European Union
Stages in Regional Integration
1. 2 or more states create a free trade area by eliminating internal barriers. 2. Growth of internal free trade encourages agreement of a common export tariff. 3. Common markets in agriculture, industry and services motivates the removal of barriers to movement of capital and labor (creating a single market). 4. A single market motivates the creation of a single currency. 5. The demands of economic integration lead to demands for political integration.
Is the EU Consociational?
1. Executive coalition of incumbent governments of member-states, accompanied by mild adversarialism in the EU parliament, modified by "alternation" conventions between centerright and center-left 2. Proportionality: In Council of Ministers, modified in favor of smaller states, and in EP, and (implicitly) in administration 3. Autonomy: Member-state sovereignty; EU courts and appreciation of states' discretion; avoidance of cultural majoritarianism 4. Veto rights: Unanimity requirements, and consensual practices, over treaty making and legislation, and QMV provisions
The Lisbon Treaty
1. Meant Creation of the President of European Council and a High Representative of the Union for Foreign and Security Policy 2. Formal establishment of European Council as its own institution/forum. A new formula for qualified majority voting in the European Council New powers of the EP, now equal w Council of Ministers.
What are the three parts of the Council of Ministers/Council of the Eu
1. Ministers 2. Coreper (Committee of Permanent Represetantives) : Permanent Embassies or Ambassadors of EU institutions. The Coreper prepares ministerial meetings, based on work of committees and working groups. 3. Committees and Working Groups: examine Commission proposals for legislation and do drafting work.
Where do the parts of the EP Meet?
1. Strasbourg 12x a year 2. Brussels: regular meeting center. Committees in Brussels 3. General Secretariat meets in Luxembourg
How the EU Confederal?
1. member states still have control over negotiation and bargaining 2. member states are still distinct units w several identities. 3. this is a voluntary association. 4. only direct link between EU and European people is EP 5. there is no "European government" 6. most citizens are more loyal to their nations than the EU
What is an EP plenary and how often do they meet?
12x a year and the full body.
Growth in EP Power
1970s: Could propose modifications to "compulsory" spending; could insist on modifications to "non-compulsory" 1980s: Inter-Institutional Agreements increased role of EP; Executive oversight limited but powers increased (1990s): Power to dismiss Commission; Right to veto new Commission; Right to veto Commission President & College
How many members are in the EP?
754
What is a nation?
A (mass) political community •constituted by some shared belief and some mutual commitment; •extended in history; •regarded as a collective subject and decision-maker; •has a homeland territory; and •has a distinctive public culture, & that has •either achieved "national self-determination" •or seeks "national self-determination" through political mobilization; it need not seek its own independent state, though it will normally seek its own territorial unit of self-government
Common Commercial Policy
Achieved by 1957 Treaty of Rome, made sure EEC countries worked together to negotiate international trade agreements. ,
Common Agricultural Policy ( CAP)
Achieved in 1968, goal was to create a single market for agricultural products and to assure EEC farmers for guaranteed prices.
What is institutional mimesis?
Acts like a parliament because it's called a parliament
How do Corepers divide the agenda?
After they conclude they divide the ministerial agenda into three categories: I points, for information, no ministerial decision is needed; A points, decision can be made without debate (but the subject has to be removed from the agenda if any member-state delegation opposes the decision); B points, where deliberation is needed and perhaps a vote, and where the decision may not be known in advance.
European Court of Justice
Based Luxembourg, the Court interprets national and EU law, and bases its decisions on the treaty.
The Council of the European Union/Council of Ministers
Based in Brussels, major decision making body (works with EP), the Council makes votes that turn Comission proposals into European Law.
European Commission
Based in Brussels, this is the executive and administrative branch for the EU. Proposes laws and implements policies and laws
Floating Currency
Britain, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Poland, Sweden
Two Paths post WW2
British EFTA veresus French-led ECSC-EEC
Where do the EP committees meet?
Brussel
Where is the European Commission?
Brussels
The Treaty of Versailles
Clearly WW1 Treaty of Versailles didn't solve problems. Germany after WW2 agreed to partition, neutralization of Austria, debts, and territorial shrinkage.
Nice (2001)
Co-decision procedure further extended to most policy areas; remainder as consultation procedure
Lisbon (2009
Co-decision procedure has become standard [now called 'the ordinary legislative procedure' [Art 289 & 294 TFEU]; & EP now has (formal) veto power over "delegated acts"
Amsterdam (1997) EP
Co-decision procedure revised in favor of EP & extended
Committee on European Economic Cooperation
Collection of European States who asked the U.S. for money under the Marshall plan.
Single European Act
Comes into force 1987, makes the European Economic Community becomes more power. It was given responsibility over new policy, such as the environment, research and development, and regional policy. New powers were given to the European Court of Justice, because of the Court of First Instance's creation. Internal passport and customs controls were lifted, and businesses could sell services across the Community. Protectionism became illegal.
Treaty of Amsterdam
Confirmed goals of moving to singular currency, moving eastward and expanding.
Difference Between two Corepers
Coreper I, the Deputy Permanent Representatives, prepares: Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs; Competitiveness (internal market, industry, research and tourism); Transport, Telecommunications and Energy; Agriculture and Fisheries; Environment; Education, Youth and Culture. Coreper II, the Permanent Representatives, prepares: General Affairs and External Relations (including security and defense & development cooperation: the EU is the largest aid donor in the world); Economic and Financial Affairs (including the budget); Justice and Home Affairs (including civil protection).
European Coal and Steel Community
Created at the Treaty of Paris in 1951, this created the first modern version of the EU. This governing body helped pull down trade barriers, abolish subsidies, fix prices and raise incomes through imposing levies on steel production.
Donald Tusk
Current President of European council
States that have rejected Eurozone or EU or European integration
De Gaulle blocked the UK and Ireland in their first round of applications; Sarkozy and Merkl openly sought to block another major state, and they were not the first [note roles of [Greek] Cyprus & Greece] • Norway has said "Nei" twice; Switzerland started an engagement (applied in 1992, but citizens later that year said "Nein" and "Non" & "No" to the EEA, the successor to EFTA), and the Swiss Federal Executive suspended the country's application to the EU (it joined the UN in 2002, but has not (yet) joined the EU).
Countries with their own currency pegged to Euro
Denmark, Bulgaria,
Jean Monnet
Deputy S-G League of Nations, banker-financier, war-time coordinator, eminence grise of European projects, French planner, 1955 founded the Action Committee for the USE
Qualified Majority Voting- What and Where?
Designed by the Treaty of Rome to be the principal method of reaching decisions in the Council of Ministers, qualified majority voting (QMV) allocates votes to member states in part according to their population, but heavily weighted in favour of the smaller states. USED IN COUNCIL OF EU
European Parliament
Divided among Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Brussels, filled with directly elected five year terms by voters of member states. Parliament can discuss Commission proposals and has equal powers with the Council of Ministers of laws' adoption.
European Economic Community
EEC takes the ECSC's High authority and makes it a less-powerful Executive. The Council of Ministers is given less power. A Parliamentary Assembly was created, and a single Court of Justice was created with seven judges.
Maastricht (1992)
EP became a law making body through co-decision procedure; thereafter 25% of laws, by some measures, processed through co-decision
What's the largest party in the EP
EPP Second largest- socialists Third- ALDE
Herman van Rumpoy
European Council President, after Lisbon
European Union's Market Size
European market is bigger than the U.S.'s.
How often do EP elections happen?
Every 5 years
Treaty of Rome
FIRST ONE: Creates European Economic Community -- hoped for a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), achieved Commons Commercial Policy SECOND ONE: European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) What year: 1957
European Free Trade Association
Founded at Stockholm Convention in Austria. The agreement helped cut tariffs but in the long run was ineffective.
What did the Treaty of Lisbon do the Court of EUROPE?
Gives jurisdiction on freedom +justice, says it can't rule on security or foreign affairs unless related to a council case
Integration
Integration involves surrender of power and p ooling of sovereignty.
What happened in 1979 to the EP
It becomes democratically elected after EP wants democratic elections and threatens to go to Court.
What is the civil service tribunal?
It's the Court that deals w legal issues if EU employees, 7 judges appointed by the Council of Ministers.
What do the ministers of the Council of Ministers do?
LOCATED IN BRUSSELS: "Formations, membership and chairing" • Meetings bring together the relevant ministers from the member states (one minister per state, but not one vote per state), and at least one commissioner • The number of formations in which the Council meets have been reduced to try to improve coordination: there are currently ten formations; approximately ninety meetings p.a. • Ministers are accompanied by advisers, with the larger member states usually having bigger teams • There is a rotating presidency or chairmanship: ministers from each member-state take six monthly turns, not replaced by the permanent president, currently ...
European Council
Less of an institution than a forum, consisting of the political leaders of the member states. They meet 4x a year to make broad decision on policy, which are then worked out by the Commission and the Council of the EU.
Where does EP admin meet?
Luxembourg
Where is the Court based?
Luxembourg
What did Lisbon do to codecision procedure?
Made codecision procedure mandatory
Treaty of Nice
Made institutional changes to make the Treaty of Maastricht, made it more transparent and prepared for eastern transparent.
What established co decision procedure?
Mastraatch
Intergovernmentalism
Member-state governments are the key agents; integration has deepened when governments converged. [broadly "realist" & "confederalist"]
Does the Court have a unilateral language?
No they accept documents in any language
Are appeals allowed in the Court?
No.
Are all justices involved in all cases?
No. full court is exceptional cases only
Neofunctionalism
NonG agents - including "supranational ones" - have been important; integration has not just proceeded through "history-making" treaties; "spillovers," "interdependencies," "lock-ins" and "unintended consequences" have all been important. [broadly "liberal" & "institutionalist"]
The College of Commissioners
One Commissioner is nominated per member state; to a five year term Each Commissioner is nominated by his/her member state, but must be acceptable to the President-designate The College as a whole must be approved by the EP after individual "hearings" --- this rule has led to the withdrawal of a slate of Commissioners Commissioners are to be impartial — not national delegates. Each Commissioner has a portfolio (you can read their declarations of interest online)
OEEC
Organization for European Economic Cooperation, survives as OECD
What is the conference of presidents?
Presidents of the EP and presidents of parties.
Robert Schuman
Robert Schuman (1886-63) CD (MRP), French resistance, PM (46-8), Minister of Finance and Foreign Minister of France, advised by Monnet, First President of Parliamentary Assembly of the EEC (58-60), now known as the "Father of Europe"
What created the court of first instance?
Single European act
How long are Court terms?
Six years. There are 28 members.
EU MILITARY SPENDING
Spends a lot on the military, but only 30% of what the US spends.
Where does EP plenary meet?
Strasbourg
Acquis Communautaire
The "acquis communautaire"is a very important concept in the European Union. It covers all treaties, EU legislation, international agreements, standards, court verdicts, fundamental rights provisions and horizontal principles in the treaties such as equality and non-discrimination.
The Four Branches/Parts of the EU
The Council of Ministers (CoM) officially known as "The Council of the European Union" just to confuse everyone • The European Council • The European Commission (EC) or College of Commissioners • The European Parliament (EP) • The (European) Court of Justice (ECJ or CofJEU)
What created the first iteration of the Court of J EU
The Paris Treaty creating the ECSC
European Defense Community
The idea that the ECSC could become a base treaty for a common defense, Britain and France weren't interested and the plan died in 1954. The European Political Community was another failed venture!
Who elects the President of the Court?
The other judges.
Council of Ministers Representatives
Their from each member state, and have the ability to oblige the member state to do things. Called the Upper House.
Who makes up the European Council?
There used to be two 'levels' of membership: • Heads of State or Government & the President of the Commission • Ministers (usually Foreign Ministers) + one other Commissioner The Lisbon Treaty reduced the status of the second level, so other ministers now attend only to 'assist'
How are EP elections second order election s?
These are a review of Parliement-- the EP election reflects the
Four Freedoms
They are people, money, goods and services.
What do the advocates general of the Court do?
They make preliminary decisions and make recommendations to the Court
Federation
Union of peoples
Confederation
Union of states
Maastricht Treaty
Upon its entry into force on 1 November 1993 during the Delors Commission,[3] it created the European Union and led to the creation of the single European currency, the euro. The Maastricht Treaty has been amended by the treaties of Amsterdam, Nice and Lisbon.The treaty established the three pillars of the European Union—one supranational pillar created from three European Communities (which included the European Community (EC), the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Atomic Energy Community), the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) pillar, and the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) pillar. The first pillar was where the EU's supra-national institutions—the Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice—had the most power and influence. The other two pillars were essentially more intergovernmental in nature with decisions being made by committees composed of member states' politicians and officials. ALSO CREATED EU CITIZENSHIP.
How did Lisbon Treaty change QMV voting?
Votes needed for approval: • (i) 55% of member states (i.e. = 16 of 28 states, after Croatia joined) • (ii) representing at least 65 % of the EU's population • slightly enhances the importance of most populous states • weakens Poland & Spain, which were previously 'over-weight'
Who first established the EP?
William Penn
Weberian Definition of a State
[A] state is that human community which (successfully) lays claim to the monopoly of legitimate physical violence within a certain territory, this 'territory' being another of the defining characteristics of the state." M
Single European Act (1986); + EP
co-operation and assent procedures introduced, but consultation procedure dominant
What does the President of the European Council do?
shall chair it and drive forward its work.... • shall ensure the preparation and continuity of the work of the European Council..... • shall endeavor to facilitate cohesion and consensus within the European Council..... • shall...ensure the external representation of the Union on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy....
President of the Council of Ministers
• Rotates between groups of three member states on an eighteen month basis, with one of the three "in the lead" for six months (except for the External Relations Council, which is always chaired by the High Representative). • The member-state presidency exercises a key role in setting agendas, setting the pace, and forging deals (mediating function). • Arrangements have developed to improve coordination between presidencies. • Presidencies offer opportunities but also create major problems for member states
