European Union Exam (0)

European Union Exam
1949
France , UK and the Benelux countries decide to set in place a Council of Europe .
1951
Treaty of Paris signed by the Six ( Belgium , France, Germany , Italy , Luxembourg , Netherlands ), establishing the European Coal and Steel Community ( ECSC ).
1957
Treaties of Rome establish the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community ( Euratom ).
1959
July , seven countries of the Organisation for European Economic Co- operation (OEEC) – Austria, Denmark, Norway , Portugal , Sweden , Switzerland and the UK – decide to establish a European Free Trade Association ( EFTA ).
1960
Creation of European Free Trade Association
1961
UK applies to join the Community.
1962
The Parliamentary Assembly changes its name to the European Parliament .
1965
The Treaty merging the executives of the three Communities (ECSC, EEC, Euratom) is signed in Brussels ; enters into force on July 1, 1967.
Empty chair crisis
1966
Luxembourg compromise – solution for the empty chair crisis: weaker commission, veto power , common argiculture policy , qualified majority voting
1967
UK re-applies to join the Community.
1968
Agreement of EEC’s common external tariff
1972
Referendum in Norway on joining ; majority votes against.
Launch of „ snake in the tunnel “
1973
January : Denmark, Ireland and the UK join the European Communities.
1974
April: foreign secretary James Callaghan makes statement to the Council on the new Labour government ’s policy on the Community. Calls for major changes in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), "fairer methods of financing the Community budget" and solutions to monetary problems.
December: the Community’s heads of state or government decide to hold meetings three times a year as the European Council, agree direct elections to the European Parliament, resolve to set up the European Regional Development Fund and establish economic and monetary union.
1975
Launch of ERDF - The ERDF aims to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the European Union by correcting imbalances between its regions
1978
European Council establishes the European Monetary System based on a European currency unit (the ECU) and the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). The Ecu has some characteristics of a real currency and is used in travellers’ cheques and bank deposits. ERM gives national currencies a central exchange rate against the Ecu. All the community’s members apart from the UK join the ERM.
1975
Launch of European Monetary System
June 1979 – First election of the EP
1981
January: Greece becomes 10th member of the European Community.
1984
February : draft Treaty on the establishment of the European Union passed by the European Parliament.
1985
European Council in Luxembourg agrees to amend the Treaty of Rome and to revitalise integration by drawing up a Single European Act – bigger EU
Schengen Agreement
1986
1 January: Spain and Portugal join the Community.
February: Single European Act signed, aiming to create a Single Market by 1992, and reforming the legislative process to speed this up

• More powers to the European Parliament ( Cooperation procedure)
  
• Qualified majority extended in the Council
  
• Establishment of European Council
  
• More implementation powers to the Commission
  
• New competencies for Communities (envi, r&d, reg.)
  

1987
Turkey formally applies to join.
Entry into force of Single European Act
1990
European Council held in Rome launches two Intergovernmental Conferences, one on Economic and Monetary Union, the other on Political Union.
1992
February: Maastricht Treaty on the European Union is signed, leading to creation of the euro, and the "pillar" structure of the European Union: the European Community (EC) pillar, the Common Foreign and Security Policy ( CFSP ) pillar, and the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) pillar.
1993
Single European Market enters into force.
1994
European Economic Area (EEA)
1995
January: Austria, Finland and Sweden join the Union, bringing membership to 15.
Shengen agreement läks käiku
1997
Amsterdam Treaty signed, emphasising citizenship and the rights of individuals, more powers for the European Parliament, the beginnings of a common foreign and security policy (CFSP).

• Implementation of Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) – Still intergovernmental and unanimous, but more power to the Council
  
• New office of High Representative
  
• EU (Community) competencies extended to health and consumer protection
  
• Incorporation of Schengen agreement
  
• More legislative powers to the EP + appointment of the Commission
  
• Enhanced cooperation
  

1998
Establishment of the European Central Bank.
2001
February: Treaty of Nice signed, reforming the institutional structure of the European Union to allow for eastward expansion.

• Increase of EP seats
  
• Aim to reduce number of commissioners (only aim)
  
• Sanctions against Member states
  
• Proclamation of Charter of Rights
  

2002
January 1: euro coins and notes enter circulation in the 12 participating member states: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
2004
May: European Union’s biggest enlargement ever as 10 new countries join - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia .
October: the Heads of State and Government and EU foreign ministers sign the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe
Four parts

• Simplification
  
• Constitutional style
  
• No pillar structure.- lisbon treaty 2009
  

2007
January: Bulgaria and Romania join the EU, bringing membership to 27.
1981 – Greece (Colonels’ regime 1967-74)
1986 – Portugal and Spain ( Franco ’s regime 1939-75)
1990 – East Germany
1995 – Austria, Finland, Sweden
I loeng
Euroopa Liidu põhimõtted – subsitarity, confedarality, propotsionaalsus
Conferral. This principle holds that the EU can act only where it has been given authority by the member states to achieve objectives set out in tile treaties, and that any areas of competence not specifically listed in the treaties default to the member states. (It mirrors the 10th amendment to the US constitution, which declares that powers not delegated to the federal government by the constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the stutes or to the people,) ..
Subsidiarity. By this principle, the EU can only act in areas that do not fall under its exclusive competence if the action needed cannot be better taken by the member states. In other words, the EU should only do what it does best ,
ProportlonalIty. This principle establishes that the EU should not go beyond taking the action needed to achieve the objectives of the treaties. But just where that line is drawn, of course, is a matter for debate.

• Council of Europe (1949) – Inter -governmental regional organization to achieve a ‘ greater unity between its Members by discussion … and agreements’ (Eur. Conv. Of Hum. Rights)
  
• ECSC (1951) – Strong potential for cooperation, ‘ above states’ organization, shared sovereignity (only six member states); revolutionary institutions – not IO.
  

European Defence Community (EDC) – A plan to create a common European military as a means of binding Germany to European integration after WWII.
The creation of the EEC

• Treaties of Rome (EEC / EURATOM) – Signed in March 1957; Ratified in January 1958.
  

Four goals :
- Single market within 12 years (with 3½ freedoms goods, capitals, services , people)

• Elimination of custom duties & common external tariffs
  
• Extablishment of common agriculture, trade, transport, competition policy
  
• Creation of European Social Fund and European Investment Bank
  

Merging of Institutions (1965)
Elimination of Commission and Council of Euratom and the High Authority and Council of the ECSC (already sharing Assembly and Court ) – creation of European Communities
II loeng
Britain’s approach to European Integration

• European Free Trade Association
  

Established in 1960 as a trade bloc-alternative for European states who were either unable or unwilling to join the then-European Economic Community (EEC) which has now become the EU (AT, DK, FI, IS, LI, NO, PT, SE, CH, UK).

• Absence of a common external customs tariff
  
• Elimination of customs duties on industrial products, but not on agricultural products or maritime trade
  
• No political integration
  
• Only Council of Ministers (no supranational institutions)
  

Economic and Monetary Union
Agreed in 1969 to harmonize economic policies and make them compatible/ ready for the switch to single currency.
- End convertibility of US dollar into gold

• Monetary/political instability
  
• „Snake in the tunnel“ linked to USD and to DM (UK, DK, IT, FR out)
  
• Economic disparities among Members (European Regional Development Fund, 1973)
  
• European Monetary System
  

Replaced the „snake“ and was based on the exchange rate mechanism of the European Currency Unit (ECU). The value of ECU was a basket EC currencies weighted according to their relative strength . Committment to keep national currencies within +/-2.25% (6% for Italy) – UK and DE left in early 1990s .
III loeng
Maastrich Criteria towards a single EU currency
The European Monetary Union (EMU) was decided in Maastricht:

Inflation rate (not more than 1.5% points from the best)

Annual govt. deficit (3%); Govt. debt (60%)

Exchange rate stable

Long- term interest rate
Enlargement came with problems

• Old institutional structure designed for 6
  
• Obsolete voting majorities
  
• Complex division between „community“ and „inter-governmental“ policy areas
  
• New challenges – Foreign Affairs (YU)
  
• Institution membership too big (EP, Commission)
  

Enhanced cooperation:
A procedure of flexibility allowing those member states that wish to proceed more rapidly in a specific policy area to do so 1. within the EU legal framework, but 2. without extending the powers of the treaties;
Lisbon treaty 2009

• A new president of the EU Council (2 and half years)
  
• HR for CFSP both Council & Commission
  
• Abolition of pillar structure
  
• Ordinary legislative procedure (EP & Council)
  
• Inclusion of Charter of Rights
  
• More powers to EU (policy areas)
  
• Expansion of QMV (no, FSP & Taxation )
  
• Legal personality
  
• MS can leave
  

IV loeng

• Public persecutor
  
• European referendum
  
• Minister of Foreign Affairs
  
• Withdrawal clause
  
• Popular initiative
  
• Border guard
  

VI loeng
IX loeng
Democratic deficit
To give people control over their own lives and to give the word “ democracy ” a meaning , fundamental changes are needed in the areas outlined above. There needs to be created institutions capable of solving European- wide problems that have escaped the control of nation-states. There needs to be a fundamental shift of power down to the lower levels, closer to the people and to the problems. There needs to be an introduction of democracy at the place of work in order to transform the labour/capital conflict, and in the local community. We shall now look at these in turn .
Second order national elections (Reif and Schmitt , 1980)

• National electoral programmes (developed by national parties ) + very small room for European programmes
  
• Debate and vote focussed on national issues (few exceptions Bolkenstein / constitution) – retrospective / protest vote
  
• List of candidates defined by national parties
  
• Party and voters’ perspective – lower relevance than „first order elections“ – no govt.
  
• Lower turnout if compared to national elections
  
• Protest vote and retrospective judgement
  
• Sanction towards governing parties (no consequences on the govt.)
  

XIV loeng
Eurozone crisis
Criteria for joining the eurozone

• Budget deficit: Less than 3% of GDP
  
• Public debt: Less than 60% of GDP
  
• Inflation: Within 1.5% of the avg. in the 3 MS with lowest inflation
  
• Interest rates: Within 2% of the avg. in the 3 MS with lowest rates
  
• Exchange rates: Kept within ERM fluctation margins for two years
  

Kontroll (ülevalt alla tähtsus)

• ECB – Monetary policy / inflation / independent?
  
• Ecofin/Eurogroup – Coordination of financial / fiscal policies (Collective minister?)
  
• Commission – Control against violation of fiscal rules / national budgets
  
• Stability Mechanism – lend cheap funds to indebted MS and banks
  
• EP – More powers / control and co- legislation
  

XV loeng
European Neighbourhood Policy

• Adopted 2004/5
  
• Programme of relations with „Wider Europe“
  
• GE, AM, AZ, BY, UA, MD
  
• Not aimed at EU membership
  
• Create instruments for partnership
  
• Russia rejected to be included in this programme
  
  • Need for special treatment
    
  • Equality of partnership
    
  • “besiege syndrome”
    
• Lõuna partnership:
  

Institutional structure

• Summit - twice a year
  
• Mostly European Council, Sectorial Ministerial Councils, and Commission (EP, limited role )
  
• Cooperation Council- foreign ministerial level- Permanent Partnership Council
  
• Cooperation Commitee - senior official level
  
• Sub- Commitee- expert level
  
• Parliamentary Cooperation Commitee
  

EURO QUIZZ

Which countries joined the European Communities in 1973 & 1986? UK, Ireland, Denmark, Spain, Portugal

Which ‘communities’ where part of the European Communities following the the merger treaty? What is the year of the merger? EEC, EURATOM, ECSC (1965)

Which countries rejected the European constitution and in which year? France and the Netherlands (2005)

Which treaty was signed in 1986 to finalize the single market? Who was the president of the commission at that time? Single European Act, Jacques Delors

What are the three pillars of the Maastricht treaty? - European Community, Justice and Home Affairs, Common Foreign and Security Policy

How is the procedure for negotiating amendments to the founding treaties called? For which treaty was it convened last time? Intergovernmental Conference; Lisbon Treaty

Which two communities were rejected in the 1950s and by which country ? European Defence Community, European Political Community (France)

Which countries initially joined Schengen? BE, FR, LU, NL, DE

Which are the four key institutions of the ECSC? High Authority, Special Council of Ministers, Common Assembly, Court of Justice

Which conference re-launched the process intergration – focussing on economic integration in 1955? Which countries participated to the community created after it? Messina Conference? IT, FR, DE, BE, NL, LU

Who is the father of European federalism? And what did he write? - Altiero Spinelli / The Ventotene Manifesto

What is the functional spillover - The integration of one sector works only if the bordering sector is also integrated

Which EU institution brings together the Heads of state and government (at least ) twice a year? The European Council

Among the EU institutions, which are the two co-legislators and which one has the right of legislative initiative European Parliament and Council of Ministers (Co-legislators); European Commission (legislative initiative)

How many are the members of the European Commission and how many were they supposed to be, starting from 2014? 28 members - 2/3 from 2014

When was the European Parliament first elected? What was it’s initial role? 1979; Consultative

Which legislative procedure gives the European Parliament equal powers of co-legislator with the Council? Co-decision or Ordinary legislative procedure

What/who do the three main institutions of the EU represent ? EP (the citizens of the EU) / Council (the member states of the EU) / Commission (the interests of the EU)

Mention the three largest/oldest party groups - European People’s Party (EPP) / Socialists & Democrats / Party of European Socialists (PES) / Liberal-democrats (ALDE)

Who are the current presidents of the European Parliament, European Commission, and European Council? Tajani (EP), Juncker (Commission), Tusk (Council)

What is the name of the Diplomatic Service of the EU and who chairs it? European External Action Service (EEAS), chaired by the EU High representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Which treaty created the Common Foreign and Security Policy? Maastricht Treaty

Which criteria define the eligibility of a country as an EU membership candidate? Copenhagen criteria

How do Reif and Schmitt (1980) define the European elections? Second order national elections

Which “parameters” are required to be met in order for a member state to join the Eurozone? Maastricht criteria

Which countries joined the EC/EU in 1986 and 1995? Spain and Portugal (1986) // Finland, Sweden, Austria (1995)

Which instrument has been developed to conduct the process of EU enlargement in the Western Balkans? Stabilization and Association Process (SAP)/ Stabilization and Association Agreement(SAA)

Who is in charge in the EU of the fiscal policy and who control its monetary policy? Fiscal policy (Member states) // Monetary policy (ECB)

Which types of policies transfer financial resources from groups of individuals, regions, or countries, to others? ( concentrated costs, general benefits) - Redistributive policies
Economic policy – Policy dealing with the management of goods and services, including productivity, consumption, money supply and competition.
Fiscal policy – Policy dealing with the budgets: how and where goverments revenues are raised and how and where public funds are spent
Competition policy - Policy aimed at limiting the Marketplace distortions created by monopoles, cartles, pricefixing, abuse of dominant position and market-sharing
Trade policy – Policy dealing with the Exchange of goods and services across borders and including issues such as tariffs, quotas and protectionism
Common commercial policy – The common trade policy of the EU, included in the Treaty of Rome and Under which the EU has effectively used its power to deal and negotiate with third parties on trade issues.
European Security and Defence Policy: A critical step in the development of a European security policy outside NATO , based on the Petersberg tasks and the maintenance of 'battle groups' capable of short- notice military action.
Security policy – Policy dealing with national with identifying and offsetting military and other threats to national interests,