The European Union

1. The European Union

2. Stages in the Development of the European Union • The European Coal and Steel Community • European Economic Community • EURATOM • European Community • European Union

3. ECSC • 1951, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up, with six members: Belgium, West Germany, Luxembourg, France, Italy and the Netherlands. • The power to take decisions about the coal and steel industries in these countries was placed in the hands of an independent body called the "High Authority".

4. EEC • In 1957 Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands signed the Treaty of Rome to form the European Economic Community (EEC) • The aim was to create a single common market.

5. EURATOM In 1957 the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) was also created by the six countries with the aim of co-operating in atomic energy.

6. The European Community • In 1967 the EEC, ECSC and EURATOM were merged together under the EEC • In 1993 the European Economic Community became the European Community when the Treaty on European Union (the Maastricht Treaty) came into force.

7. The European Union • To complicate matters even further the Maastricht Treaty named the EEC the European Union when it is dealing with these foundations for greater political Union. • So the EEC had two new names: the European Community (for when it deals with economic matters) and the European Union (when it deals with wider political issues).

8. To Complicate Matters Further… • Technically when the European Union deals with some matters it should be known as the European Communities!

9. European Union • The European Union is the more widely used name. • When dealing with European law, it is technically correct to refer to ‘European Community law’ rather than ‘European Union law’. However, many people just refer to European Union law.

10. Membership • The United Kingdom joined in 1973 • There are currently 27 members of the European Union/European Community/European Communities

11. The Treaties • There have been a number of important Treaties that set up the European Union • The Treaties are sometimes referred to by the name of the city in which they were signed. • The Treaties are often used together to form a type of constitution for the European Union.

12. Main Founding Treaties • The two main founding Treaties are: • The Treaty of Rome 1957 (since 1993 this tends to be referred to as the European Community Treaty or EC Treaty) • The Treaty on the European Union (Maastricht Treaty) 1993.

13. Other Treaties • Other Treaties have also had far-reaching reforms and introduced major institutional changes • Some of the most important ones are: • The Merger Treaty 1967 • The Single European Act 1987 • The Amsterdam Treaty 1997 • The Treaty of Nice 2003.

14. Main Institutions The main institutions of the European Union are: • The European Parliament • The Council of the European Union • The European Commission • The Court of Justice • The Court of Auditors.

15. Important Institutions In addition there are number of other important institutions such as: • The European Central Bank • Economic and Social Committee • The Committee of the Regions • The European Investment Bank

16. The European Parliament • Since 2007 there have been 785 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who are elected by the voters in each Member State. • MEPs are elected every five years by direct universal suffrage

17. European Parliament • The number of MEPs a Member State elects depends on the size of its population. • For instance, Germany with the largest population has 99 MEPs while Malta with a small population has only 5.

18. European Parliament • The European Parliament works in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. • Plenary sessions (where all MEPs attend) are held in Strasbourg, the Parliament's seat. • Parliamentary committee meetings and any additional plenary sessions are held in Brussels, whilst the General Secretariat is in Luxembourg.

19. Functions of the European Parliament • It shares with the Council the power to legislate, i.e. to make European laws. • It shares budgetary authority with the Council, and can therefore influence EU spending. It has the power to reject or adopt the budget. • It exercises some limited supervision over the Commission.

20. The Council • The Council is the EU’s main decision-making body. • One minister from each member state attends depending on the agenda. For instance, if budgetary matters are being discussed then the finance minister from each Member State will sit.

21. Functions of the Council • It is the European Union's main legislative body; • It coordinates the economic policies of the Member States; • Makes international agreements on behalf of the EU;

22. Functions of the Council • It shares budgetary authority with the Parliament; • It takes most of the decisions involving the common foreign and security policy and coordinating member states’ police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters.

23. The Council • Each country takes it in turn to be President of the Council for 6 months. • Periodically the presidents and/or prime ministers of the member states, together with the President of the European Commission, meet as the “European Council”.

24. The Commission • The European Commission is responsible for upholding the general interests of the Union. • The President and Members of the Commission are appointed by the Member States after they have been approved by the European Parliament.

25. The Commission • The members of the Commission are known as Commissioners. There is one Commissioner appointed from each member state. • The Commission is responsible for ensuring that the Union’s policies are carried out.

26. The Commission’s Main Duties • It has the right to draft legislation and present legislative proposals to Parliament and the Council; • It is responsible for implementing the European legislation, budget and policies that have been adopted by Parliament and the Council;

27. The Commission’s Main Duties • It guards the Treaties and, with the Court of Justice, ensures that Community law is properly applied; • It represents the European Union internationally and negotiates international agreements, mainly in the field of trade and cooperation.

28. The Court of Justice • The Court of Justice ensures that European Law is correctly interpreted and upheld. • It has 27 judges. • The Court of Justice is assisted by the Court of First Instance whose main task is to deal with actions brought by individuals against decisions of the Community institutions.

29. Court of Justice: Advocates General • The Court is assisted by eight ‘advocates-general’. • Their role is to present reasoned opinions on the cases brought before the Court.

30. Court of Justice: Duties Two important duties of the Court of Justice are: • Adjudicating in actions against member states for their failure to fulfil Treaty obligations; and • Giving preliminary rulings on European Law in cases sent to it by a domestic court in a member state

31. Actions for failure to fulfil Treaty obligations. • These actions are brought by the Commission against a Member State or by a Member State against another Member State. • The grounds of the action are that one of the member states has failed to fulfil its obligations under the Treaties.

32. Preliminary rulings on EC law • The Court can be asked by a national court to provide an interpretation of Community law. • The Court will provide a ruling which the national court can use to decide a case.

33. The Court of Auditors • The Court of Auditors checks the financial management of the European Union • The Court of Auditors regularly finds that the European Union’s financial management is very poor.

34. The European Central Bank This is responsible for framing and implementing European monetary policy, conducting foreign exchange operations and ensuring the operation of payment systems.

35. The European Economic and Social Committee • It represents the views of different social and economic groups in the European Union. • It has to be consulted on matters relating to economic and social policy. • It may issue opinions on its own initiative on other matters which it considers to be important.

36. The Committee of the Regions • It ensures that regional and local identities and rights are respected. • It has to be consulted on matters concerning regional policy, the environment and education.

37. The Committee of the Regions • It is composed of representatives of regional and local authorities. • For instance, Wales and Scotland are regions of the European Union and as such a representative from the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament sit on the Committee of Regions.

38. The European Investment Bank This finances investment projects important to the development of the European Union.

39. Making European Law There are three main procedures which govern the making of European law: • Codecision procedure; • Assent procedure; • Consultation procedure.

40. Making European Law • The first stage begins with a proposal from the European Commission. • The final stage in all procedures is ultimately with the Council of Ministers. • No European law can be made without the approval of the Council.

41. The Codecision Procedure • This provides for two successive readings, by Parliament and the Council, of a Commission proposal. • If the Council and the Parliament cannot agree then a "conciliation committee" is established to reach an agreement.

42. The Codecision Procedure • This agreement is then submitted to Parliament and the Council for a third reading with a view to its final adoption. • The conciliation committee is composed of Council and Parliament representatives (plus a Commission representative).

43. Some Areas Covered by the Codecision Procedure • The right to move and reside • The free movement of workers • Social security for migrant workers • Transport • The internal market • Employment • Equal opportunities and equal treatment • Education

44. The Assent Procedure • The assent procedure was introduced by the Single European Act (1986). • It means that the Council has to obtain the European Parliament's assent before certain very important decisions are taken. • Parliament can accept or reject a proposal but cannot amend it.

45. Some Areas Covered by the Assent Procedure • Specific tasks of the European Central Bank • The electoral procedure for the European Parliament • Certain international agreements • The accession of new member states

46. The Consultation Procedure • The opinion of the European Parliament is sought by the Commission. • When the Commission has received this opinion, it can amend its proposal accordingly. • The proposal is then examined by the Council, which can adopt it as it is or amend it first.

47. Consultation Procedure • However, if the Council decides to reject the Commission proposal, this must be a unanimous decision.

48. Some areas covered by the Consultation Procedure • Revision of the Treaties • Discrimination on grounds of sex, race or ethnic origin, religion or political conviction, disability, age or sexual orientation • EU citizenship • Agriculture • Visas, asylum, immigration and other policies associated with the free movement of persons.

49. Essay Question (a) Outline the work of the main institutions of the European Union. [12] (b) Evaluate the legislative powers of the European Parliament. [13] Total 25 marks.