Summary European Law 1

Chapter 1 – Introduction

Why the European Union?
 Peace
 Safety & security
 Economic & social solidarity
 Working more closely together to promote the European model of society

Timeline
Yea
r Name Achievement
195 European Coal and Steel Community and ECSC Treaty (expired in July
1 Treaty of Paris 2002)
195 Establishing 1. EEC (renamed EC in 1992) and 2. the European Atomic
7 Treaty of Rome Energy Community (EURATOM)
198 Single European
6 Act Single market
199 Treaty of
2 Maastricht European Union Treaty (EU) Euro
199 Treaty of
7 Amsterdam renumbering treaties, institutional reform & amendments
200
1 Treaty of Nice Institutional reform, amendments
200
9 Treaty of Lisbon Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)

Member states:
 Original members: Belgium Netherlands Luxemburg, Italy, France and
Germany.
 1973: UK, Denmark, Ireland.
 1981: Greece.
 1986: Portugal and Spain.
 1995: Austria, Finland and Sweden.
 2004: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland,
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Cyprus, Malta and Slovenia.
 2007: Bulgaria and Rumania.
27 countries

Stages of economic cooperation:
Free trade area -> all customs duties and quotas between a number of
countries are removed. BUT: countries keep their own duties and quotas towards
third countries;
Customs union -> free trade area plus an agreement by all members of the
area to impose a common level of duty on goods coming into the area from non-
member countries;
Common market -> customs union plus an agreement by all members to
remove restrictions on factors of production, e.g. labour, capital, materials etc. ->
free movement of goods, persons, services and capital. Common market is

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,similar term to single market, but certain restrictions on the factors of production
continue to exist;
Economic and monetary union -> common market plus unified monetary and
fiscal policies.




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, Cases:
ERTA case: once community measures have been taken in a particular area,
member states can no longer act independently. Safeguard for uniform
application of Community law.
Van Duyn case (Scientology Church): in certain circumstances an individual can
rely on community directives in national courts.
Simmenthal II (beef): Community law is supreme; national legislation which
conflicts with it must be disapplied.
Roquette Frères: legislation enacted by the Council without consulting the
Parliament where required is invalid.

Treaties:
Treaty of Maastricht – 1992:
 Change of name: European Economic Community becomes European
Community.
 Exclusive powers of EU
 Concept of EU citizenship established → restatement of existing rights: free
movement of workers; and of practices: diplomatic protection; grant of new
rights: participation in elections, petitioning the Parliament.
 Economic and social cohesion

Treaty of Amsterdam - 1997
 Asylum (asiel) policy and immigration policy moved from the TOA into the EC
Treaty itself.
 Renumbering of the EC and EU treaties
 Institutional reform:
 Reform of the co-decision procedure
 Extension of the co-decision procedure, giving equal rights of decision-making
to the Parliament and the Council in most areas.
 Extension of QMV.
 closer cooperation (see art. 43-45 EU Treaty; art. 11 EC Treaty)
 closer police and judicial co-operation

Treaty of Nice - 2001
 Reforms of the number of Commissioners
 Extension and reweighting of QMV
 Reforms to the Parliament
 Reforms to the procedures of the ECJ
 Extension of the jurisdiction of the CFI
 Reforms to the Court of Auditors
 Extension of co-decision
 Alterations to the locus standi of the Parliament under art. 230.
 Introduction of a social protection committee
 Amendments to closer co-operation



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