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European Integration and Institutions

European Integration and Institutions. Part One. The European Communities. The European Community - set up to bring peace, stability and prosperity for its citizens, and to end wars which culminated in the Second World War.

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European Integration and Institutions

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  1. European IntegrationandInstitutions Part One

  2. The European Communities • The European Community - set up to bring peace, stability and prosperity for its citizens, and to end wars which culminated in the Second World War. 1951Treatyof Paris: European Coal and Steel Community began to unite European countries economically and politically in order to secure lasting peace. 6founding states:France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium,Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

  3. Fromthe Schuman Declaration (9 May 1950) • The gathering of the nations of Europe demands the elimination of the age-old antagonism of France and Germany. The first concern of any action undertaken must involve these two countries. • With this objective in mind, the French government proposes to direct its action on one limited but decisive point: • The French government proposes to place Franco-German production of coal and steel under one common High Authority in an organisation open to the participation of other countries of Europe.

  4. Fromthe Schuman Declaration (9 May 1950) • The pooling of coal and steel production will immediately assure the establishment of common bases for economic development as a first step for the European Federation. It will change the destiny of regions that have long been devoted to manufacturing munitions of war, of which they have been most constantly the victims. • This merging of our interests in coal and steel production and our joint action will make it plain that any war between France and Germany becomes not only unthinkable but materially impossible. The establishment of this powerful unity for production, open to all countries willing to take part, and eventually capable of providing all the member countries with the basic elements of industrial production on the same terms, will cast the real foundation for their economic unification.

  5. Historicalbackground • Under the Monnet Plan, France attempted to gain economic control of the German industrial areas with large coal and mineral deposits that were not in Soviet hands: theRuhr and the Saar area. • Attempts to gain control of or permanently internationalize the Ruhr area (see International Authority for theRuhr) were abandoned in 1951 with the German agreement to pool its coal and steel resources in return for full political control of the Ruhr

  6. The European Communities: European EconomicCommunity 1957Treaty of Rome, ortheTreaty Establishing the European Economic Community Itproposed the progressive reduction ofcustomsdutiesand the establishment of a customs union. It proposed to create a single market for goods, labour, services, and capital across the EEC's member states. It also proposed the creation of a Common Agriculture Policy, a Common Transport Policy and a European Social Fund, and established the European Commission.

  7. European Communities: Euratom • The Treaty Establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, for the purpose of developing peaceful applications of atomic energy, was signed by the same countries on the same day, and therefore the two treaties together are often called the Treaties of Rome.

  8. European Communities: Euratom 1957 the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) was established by the Euratom Treaty. Although all other European postwar communities merged into the European Economic Community (EEC) and then the European Union (EU),Euratom has maintained its legally distinct nature. It has the same membership, and is governed by many of the EU's institutions but is the only remaining community organization that is independent from the European Union and therefore outside the regulatory control of the European Parliament

  9. The first enlargements • 1973 Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom joined the European Communities • The European Parliament increased its influence in EU affairs and in 1979 all citizens could, for the first time, elect their members directly. • In 1981, Greece became the 10th member of the EU, and Spain and Portugal followed five years later.

  10. The Single European Act • 1986 the Single European Act was signed, as the first major revision of the Treaty of Rome of 1957. • It provided the basis for a six-year programme aimed at resolving the problems with the free flow of trade across EEC borders, thus creating the ‘Single Market’. • Itdealt with institutional reform, including extension of community powers – in particular in regarding foreign policy. • It was a major component in completing the single market and came into force on 1 July 1987

  11. Commonmarket- Single market - Internalmarket • The "Common market" usually refers to the European Economic Community (EEC) that was created with the Treaty of Rome (1957). A common market is essentially a first step towards a single market • While the common market was launched in 1957, the realization of a single market was only achieved in 1992-1993 • The creation of a single market requires the free movement of goods, people, capital and services • The LisbonTreaty (2009) refers only to „internalmarket".

  12. The changing face of Europe – the fall of the Berlin Wall • 9 Nov.1989, the Berlin Wall was pulled down and the border between East and West Germany was opened for the first time in 28 years, which led to the reunification of East and West Germany in October 1990. • With the collapse of Communism across Central and Eastern Europe, Europeans became closer neighbours. • In 1993 the single market was completed with the 'four freedoms' of movement of goods, services, people and capital.

  13. The Treaty of Maastricht • The Treaty of Maastricht (also known as the Treaty on European Union) was signed on 7 February 1992 and it came into force in 1993. • The Treaty established the European Union, gave Parliament more say in decision-making, and added new policy areas of cooperation: European citizenship, a common foreign and security policy; a closer cooperation between police and the judiciary in criminal matters; the foundations for a single currency:the euro.

  14. TheTreatyofMaastricht • The treaty founded the European Union and established its pillar structure which stayed in place until the Lisbon Treaty came into force in 2009. • The treaty also greatly expanded the competences of the EEC/EU and led to the creation of the single European currency, the euro

  15. Pillarstructure • The European Communities pillar handled economic, social and environmental policies. It comprised the European Community (EC), the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC, until its expiry in 2002), and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM). • The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) pillar took care of foreign policy and military matters. • Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PJCCM) brought together co-operation in the fight against crime. This pillar was originally named Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)

  16. Further enlargements and the Schengen agreements • . • 1985 the ‘Schengen’ agreements that gradually allowed people to travel without having their passports checked at the borders. • The Schengen Area operates very much like a single state for international travel purposes with external border controls for travellers entering and exiting the area, and common visas, but with no internal border controls. It currently consists of 26 European countries • 1995 three new members: Austria, Finland and Sweden

  17. Euro • The euro was launched on 1 January 1999, when it became the currency of more than 300 million people in Europe. • For the first three years it was an “invisible currency”, only used for accounting purposes, e.g. in electronic payments. • Euro cash was not introduced until 1 January 2002, when it replaced, at fixed conversion rates, the banknotes and coins of the national currencies like the Belgian franc and the Deutsche Mark.

  18. Treatyof Amsterdam (1997) • Under the Treaty of Amsterdam, member states agreed to transfer certain powers from national governments to the European Parliament across diverse areas, including: • legislating on immigration, • adopting civil and criminal laws, • enacting foreign and security policy (CFSP), as well as • implementing institutional changes for expansion as new member nations join the EU.

  19. Treatyof Nice (2001) • It amended the Maastricht Treaty and the Treaty of Rome • The Treaty of Nice reformed the institutional structure of the EU to withstand eastward expansion, a task which was originally intended to have been done by the Amsterdam Treaty, but failed to be addressed at the time.

  20. Further expansion • 2004: 10new countries (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia) joined the EU • 2007 Bulgariaand Romania. • In 2013, Croatia became the 28th member of the EU.

  21. The Treaty of Lisbon (2009) • The Treaty of Lisbon was ratified by all EU countries andenteredinto force in 2009. • Its purpose was to make the EU more democratic, more efficient and better able to address global problems, such as climate change. • The Treaty of Lisbon is divided into two parts: the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

  22. TheTreatyofLisbon • The TEU sets out the general provisions governing the European Union. • It also sets out the overall provisions of the EU's external relations. • The TFEU sets out the specific objectives of the EU's various policies. • It provided the EU with modern institutions and more efficient working methods and clarified which powers belong to the EU, which belong to EU member countries, and which are shared.

  23. Summary: theTreaties • 1951 Treatyof Paris establishing European Coaland Steel Community • 1957 Treatyof Rome establishing European EconomicCommunity • 1957 Euratom • 1986 the Single European Act. • 1992 TreatyofMaastrichtestablishingthe European Union • 1997 Treatyof Amsterdam • 2001 Treatyof Nice • 2009 TreatyofLisbon: Treaty on the European Union andTreaty on theFunctioningofthe European Union

  24. Summary: Enlargements • 1973 (UK, Ireland andDenmark) • 1981 (Greece) • 1986 (Portugal and Spain) • 1995 (Austria, FinlandandSweden) • 2004 (Latvia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Malta, Slovenia, Slovakia, Estonia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland) • 2007 (BulgariaandRomania) • 2013: (Croatia)

  25. II Read the text carefully and answer the following questions: • Why was the European Coal and Steel Community established? • Which were the founding states? • How was the European Economic Community established? • What are the ‘four freedoms’? • What is the significance of the Treaty of Maastricht? • What was the purpose of the Treaty of Lisbon?

  26. Supplytheappropriatelegalterms • A formallyconcludedandratifiedwrittenagreementbetweentwoor more statesorinternationalorganizationswithtreaty-makingcapacity. • Treaty • To signorgiveformalconsent to a treatyorinternationalagreement, makingitofficiallyvalid • To ratify

  27. III Complete the table with the information from the text:

  28. Complete the phrases with thefollowingverbs.Multiple matches are possible:address, secure, ratify, elect, sign, join, sortout, open,establish, bring • 1. to ________________ peace • 2. to _______________ members of Parliament • 3. to ________________ a treaty • 4. to ________________ problems • 5. to ________________ the borders • 6. to ________________ the EU

  29. V Match the following words:

  30. VI Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words:external, efficient, modern, general, specific, global • The purpose of the Treaty of Lisbon was to make the EU more democratic and better able to address ____________ problems. The Treaty on European Union sets out the _______________ provisions governing the European Union. It also sets out the overall provisions of the EU's __________ relations. The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union sets out the __________ objectives of the EU's various policies. It provided the EU with _____________ institutions and more _____________ working methods.

  31. Institutions of the European Union • Who canbecome a memberof European Parliament? • Which EU institutions make decisions on the EU level?

  32. Introduction • EU -a unique political entity, whose sovereign member countries pool authority in key areas of government in order to reach shared goals. • Every national of a member country is also an EU citizen, giving them the right to participate in the democratic life of the Union. • Similar to a state, the EU has a legislative branch (Parliament + Council), executive branch (Commission) and independent judiciary (Court of Justice). • The powers of the EU institutions have been laid down by the founding treaties negotiated and ratified by member countries. • In policy areas not covered by the treaties, national governments are free to exercise their own sovereignty.

  33. Maininstitutions • There are 3 institutions responsible for making policy and taking decisions: • the European Parliament • the Council of the European Union • the European Commission.

  34. European Parliament • European Parliament was set up to represent EU citizens directly. • Its powers- extended through successive changes to the EU's basic treaties. • It was first directly elected by EU citizens in 1979. • The current Parliament was elected for 5 years in May 2014 and has 751 MEPs from all 28 countries.

  35. European Parliament • Parliament’s principal function is to adopt, jointly with the Council, draft legislation put forward by the Commission. • Another function is control and approval of the EU budget. • Parliament also exercises democratic supervision of the Commission, which includes the power to dismiss the Commissioners through a vote of censure.

  36. Council of the European Union • It is the voice of national governments, where ministers from each country meet several times a month. • It has both a legislative function, which it shares with Parliament, and an executive function, which it shares with the Commission. • Relevant ministers meet to discuss and decide specific policy on external (foreign) relations, economic & financial affairs, transport, energy, agriculture, etc. • It is commonly called the Council of Ministers, or just 'the Council'. • Most decisions are taken by qualified majority vote, although numerous issues in areas like taxation, asylum or immigration, as well as foreign & security policy require unanimity.

  37. European Council • Heads of state or government from EU member countries meet at least 4 times a year in the form of the European Council. • The Council President can convene additional meetings as and when required. • Meetings are intended to provide impetus and define political priorities. • Decisions are usually taken by consensus. • The Council – essentially a summit meeting – acquired the status of an EU institution, together with an elected president, under the Lisbon Treaty.

  38. European Commission • The Commission is independent of national governments, and represents the interests of the EU as a whole. • It has four essential functions: • proposing EU policies & legislation • ensuring the terms of EU treaties and laws are respected (‘guardian of the treaties’) • managing & implementing EU policies and the budget • representing the EU around the world in matters falling under the Commission's responsibility

  39. European Commission • A new set of Commissioners is appointed every 5 years, following the European elections. • The Commission President is elected by the Parliament, based on a proposal from the European Council. • Commissioners – currently one from each country, including the President and Vice Presidents – are vetted by Parliament before taking office.

  40. The Court of Justice of the European Union • The Court of Justice of the European Union (formerly the European Court of Justice) makes sure EU legislation is interpreted and applied in the same way in all member countries. • The Court can also rule in legal disputes involving EU countries, EU institutions, businesses or individuals. • It is located in Luxembourg and made up of judges from all EU countries.

  41. Other institutions and bodies • European Central Bank – based in Frankfurt, runs monetary policy for the eurozone. • Court of Auditors – checks the EU budget (funded by a combination of tax and customs duties) is spent correctly. • European External Action Service – the EU's foreign and security policy service, headed by the High Representative. • European Economic and Social Committee andCommittee of the Regions – consultative bodies in Brussels that represent employers, trade unions, civil society, and local and regional government.

  42. Otherinstitutionsandbodies • European Investment Bank – based in Luxembourg, funds projects in the EU's poorer regions and helps small and medium-sized businesses. • European Ombudsman – investigates complaints about maladministration in EU institutions from citizens, businesses and other bodies. • European Data Protection Supervisor – ensures that when any EU institution or body processes citizens' personal data, it respects their right to privacy.

  43. Summary • EU legislative branch: ParliamentandCouncilofthe EU • Executivebranch: theCommission • Judicialbranch: Court ofJusticeofthe EU

  44. Findthetermsmatchingthefollowingdefinitions: • The supreme and unrestricted power by which any autonomous state is governed and from which all political powers are derived. • Sovereignty • 1. The act or process of making laws; 2. The power to make laws; 3. Preparation and enactment of law; 4. Laws enacted by a lawmaking body: • Legislation

  45. Findthetermsmatchingthefollowingdefinitions: • A voting process in which members of a parliament show that they consider the government is responsible for something bad that has happened • Voteofcensure • General agreement • Consensus • An important formal meeting between leaders of governments from two or more countries. • summit

  46. Findthetermsmatchingthefollowingdefinitions: • One of the two main1 methods of voting in the Council of the EUwhereeach Member State is allocated a number of votes based on the size of its population • Qualifiedmajorityvote • Make a careful and critical examination of (something); investigate (someone) thoroughly, especially in order to ensure that they are suitable for a job requiring secrecy, loyalty, or trustworthiness: • vet

  47. Findthetermsmatchingthefollowingdefinitions: • 1. A conflict or controversy; 2. A conflict of claims or rights; 3. An assertion of a right, claim, or demand on one side, met by contrary claims or allegations of the other; 4. The subject of litigation; the matter for which a lawsuit is brought. • Dispute • The economic region formed by those member countries of the European Union that have adopted the euro. • eurozone

  48. Findthetermsmatchingthefollowingdefinitions: • An organization whose membership consists of workers and union leaders, united to protect and promote their common interests • Tradeunion • An independent official appointed by governments or organizations (e.g. the EU) to receive and investigate complaints from private citizens • Ombudsman

  49. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

  50. III Match the verbs in the left column with the nouns in the right column:

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