Institutions of the EU

Infringement Proceedings

if a Community law is infringed upon by a Member State and is discovered by the European Commission these proceedings begin to end the breach. It begins with a letter of formal notice. If the state does not reply or rectify the issue the Commission will produce a reasoned opinion. The final stage is to take the issue to the Court of Justice. These proceedings add accountability to the Member States to follow the laws of the European Union.

Schengen Border Agreement

is what led to the borderless European Schengen Area. The treaty was signed in 1985 but was not implemented until 1995. Permits people to travel freely in 26 European countries. This agreement makes business, trade, and other trans-national actions far easier for the member states to this agreement.

Coreper

Consists of permanent representatives committee of the Council, coordinates/prepares all of the work of the Council. This body is divided into two in order to accommodate the broad range of issues they handle handles. Negotiations can be intense and long lasting. This body employs long tenured members in order to promote mutual interests and self restraint within the body, with the ultimate goal being to ensure maximum productivity, cooperation, and efficiency.

Comitology

Creation of committees in the that are part of the EU's broader system of committees that assist in the making, adoption, and implementation of EU laws. These committees are forums for discussion by representatives from Member States on specific topics. Their roles can be advisory, managerial, or regulatory. They govern the implementation of EU policy across the EU member states.

Court of Auditors

Institution established in 1975 to audit and monitor the accounts of EU institutions. It includes 28 members (one from each MS, one of whom is elected president). Because its primary goal is to ensure the lawful and correct implementation of the EU budget, the Court of Auditors must regularly check the financial records and statements of those involved in expenditure within the EU institutions. Should the court detect foul play it is to report such wrongdoings. It is through the court's annual report and special reports that the Commission proceeds or sanctions institutions or member states accused of mishandling funds.

Qualified Majority Voting (QMV)

Number of votes required in the Council for a decision to be adopted when issues are being debated. Under the Ordinary Legislative Procedure (OLP), the Council acts by qualified majority in combination with the European Parliament. Thresholds: 55% of the member states, 65% of the EU population represented, four-state minority minimum. QMV makes the passage of European legislation much easier by replacing unanimity voting procedures.

Advocates General

There are 9 in the Court of Justice whose job is to present opinions on the cases brought before the Court. Each case in the Court of Justice has one AG. Opinions of the AG tend to also be the final decision of the court, though there is no guarantee of this. There are none in the lower courts.

Competition Policy

This set of policies functions under the idea that competition among businesses is essential in free market capitalism. This works to ensure that all businesses and companies in the EU work under fair and consistent competition. Alleged benefits of the policy include improved efficiency and enterprise in the market, lower prices, a wider variety of choice in goods for consumers, and very importantly it strengthens EU businesses for competing in the external (global) market.

European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

a consultative committee in the EU institutional framework concerned with civil society matters. Representatives from civil society organizations are represented in this committee to discuss economic, civil, and social issues. Through mandatory consultation or own-initiative opinions the EESC advises the other institutional bodies on a wide range of policy issues. This committee is grass-roots and adds to the participatory democratic nature of the EU.

Committee of the Regions

a consultative committee in the EU institutional framework that works closely with the European Commission. This committee consists of regional and local representatives from all 28 EU countries meant to represent the interests of regions in the EU. Through mandatory consultation on a wide range of policy and own-initiative opinions this committee influences the creation of policy and keeps regions in mind during the creation of policies. Additionally, it can bring cases to the ECJ and is known as the subsidiary watchdog of the EU.

Open Method of Coordination

an approach to EU policy-making that is an alternative to regulation and which involves more informal means of encouraging compliance than 'hard' legislation. This intergovernmental method requires peer-review between Member States under the surveillance of the European Commission. Takes place in policy areas which are mainly under the competence of Member States such as employment, social protection, and education. Allows reforms on a state-basis in a softer way rather than strict regulation.

Structural Funds

are funds set aside for regional implementation of EU policy are mostly aimed to help Europe's poorer regions, but all regions in Europe are eligible for these funds. They are used in projects to reduce regional disparities in income and aim to promote territorial, social, and regional cohesion. These funds make up some of the largest expenditures of the EU. All projects funded need to follow the rules of EU policy especially in concerns with the environment, competition, and using the public as a resource. These funds are a part of cohesion policy.

European Council

considered the top tier of the EU because it is pivotal in the decision making process, acts as a forum for Nat'l leaders, and dictates the EU's orientation. It is composed of the heads of government and state of member nations (bridge between EU and national level). The European Council can also call treaties from intergovernmental parties. It has a president that is elected to a 2.5 year term. Though it is thought to be the summit of the EU, its effectiveness is questionable due to the difficulty in achieving unanimity in decisions and the rare and short meetings of the Council.

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

controversial agricultural policy of the EU that through a system of agricultural subsidies, import levies, and price supports seeks to establish common prices for EU agricultural products. Agricultural products under this policy include popular commodities such as beef, milk, flax seed, cotton, and tobacco. Though established shortly after the Treaty of Rome out of concern from the six founding states of the EU of food shortages and price shocks, this policy has undergone many changes throughout its history. It has been subject to many grievances and complaints for its objectives and rhetoric.

Single Market

free movement of goods, capital, and services; Commission is responsible for the regulation of the single market; ensures that competition is fair, antitrust and state aid regulation, controls mergers; heart of European integration: polit. integration driven by econ. integration; negative vs. positive integration; 3 types of barriers: physical, technical, fiscal

European Monetary Union

refers to the three staged process by which members of the EU converge economies through adopting certain policies. Though all member states are in the EMU, only by complying with the ordinances of stage 3 criteria are member states allowed into the Eurozone (adopting the Euro). The third stage of the EMU process has come under some criticism mainly due to the uniform nature of the eurozone. For example, if member states fail to remain fiscally disciplined and fall into excessive debt, they limit their options in terms of getting out of such a debt (such as what happened with Greece).

European Ombudsman

responds to complaints from EU citizens, businesses and organisations, helping to uncover cases of 'maladministration.' This term references instances where EU institutions, bodies, offices or agencies have broken the law, failed to respect the principles of sound administration or violated human rights. They are independent from the EU institutions, but are voted in by the European Parliament and presents an activity report to EP once a year. They cannot investigate the ECJ. This body adds credibility to the EU institutions and a level of security protected by those individuals and institutions.

Cohesion Policy

the policy behind the hundreds of thousands of projects all over Europe that receive funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Cohesion Fund. This policy promotes territorial, economic, and social cohesion by reducing the disparities between the various regions and the backwardness of the least-favoured regions. It largely involves structural funds for projects to promote equality and cohesion among the regions and to bring them up to a mid-level of development. This policy looks forward with the thought that the promotion of poorer regions will benefit the EU on the whole.