Summary Challenges to European Governance Exam A
Nugent chapters 2 till 14 and Nugent chapters 17 till 19 and Nugent chapter 24 & 25
Chapter 2 – Post War Europe
World Wars
• Different religion, language, political systems, and economy divided much of Europe
(1500s/1600s). Before WW1 there was protectionism, imperialism, and Franco-
German enmity.
• During the interbellum period, parliamentary democracy was under threat,
economies were weak but European cooperation was rising (League of Nations).
• The Second World War greatly impacted the Western European state system and
united them in a common interest in the threats of nationalism, new US influence,
Soviet power, and the future of Germany, along with the economic benefits that
were greatly needed after the two world wars. Prior organisations like the League of
Nations and the Council of Europe tended to be ineffective in decision making since
they were intergovernmental and required unanimous decision making.
Post War
• Post war Europe has two spheres of influence: Western Europe and the USA (NATO)
and Eastern Europe and Russia (Warsaw Pact).
• Integration was popular among Western states because of its economic benefits, the
chance to become a larger power, combatting communism (with NATO) and for
Germany, for status reasons. Cooperation was focussed on the debate between
supranationalism and intergovernmentalism.
• Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman founded the European Coal and Steel Community
in 1951 with the Schuman declaration to found Franco-German cooperation and give
sovereignty to a supranational actor for peace. ECSC established common coal and
steel production, no import and export duties and state support. The main
institutions were the High Authority (EC), Common Assembly (EP), Court of Justice
and the Council of Ministers.
1
, The EU is:
NOT a state and NOT an international organization BUT…
The EU has a unique structure which places it somewhere between the USA and the
United Nations
It’s all in the Treaties
Every action taken by the EU is based on Treaties which are signed voluntarily by ALL
member states
National vs. Common interest
The EU is a constant power struggle between the national interest of member states and
the common EU interest
Chapter 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 – Integration
The ECSC foreign ministers made a proposal for further economic
integration and in 1956 they accepted a proposal by the Spaak
Committee (led by Henri Spaak) and the Treaty of Rome was formed
establishing the European Economic Community and Euratom in
1957. Euratom created a common market for nuclear energy and the
EEC formed a free trade area, customs union, prohibition of distortion
of competition and goal of common market.
• The institutions of the EEC were The Commission (replaced the
High Authority), The Council of Ministers, The Assembly (as of
1962 the European Parliament) and The Court of Justice (the
law must be observed for the interpretation and observation
of the treaties)
Deepening of integration is between member states so development of treaties and
policies. This caused more democracy with more power to the EP, more efficiency so no
more unanimity and the establishment of the European Council with an agenda-setting role.
When the EU was formed, countries discussed more issues of soft politics as opposed to
hard politics and cooperation deepened. Now, the EU is highly interdependent since most
trade takes place within the EU and monetary power is largely held in Germany.
• Because of a democratic deficit, the Single European Act of 1986 provided more
political cooperation. The Maastricht Treaty created the 3 pillars and laid out a
timetable for a single currency and also extended QMV in the Council and the co-
decision procedure.
• The Lisbon treaty was originally disregarded because it was referred to as a
constitution and member states were unhappy with this. A couple years later it was
signed and only initially rejected by Irish voters in a referendum.
• Since the founding treaties, several changes of power took place. The Council has
gained more responsibility in proposing policies, the Court had a lot of impact with
its judgments, the EP has gotten more influence. Also, more participants have
2
Nugent chapters 2 till 14 and Nugent chapters 17 till 19 and Nugent chapter 24 & 25
Chapter 2 – Post War Europe
World Wars
• Different religion, language, political systems, and economy divided much of Europe
(1500s/1600s). Before WW1 there was protectionism, imperialism, and Franco-
German enmity.
• During the interbellum period, parliamentary democracy was under threat,
economies were weak but European cooperation was rising (League of Nations).
• The Second World War greatly impacted the Western European state system and
united them in a common interest in the threats of nationalism, new US influence,
Soviet power, and the future of Germany, along with the economic benefits that
were greatly needed after the two world wars. Prior organisations like the League of
Nations and the Council of Europe tended to be ineffective in decision making since
they were intergovernmental and required unanimous decision making.
Post War
• Post war Europe has two spheres of influence: Western Europe and the USA (NATO)
and Eastern Europe and Russia (Warsaw Pact).
• Integration was popular among Western states because of its economic benefits, the
chance to become a larger power, combatting communism (with NATO) and for
Germany, for status reasons. Cooperation was focussed on the debate between
supranationalism and intergovernmentalism.
• Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman founded the European Coal and Steel Community
in 1951 with the Schuman declaration to found Franco-German cooperation and give
sovereignty to a supranational actor for peace. ECSC established common coal and
steel production, no import and export duties and state support. The main
institutions were the High Authority (EC), Common Assembly (EP), Court of Justice
and the Council of Ministers.
1
, The EU is:
NOT a state and NOT an international organization BUT…
The EU has a unique structure which places it somewhere between the USA and the
United Nations
It’s all in the Treaties
Every action taken by the EU is based on Treaties which are signed voluntarily by ALL
member states
National vs. Common interest
The EU is a constant power struggle between the national interest of member states and
the common EU interest
Chapter 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 – Integration
The ECSC foreign ministers made a proposal for further economic
integration and in 1956 they accepted a proposal by the Spaak
Committee (led by Henri Spaak) and the Treaty of Rome was formed
establishing the European Economic Community and Euratom in
1957. Euratom created a common market for nuclear energy and the
EEC formed a free trade area, customs union, prohibition of distortion
of competition and goal of common market.
• The institutions of the EEC were The Commission (replaced the
High Authority), The Council of Ministers, The Assembly (as of
1962 the European Parliament) and The Court of Justice (the
law must be observed for the interpretation and observation
of the treaties)
Deepening of integration is between member states so development of treaties and
policies. This caused more democracy with more power to the EP, more efficiency so no
more unanimity and the establishment of the European Council with an agenda-setting role.
When the EU was formed, countries discussed more issues of soft politics as opposed to
hard politics and cooperation deepened. Now, the EU is highly interdependent since most
trade takes place within the EU and monetary power is largely held in Germany.
• Because of a democratic deficit, the Single European Act of 1986 provided more
political cooperation. The Maastricht Treaty created the 3 pillars and laid out a
timetable for a single currency and also extended QMV in the Council and the co-
decision procedure.
• The Lisbon treaty was originally disregarded because it was referred to as a
constitution and member states were unhappy with this. A couple years later it was
signed and only initially rejected by Irish voters in a referendum.
• Since the founding treaties, several changes of power took place. The Council has
gained more responsibility in proposing policies, the Court had a lot of impact with
its judgments, the EP has gotten more influence. Also, more participants have
2
