Week 1

Question 1

What is the EU?

Answer 1

1. A new legal order for the benefit of which the member states have willingly limited their sovereign rights.
2. Created by treaties negotiated and agreed between its member states on the basis of unanimity

3.Wherin member states have undertaken certain obligations while they conferred specifically defined powers on the EU within the treaty

4.With a view to achieving the objectives set forth in the treaties

Question 2

What are the 5 major amendments to the community treaties?

Answer 2

The single European act in 1987
The treaty on European Union in 1993
The treaty of Amsterdam in 1999
The treaty of Nice in 2003
The treaty of Lisbon in 2009

Question 3

What are the institutions of the European Union?

Answer 3

The European Parliament
The European Council
The Council
The European Commission
The Court of Justice of the European Union
The European Central Bank
The Court of Auditors

Question 4

What is the institutional architecture of the eu based on the treaty

Answer 4

Legislative (intergovernmental) - European Parliament and council of ministers

Executive (supranational) - European Council and European Commission

Judicial - CJEU

Question 5

What are the powers of the Commission?

Answer 5

Legislative - Initiates legislation, sets the legislative agenda, develops policy strategies and makes specific rules

Administrative - manages programmes, supervises member states

Executive - Implements the budget, administers funds, represents the EU internationally

Judicial - brings actions against member states for breaches of EU law, orders the investigation of treaty violations

Question 6

What does voting in the council of the EU look like?

Answer 6

Normally through Qualified Majority Voting - 55%of member states

Sometimes by simple majority - 14 member states vote in favour

Unanimity - tax, defence, enlargement

Question 7

The powers of the EP

Answer 7

Elects the president of the Commission
Approves nominated Commissioners
Elects European Ombudsman

Question 8

What is the role of the CJEU?

Answer 8

They settle disputes between EU institutions.

They hear actions by Member States challenging EU legislation

Hear actions against Member States for failing to follow EU law