European Union

Diploma in European Business and Economics!

European Culture and Civilization!

1.1 Origin and development of the EU! 1.2 Enlargement and neighbourhood policy!

1.3 How the EU works!

[Fontaine, P. (2006) Europe in 12 lessons. European Comission]!

What is the European Union?!

It’s a group of 27 European democtratic countries committed to work together for peace, prosperity and the welfare of their citizens. !

EU Countries: !

1951  Belgium, Federal Republic of Germany, France, "Italy, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. !

1974  Denmark, Ireland, UK! 1981 "Greece!

1986 "Spain, Portugal!

1995 "Austria, Finland, Sweden!

2004 Czeck Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, " "Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta!

2007 Bulgaria, Romania!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/EU_countryguide.swf

EU Countries: !

-provide peace, prosperity and stability for its citizens!

-overcome the divisions in the continent!

-ensure that its people can live in safety!

-promote balanced economic and social development!

-meet the challenges of globalisation and preserve the diversity of the peoples of europe!

-uphold the values that Europeans share, such as sustainable development, respect for human rights and the social market economy. !

Symbols!

Harmony!

Union!

Solidarity!

Symbols!

May 9th, Europe’s Day! May 9th, 1950, Robert Schuman presented in Paris the proposal to create an organized Europe. !

Every year, lots of activities are prepared to celebrate and make citizens participate and get closer to the EU.!

Symbols!

Anthem!

Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven composed in 1823!

Ode to Joy - Last Movement!

http//www.youtube.com!

1.1 Origin and development of the EU! 1. 1950 The Schuman Declaration: European Coal and Steel Community !

1951 Treaty of Paris! common market in coal and steel between six founding countries:!

Belgium, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and !

Netherlands!

2. 1957 The Treaty of Rome: European Economic Community!

1968 Customs duties between these countries were abolished!

1960s common policies: trade, agriculture!

3. 1973 Denmark,Ireland, UK joined the Community!

1975 European Regional Development Fund was established! new social and environmental polices were implemented!

4. 1979 first elections to the European Parliament!

5. 1981 Greece joined the Community!

1986 Spain and Portugal joined the Community! expansion of regional aid programmes!

6. 1980s economic recession - “Europessimism�!

1985 White paper for completing the European single market in 1993!

1986-87 Single European Act !

7. 1989 Berlin Wall fell!

1990 Unification of Germany!

1991 The Soviet Union ceased to exist! coming of democracy to countries of central and eastern Europe!

8. 1991 Negotiation of the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht)!

1993 The Treaty came into force and created the EU : monetary "union for 1999, new common policies, common foreign and "security policies, internal security.!

9. 1995 Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the Union!

10. 1999 Towards a single currency: The euro was introduced for ! financial (non-cash) transactions. !

2002 Notes and coins were introduced in 12 countries (Euro-zone)!

11. 2000 Lisbon Strategy: modernisation of the European economy!

Encouraging innovation, business investment!

Adapting Europe’s education systems !

12. 1997 Negotiations opened for Eastward Enlargement!

2004 Czec Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia!

Lithuania, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta joined the Union!

13. 2007 Bulgaria and Romania joined the Union!

1.2 Enlargement and neighbourhood policy!

• The EU is open to any European country that fulfils the democratic, ! political and economic criteria for membership.!

• The EU has increased from 6 to 27 members, and some candidate! countries are engaged in membership neogtiations. !

• Each treaty admitting a new member requires the unanimous ! approval of all member states. !

• In advance of each new enlargement, the EU will assess its ! capacity to absorb the new members and the ability of its ! institutions to continue to function properly. !

• The last two enlargements:!

• The Eastward enlargement (2004): Cyprus, the Czech Republic, !

Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and !

Slovenia.!

• 2007: Bulgaria and Romania.!

• Candidates for membership:!

- Turkey: " " " "

"(member of NATO)! "long-standing association agreement with the EU! "applied in 1987! "problems with geographical location and political history!

"2005: negotiations were opened !

- Croatia:

"2005: negotiations were opened!

• The Western Balkans (Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro)!

- countries that were part of Yugoslavia!

- speed up their economic reconstruction!

- improve their mutual relations (ethnic, religious wars)!

- consolidate their democratic institutions!

- official candidate: Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia!

- potential candidates: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro! and Serbia!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/europe/2000/redefining_europe/!

• Membership conditions:!

- Article 237 Treaty of Rome:! "“any European state may apply to become a member of the !

"Community”!

- Article F Maastricht Treaty:! "the member states shall have “systems of government […] ! "founded on the principles of democracy”!

- The Copenhagen Criteria:!

1.  Stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human! "rights and respect for and protection of minorities. !

2. "A functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with! "competitive pressure and market forces within the Union.!

3.  The ability to take on the obligations of membership, including ! "support for the aims of the Union. They must have a public ! "administration capable of applying and managing EU laws in practice.!

- The accession process:!

- Negotiations are carried out between the candidate country and the !

European Comission.!

-The decission to allow a new country to join the EU must be taken ! unanimously by the existing member states.!

-The European Parliament must give its assent through a positive! vote by an absolute majority of its members.!

-Accession treaties must be ratified by the member states and the ! candidate countries in accordance with each country’s own ! constitutional procedures!

-During the years of negotiation, candidates receive EU aid!

Activities about enlargement based on the text! “Jumping into the shining dark: the hope of European !

Enlargement�!

1.3 How the EU works!

- The Council of Ministers of the European Union, which represents the ! member states, is the EU’s main decision-taking body. When it meets! at Heads of State or Government level, it becomes the European !

Council whose role is to provide the EU with political impetus on key! issues.!

-The European Parliament, which represents the people, shares ! legislative and budgetary power with the Council of the European Union.!

-The European Comission, which represents the common interest of the !

EU, is the main executive body. It has the right to propose legislation! and ensures that EU policies are properly implemented.!

-Primary legislation!

The ‘Treaties’ !

-Secondary legislation!

Regulations, Directives and Recommendations adopted by EU! institutions.!

-Decision-taking bodies!

European Council: represents national governments!

European Parliament: represents the people!

European Comission: independent of governments! " " defends collective European interest!

A) The Council of the European Union and the European Council!

A.1 The council of the European Union!

-taken in turns by member states (Council Presidency) - 6 months!

-meetings attended by one minister from each country (agenda)!

-shared legislative power with the European Parliament !

-shared power with the European Parliament for adopting EU budget!

-decisions are taken (i) simple majority vote (ii) qualified majority ! (iii) unanimously (amending Treaties, new common policy, new countries)!

The number of votes allocated to each country is related to the size of its! population. !

• Germany, France, Italy and the UK " " • Spain and Poland " " " " • Romania " " " " " • Netherlands " " " " " • Belgium, Czech Rep., Greece, Hungary and Portugal • Austria , Sweden and Bulgaria" " " • Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Finland • Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg and Slovenia • Malta " " " " " "

" " " " " " " " "

"29 "27!

"14!

"13!

"12!

"10!

"7!

"4!

"3!

Qualified majority: 255/345 (73.9%) In addition:!

"-majority of member states (2/3) must approve!

"-confirmation that votes is favour represent 62% of the EU’s population " !

"!

A.2 The European Council!

-meets four times a year!

-chaired by the president of the country holding the EU Presidency!

-initiator of the EU major policies!

-settle difficult issues!

-common foreign and security policy (diplomatic questions)!

B) The European Parliament!

-elected body that represents the EU’s citizens!

-political supervision over the EU’s activities!

-takes part in the legislative process!

-members elected every five years!

-Plenary sessions: Strasbourg!

-General Secretariat: Luxembourg and Brussels!

-Political groups in the European Parliament!

• European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats (278)!

• Socialist group (219)!

• Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (103)!

• Greens/European Free Alliance (42)!

• European United Left - Nordic Green Left (41)!

• Union for Europe of the Nations (30)!

• Independence/Democracy (28)!

-Legislative work!

- ‘Cooperation procedure’: opinion on draft directives and regulations ! proposed by the European Commission!

- ‘Assent procedure’: assent to international agreements negotiated by! the Commission and any proposed enlargement of the EU!

- ‘Co-decision procedure’: equal footing with the Council on some issues! (free movement of workers, internal market, education, research, the !

Environment, etc). If an absolute majority of members of Parliament vote!

Against the Council’s common position, legislation can be thrown out.!

-Budget!

"-equal responsibility with the Council!

"-the Parliament can reject the proposed budget!

"-the budget process must be restarted!

-Democratic supervision over the Union!

"-may dismiss the Commission by adopting a motion of censure!

"-day to day management of EU policies!

"-the President of the Council reports to the Parliament!

C. The European Commission!

-one commissioner by each member state!

-members appointed for a five-year term (agreement btw members)!

-approval by the European Parliament!

-the Parliament may pass a motion of censure!

• Uphold the common interest!

• Ensure that regulations and directives are being implemented!

• May take to the Court of Justice to comply with EU law!

• Wide powers to manage the EU’s common policies (and budget): ! research and technology, regional development, etc.!

D. Other institutions and bodies!

The Court of Justice: one judge from each country assisted by 8 advocates- ! general. To ensure (i) EU law is complied with; (ii) Treaties are correctly! interpreted and applied.!

The Court of Auditors: one member from each country. Checks the budget! is managed correctly.!

The Committee of the Regions: representatives of regional and local ! government. The Council and Commission must consult the CoR on matters ! of relevance to the regions. !

The European Central Bank: manages the euro and the EU’s monetary policy. !