The European Union

1. The European Union

2. The European Union • Key Dates • April 1948 Brussels Pact creates NATO • May 1950 – Schuman & Monnet propose French & German place coal & steel under common authority • April 1951 – Treaty of Paris adds to “Inner Six” to form ECSC, very complex treaties (130 articles) • May 1952 – EDC treaty signed, France takes the lead (Plevin Plan) • August 1952 – High Authority (9 mbr board) meets for the 1st time (Monnet in charge)

3. The European Union • Key Motivations: • Pastoralize Germany – Morgenthau Plan, rejected by Truman at Potsdam • Integrate Germany • Create an independent Germany, Adenaur • Deter the USSR

4. The European Union • Key Dates: (cont) • May 1954 - French proposal for EPC of Inner Six • August 1954 – French National Assembly defeats EDC pact • October 1954 – FRG enters NATO • June 1955 – Messina conf of foreign ministers proposes further economic integration of Europe • March 1957 – 2 treaties in Rome create EEC and EURATOM beside ECSC • 1963 – Degaulle vetoes British admission

5. The European Union • Key Dates: (cont) • 1965 – Merger Treaty (Single commission) • 1966 - Luxembourg Compromise • 1968 – The Six members create industrial customs union removing most internal tariffs and a common external tariff (2 years ahead of schedule) • 1968 – Common Agricultural Policy established, six years in negotiation • 1979 – Direct elections for European Parliament

6. The European Union Enlargement • 1957: The Inner Six: France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg • 1973: UK, Ireland, Denmark, Norway rejects membership • 1981: Greece • 1984: Spain, Portugal • 1995: Austria, Finland, Sweden • 2004-2007: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania • Negotiations with: Turkey, Croatia & Macedonia

7. Integration • 1969 – Hague summit agreement on EMU (“Snake in the tunnel”) • 1977 – EMS replaces EMU • 1985 – Cockfield White Paper • 1987 – Single European Act: to complete a single market by Dec 1992 • 1992 – Maastricht Treaty establishes European Union (EU)

8. EU Institutions • The Commission • The Council of Ministers • The European Council • The European Parliament • The European Court of Justice

9. EU Institutions • The European Commission • Supranational executive body with exclusive power to initiate legislation & administer the budget • 27 member board (formerly two members from the five largest states) • Serve 5-year renewable terms approved by the Parliament • Supervise the 20k “Eurocrats”

10. EU Institutions • The Council of Ministers/European Council • 27 heads of government or their pertinent ministers who set EU policy • Nominates Commission president • Meets 4 times per year • Presidency rotates every 6 months • Uses qualified majority voting, some issues still have to be unanimous

11. EU Institutions • The European Parliament • Directly elected by the European voters to meet in Strasbourg • 785 MEPs elected for 5-year terms in rough proportion to country population • Approves budget and has “co-decision” on legislation • Can dissolve entire Commission

12. EU Institutions • The European Court of Justice • Supreme court for EU matters (not criminal justice) • One judge per country • Vote by simple majority • European Investment Bank World’s largest multilateral borrower

13. Current EU Problems • Democratic Deficit • The Danish alternative • The failure of the Constitution • The CAP • Foreign and Security Policy • Further enlargement (Turkey?)