Constructing Europe Flashcards

Treaties, decision-making & other merdouilles (35 cards)

1
Q

List all the EU treaties/acts in the right order

A

Treaty of Paris - 1952
Treaty of Rome - 1957
Merger Treaty - 1965
Single European Act - 1986
Treaty of Maastricht - 1992
Treaty of Amsterdam - 1999
Treaty of Nice - 2003
(Constitutional Treaty - 2004)
Treaty of Lisbon - 2009

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2
Q

What did the Treaty of Paris (1952) create?

A

ECSC

Council of Ministers
High Authority
Common Assembly

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3
Q

What did the Treaty of Rome (1957) create?

A

EEC - common market
Euratom (EAEC)

Council of the EEC (future Council of the EU)

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4
Q

What did the Merger Treaty (1965) do?

A

EEC + EAEC + ECSC = EC

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5
Q

What did the SEA (1986) modify?

A

Single Market

๐Ÿ‘‘ Establishment of European Council
๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™€๏ธ Increased QMV
๐Ÿ” EC granted implementing rights
๐Ÿ’ช More power to EP (assent required when enlargement/association agreements

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6
Q

What changes did the Maastricht Treaty (1992) make?

A

๐Ÿ†” Creation of EU + EU citizenship
๐Ÿ›๏ธ Pillar structure
๐ŸŒ Establishment of CFSP
โš–๏ธ EP + Council = co-decision (dem.)
๐Ÿ’ฐCreation of EMU - idea of โ‚ฌ
๐ŸŒณ Committee of Regions (dem.)

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7
Q

More info about the EMU (principles, exceptions)

A

Principles
1) Coordination of eco policy-making btw MS
2) Limitation of deficit

Exceptions
UK & DK given opt-outs regarding โ‚ฌ

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8
Q

Name the 3 pillars & explain the idea behind - when were they abolished?

A

SUPRANATIONAL
European Communities (core economic, social & environmental initiatives)

INTERGOVERNMENTAL
- Common Foreign & Security Policy
- Police & Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters

Abolished in 2009 - Lisbon

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9
Q

More info about the Committee of Regions (role, importance)

A

Role
-Consulted by EC when drafting legislation (non-binding)
-Strengthens national power

Importance
Closer to the ppl - democratisation

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10
Q

What was the purpose of Amsterdam (1999)? What changes did it bring about?

A

Prepare for Eastern Enlargement

๐ŸŒ Position of HR
๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™€๏ธ More QMV
๐Ÿ™…โ€โ™‚๏ธ Constructive abstention*

*countries can opt out without preventing others from going ahead

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11
Q

What was the purpose the the Constitutional Treaty (2004)? Why was it rejected?

A

Purpose: replace all existing treaties

Rejected by FR & NL in national referenda (concerns over loss of sovereignty)

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12
Q

What changes did Lisbon (2009) bring about?

A

๐Ÿ›๏ธ 3-pillar structure changed to competences
๐ŸŒ Creation of EEAS
๐Ÿ‘‘ President of European Council
๐Ÿ–•Article 50: MS allowed to leave EU

Democratic legit:
๐Ÿ’ช Strengthening EP
๐Ÿ“† EP & EC have same term
๐Ÿ’ก Citizenโ€™s initiative

Future:
Simplified revision procedure - Treaty can be amended (no need for new one)

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13
Q

Why did Lisbon work while the CT didnโ€™t?

A

Constitution โ‰  Treaty (worries abt sovereignty)

Lisbon = technocratic (โœจamendingโœจ aspect highlighted)

Collusion between MS (Ireland only one holding referendum)

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14
Q

Which changes did Nice (2003) bring about?

A

๐Ÿ‘ฏโ€โ™€๏ธ Change in number of Commissioners/country
๐Ÿ’ช Increase in EP supervisory & legislative powers
๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™€๏ธ Increase of QMV
โœจ Creation of Charter of Fundamental Rights

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15
Q

Explain the process of OLP

A

Consists in 3 readings (4 moments when inst. can come to an agreement)

First-reading agr.
- Compromise found through trilogues
- EP & Council vote
- 90% of all files end there

Early 2nd reading agr.
- compromised reached after EP reading
- adopted as Councilโ€™s position

2nd reading agr.
- Council position at 1st reading โ‰  EPโ€™s position
- EP may adopt amendments to Councilโ€™s position

3rd reading
- Last chance to agree
- Conciliation committee: short deadlines to agree on txt which has to be ratified by EP & Council

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16
Q

What are the two SLPs?

A

Consultation procedure
- EP informed of legislation but has no decision-making power
- Council has to request EP opinion & wait for it but op. non-binding
Eg. for internal market

Consent procedure
- EP can veto but not amend
Eg. international agreements

17
Q

What are the types of law?
(hard vs soft // primary vs secondary)

A

Hard vs Soft
Hard
Legal obligations, can be enforced by a court

Soft
Guidelines, purely indicative

Primary vs secondary
Primary
Treaties - set out EU objectives, rules for institutions, decision-making processes & EU-MS relations

Secondary
Body that comes out of objectives set out by treaty

18
Q

Define: regulations, directives

A

Regulations
Legally binding, applicable as such in MS (no transposition)

Directives
Ask for results, but MS choose path (have to communicate results to EC within 2y - otherwise infringement

19
Q

What are delegated & implementing acts?

A

Delegated acts
EC supplements/amends non-essential parts of EU law. Adopted by EC & enters into force if EP/Council donโ€™t have any objections

Implementing acts
Acts seeking to create a uniform ground for implementation of legislation - supervision by cosmetology committees

20
Q

What are the different types of competences?

A

Exclusive competences
Autonomous action of the EU - MS act all together or not at all

Shared competences
EU has to justify its actions in terms of subsidiarity - MS must stand back but can step in again when EU stops exercising comp.

Parallel competences
MS & EU can act at the same time

Supporting/coordinating/supplementary competences
EU provides finances to support what the MS do

Policy coordination
EU provides arrangements by which MS coordinate national policies around common guidelines

21
Q

Define subsidiarity

A

EU should only act when action at national level is insufficient (ensures actions are taken as close to the citizens as possible)

22
Q

Define proportionality

A

Legislation has to be justified & shouldnโ€™t go any further than necessary

23
Q

What are the different types of decision-making in the Council?

A

QMV
Double maj. => 55% of the MS representing 65% of EU pop
Default voting procedure since Lisbon

Unanimity
Limited to small number of sensible matters
eg. CFSP or access to EU

Majority voting
14 MS in favour

โœจConsensusโœจ
(see consensus card)

Conciliation
(see trilogues card)

24
Q

What is the culture of consensus? What are its strengths & weaknesses?

A

Obtaining unanimity without voting - does not mean general agreement but rather absence of explicit opposition
!!! Relies on logic of appropriateness

Strengths
- Hide winners & losers
- Blame avoidance (from national pop.)
- Outvoted countries would be more reluctant to implement policies they voted against
- Increase in productivity

Weaknesses
Lack of transparency & accountability

25
What are the different theories regarding the independence of the EC?
**Intergovernmentalism** Governments are the driving force behind decisions - EC has no power bank of its own **Institutionalism** - EC can rely on certain strategies to manipulate situations (information imbalance, alliances between MS) - Looks at interests above national concerns **"Middle-ground" (Bailer)** EC has more info that MS & can use this to its advantage _BUT_ MS still have very strong influence
26
What 4 types of political roles does the EC have, as a bureaucracy?
**Ideological political** ๐Ÿ’ก EC is goal-oriented & fosters major socio-economic changes to promote integration **Policy political role** ๐Ÿ‘ฎโ€โ™€๏ธ Agenda-setting allows EC to promote certain issues over others **Organisational political role** โ–ณ EC decisions are taken in order to justify its existence & preserve itself **Administrative political role** ๐Ÿงฉ Implementation = political act (re-interpreting to adapt to the field)
27
What are the (dis)advantages of enlargement for the European Union and candidate countries?
**Candidate countries** _Advantages_ - Common Market = better economy - Increased security & stability - More weight at international level _Disadvantages_ - Adaptation costs - Imbalanced relationship (conditionality) **European Union** _Advantages_ - Security & stability (stabilitocracies) - Enlargement = geopolitical tool _Disadvantages_ - Constant reform to adapt - Increasingly difficult to function effectively - Economic disparities - Populist Euroscepticism
28
What are the 3 theories regarding the purpose of the EU?
**Value-based community** Bring democracy & re-uniting Europe - based on common history & culture *eg. Balkan & Eastern Enlargement* **Problem-solving entity** Utility & efficiency *eg. EFTA enlargement* **Rights-based entity** Democratic principles, rights & justice *Mediterranean & Balkan enlargement*
29
What are the steps of the application process?
1) Membership application submitted to EC & Council 2) EC prepares opinion 3) Decision by Council to start accession negociations 4) Screening process by EC 5) Negotiations led by Presidency 6) EC, EP & MS endorse outcome of negotiations 7) MS & candidate country ratify Accession Treaty
30
What are the 3 types of Copenhagen criteria?
**Political criteria** - Stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy - Respect of rule of law, human rights & values **Economic criteria** Functioning market eco. capable of coping with competition in Single Market **Administrative & institutional capacity** - Acquis communautaire - Absorption capacity: ability to take on obligations of membership
31
What are the 4 theories of Europeanisation? What is required to Europeanise?
**Top-down** _Rational choice institutionalism_ Decision-making in the MS shaped by cost-benefit analysis _Sociological institutionalism_ The more a EU policy is in line with domestic interests, the more chances it has of being successful **Bottom-up** _Rational intergovernmental_ Bigger states have more bargaining power & therefore have more chances of seeing their interests taken into account _Constructivist intergovernmental_ Actors are flexible & change opinions - even small MS can be influent if they can give good arguments **!!! Top-down Europeanisation requires misfit, eg. for the domestic policies not to be in line with European standards**
32
What is the sequential approach to Europeanisation?
Synthesis of top-down & bottom-up Europeanisation The more an EU state has influence at EU level (can upload/influence policies), the easier for them it will be to download the resulting policies
33
_Define:_ top-down & bottom-up Europeanisation
**Top-down** How the EU influences MS & 3rd countries **Bottom-up** How MS shape EU & upload their preferences to the EU
34
_Define:_ Europeanisation
Interaction of EU-MS-3rd countries & how they shape each other
35
Explain the 4 worlds of compliance
**World of law observants** Compliance > domestic concerns *Denmark, Finland, Sweden* **World of domestic politics** Temporary non-compliance in case of conflict of interests *Belgium, Germany, Netherlands...* **World of transposition neglect** Intervention of EU necessary to make them comply, only superficial results *France, Greece, Portugal* **World of dead letters** Compliance in the transposition stage, but not enforced *Ireland, Italy, Hungary...*