT 30 TIMES) the world level while its subsidised exports of surplus production put downward pressure on world market prices

EU entry for Bulgaria and Romania

-This is part of the EU's enlargement towards the east, overcoming the Cold War divisions in Europe -After 15 (NOT 150) years of reforms, the new countries are in a position to take on the rights and obligations of EU membership -After the accession of Bulgaria and Romania this process continues with the countries of south-eastern Europe: (NOT TURKEY, only a candidate) Croatia, and the other countries of the western Balkans. (NOT NEPAL) -The 28 nation (NOT 37) EU is a population of nearly half a billion citizens and the world's largest economic area

When was Spain Unified?

-We are still waiting for it (1469 Legally spain existed)

How many regions are there in Spain?

17

How many countries are members of the European Union?

28

What is the approximate population of Spain?

47 million

What is the approximate combined population of all the EU countries?

500 million

Which of these are regions of Spain?

Andalusia, Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, Valencian Community, Canary Islands, Balearic Islands, Aragon, Asturias, Extremadura, Murcia, Madrid, La Rioja, Navarra, Castilla y Leon, Cantabria, Castilla la Mancha

Which of these countries are members of the EU (aka list them)

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

4th Enlargement

Austria, Finland, Sweden in 1995

7th Enlargement

Croatia in 2013

5th Enlargement

Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta, Cyprus in 2004

Which 3 countries became EEC members in its first enlargement in 1973?

Denmark, Ireland, Great Britain

When was the European Union Established?

It was established by the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community, which had been founded in 1957

What is the capital of the EU?

No capital, but most of the institutions are in Brussels, Strasbourg, & Luxembourg

6th Enlargement

Romania, Bulgaria in 2007

Which is the founding treaty of the European Economic Community?

Rome Treaty

3rd Enlargement

Spain, Portugal in 1986

Which is the treaty that led to the creation of the euro, and what is commonly referred to as the pillar structure of the European Union in 1992?

The Maastricht treaty

What is the Single European Act?

The first major revision of the Treaty of Rome that formally established the single European market and the European Political Cooperation in 1986