The European Union

Question 1

A form of EU law similar to laws passed by national parliaments - these laws must be immediately applied in their entirety across all EU member states

Answer 1

Regulations

Question 2

The argument that as few EU decision makers are elected, there is insufficient accountability to citizen and national parliaments

Answer 2

Democratic deficit

Question 3

Action taken by the Supreme Court is it finds a UK law to conflict with EU law

Answer 3

Disapply the law

Question 4

The idea that EU law replaces any conflicting national laws

Answer 4

Doctrine of Supremacy

Question 5

A form of EU law that sets out particular aims but gives EU member states the flexibility to pass their own laws that will achieve these goals

Answer 5

Directives

Question 6

1972 Act of Parliament led the UK to join the European Economic Community and made all UK law subject to directly applicable European law

Answer 6

European Communities Act

Question 7

A form of EU development in which member states agree to expand EU membership and admit new states

Answer 7

Widened integration

Question 8

Where nations delegate some decision making power to a higher body agreeing abide by its decision and thus losing some national sovereignty

Answer 8

Supranationalism

Question 9

This treaty, signed in Maastricht in 1992. established the EU and committed members to greater political union and common European currency

Answer 9

Treaty on European Union

Question 10

A legislative procedure where the Council in not legally obliged to take into account the European Parliament’s opinion - used less often since 1986

Answer 10

Consultations

Question 11

Intergovernmental body consisting of the heads of state/government from all EU member states - discusses the EU’s overall direction and priorities

Answer 11

European Council

Question 12

A controversial part of the Maastricht Treaty which the UK was exempts from until 1997 which expanded QMV into new social policy areas

Answer 12

Social Chapter

Question 13

Allows EU citizens to call on the Commission to propose legislation by collecting a million signatures from at least a quester of members states

Answer 13

European citizen’s initiative

Question 14

Formed in 1952 by France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg - cut tariffs and quotas to create a common market for coal and steel

Answer 14

European Coal and Steel Community

Question 15

Directly elected, supranational European body, consisting of 751 MEPs serving 5 year terms - has legislative, budgetary and scrutiny powers

Answer 15

European Parliament

Question 16

Established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome - lifted tariffs and quotas with the goal of creating a common European market - the UK would later join in 1973

Answer 16

European Economic Community

Question 17

Qualifies majority rule introduced in the Council in 2014 - a majority required 55% of member states, representing at least 65% of the EU population

Answer 17

Double majority rule

Question 18

Where the threshold for a majority vote is set higher than 50% and votes may be unequally weighted

Answer 18

Qualified majority vote

Question 19

Policy areas where both the EU and member states can pass laws, however, member states can only act if the EU has not or has ceased to do so

Answer 19

Shared competences

Question 20

Taxes places on imported goods that can help make domestic goods more competitive on price

Answer 20

Tariffs

Question 21

Policy areas such as defence and taxation that national legislatures retain the exclusive right to legislate on

Answer 21

Retained competences

Question 22

Treaty first singed in 1985 by 5 members of the EEC agreeing to gradually abolish border checks at their common borders

Answer 22

Schengen agreement

Question 23

1986 Act that extended qualifies majority voting into additional policy areas, further limiting national veto power

Answer 23

Single European Act

Question 24

A form of EU integration in which member states to agree to greater political and economic union

Answer 24

Deepened integration

Question 25

Principle that political action should be taken at the lowest possible level

Answer 25

Subsidiarity

Question 26

Part of the EU’s bicameral legislature - meets in 10 different configurations for different policy areas attended by relevant national ministers

Answer 26

Council of the European Union

Question 27

The principle that EU law does not need the approval of Parliament

Answer 27

Doctrine of direct affect

Question 28

Policy areas in which only the EU can adopt legal acts

Answer 28

Exclusive competences

Question 29

Policy areas where the EU can pass laws, but only if they do not require member states to change any national laws

Answer 29

Supporting competences

Question 30

The supranational executive of the EU acting as it’s civil service drafting and overseeing the implementation of EU law

Answer 30

European Commission

Question 31

Term used when states voluntarily decide to share decision making power over a number of policy areas in a system of international cooperation

Answer 31

Pooled sovereignty

Question 32

A non legislative procedure where the European Parliament holds a simple majority vote - used to approve new member states and international agreements

Answer 32

Consent

Question 33

Where states are free to choose whether or not to cooperate on matters of common interest meaning there is no loss of national sovereignty

Answer 33

Intergovernmentalism

Question 34

Where the constitution shares power between central/national and regional tiers of government - which are both sovereign in their particular sphere

Answer 34

Federalism

Question 35

The power of EU member states to block decision made by the Council of the EU - used when proposals require unanimous support

Answer 35

National veto

Question 36

A legislative procedure introduced by the 1992 Maastricht Treaty - requires the Council of the EU and European Parliament to approve new legislation

Answer 36

Co-decision

Question 37

Where decision making powers are divided across supranational, national and sub national institutions

Answer 37

Multi-level governance

Question 38

Restrictions on how much of a good can be imported and sold for other countries in order to help domestic producers of the same good

Answer 38

Quotas

Question 39

2007 treaty that extended QMV, merged the three separate pillars into a single European Union, transferred powers related to justice and hone affairs

Answer 39

Lisbon Treaty

Question 40

The highest court in the EU consists of one judge from each member state, in terriers EU law and ensures it is equally applied across the EU

Answer 40

European Court of Justice

Question 41

A legislative procedure, repealed by the 2009 Lisbon Treaty which allowed the Council of the EU to overrule the EU Parliament with a unanimous vote

Answer 41

Co-operation