EU Ch. 1
In which decade did European integration begin?
1950s European integration was initiated in the 1950s, following the end of the Second World War.
By 2012, how many member states were there in the EU?
27 By 2012 the EU had increased in size to 27 member states, with Croatia due to join in 2013.
What is not a source of funds for the EU Budget?
Direct taxes on EU citizens The EU does not collect taxes directly from its citizens. Funds are received through customs duties and sugar levies at EU borders, VAT-based contributions and national contributions of 1% of gross national product (GNP).
Under the ordinary legislative procedure (OLP) which two institutions 'co-decide' EU laws?
EU Council and European Parliament Feedback: Under the OLP it is the EU Council and the European Parliament that 'co-decide' EU laws (the OLP was originally called the co-decision procedure). It is the European Commission (as the executive) that proposes new laws.
In response to the democratic deficit, what has the EU not done?
Increased the relative power of the Commission The EU has increased its efforts to engage with its citizens in order to overcome the democratic deficit. These efforts have included: increasing the power of the European Parliament (the only democratically elected body of the EU), engaging with civil society and interest groups, and implementing the principle of subsidiarity.
What institution is not part of the 'institutional triangle'?
Member states The institutional triangle comprises the European Commission, the European Parliament and the EU Council. Whilst these institutions play a key role in the formation of EU policy (although to varying degrees depending on the particular policy area), many other European and national bodies are also key actors in European decision-making.
What was not an objective of early European integration efforts?
Social rights Countries of (Western) Europe began the process of European integration in a bid to ensure future peace in the region and to promote economic reconstruction. European integration satisfied both of these criteria as it allowed for the redevelopment of the German economy (the economic powerhouse of Europe) whilst maintaining stability in the region.
What is the EU's budget like?
The EU Budget is relatively small. For example, the budget for 2011 was €140 billion; compared to the annual budget for the UK's National Health Service which is approximately €130 billion.
What are the Copenhagen criteria?
They are the economic and political criteria with which to judge whether a candidate country is ready to join the EU. Adopted at the Copenhagen European Council in 1993, these are a set of economic and political criteria that candidate countries must meet in order to be allowed membership of the EU. In order to meet the Copenhagen criteria, candidate countries must be liberal democracies with working market economies and must also be in a position to adopt the EU's acquis communautaire.
Which Treaty established EU citizenship?
Treaty of Maastricht (1992) European citizenship was officially established by the 1992 Treaty of Maastricht, although its roots can be traced back to the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Since Maastricht, citizenship rights have been increased by the Treaty of Amsterdam and the Lisbon Treaty. The latter included the Charter of Fundamental Rights which brings together a set of civil, political, economic and social rights.
