ECPO 204: EU TEST 2 UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. Council of Ministers
Answer:
• voice of EU member MS
• Govt ministers from each EU MS and selected policy areas
• the Council of EU is: Discussion, amendment, adoption of laws, and coordination of policies
• Its decisions commit MS governments
• Together with the EP, the council translates the proposals from the Commission into decisions
-> DIFFERENT councils for specific issues (foreign affairs, economic and financial affairs...)
Question:
2. Who does the council of Ministers vs the parliament vs the commission represent
Answer:
The parliament represents the people Council of EU (ministers) represents the government Commission
represents the EU and the guardian of the treaty
Question:
3. Powers of the Council of Ministers
Answer:
• Negotiates and adopts EU laws, together with ’ the EP
• Based on proposals from ’ the EC
• Coordinates EU countries' policies on all issues
• Develops EU's foreign & security policy, based on guidelines set by the European Council (heads of
govt)
• Adopts the annual budget of the EU with the EP
Question:
4. Different configurations of the Council Meetings
Answer:
• 10 different configurations; depending on the area of expertise MS govt send their minister (Ex: fisheries
problem send agriculture and fisheries minister to sit at the AgriFish council)
• Meetings chaired by minister of the MS holding the rotating Pres (Foreign affairs council has permanent
chair)
• EC Commissioners responsible for the concerned areas take part (no vote) Ex: Economic and financial
affairs (EcoFin Council) has finance ministers Ex: Meeting on the Euro only countries that have the Euro
meet
Question:
5. Presidency of the Council of Ministers
,Answer:
• Each member country will be president (reside) for 6 months
• President: 6 month rotating basis
• MS holding the Presidency work in terms of three, 'trios'
• Trios set long-term goals and prepare a common agenda that will be addressed by the council over an
18th month long period
Question:
6. Voting procedures of the Council of Ministers
Answer:
• To pass, decisions usually require QMV
- 55% of countries, representing at least 65% of total EU population
- majority of leg passed this was
• To block a decision: at least 4 countries representing at least 35% of EU population
• Exceptions: topics like foreign policy and taxation require a unanimous vote (all countries in favor) ==>
THEMES: Community method vs intergovernmental method
• Simple majority is required for procedural & administrative issues (15 votes for non-legislative)
Question:
7. Gender Balances in Public companies in the EU
Answer:
Question:
8. Why do states cooperate?
Answer:
1) State define their preferences
2) States bargain agreements
3) States create institutions to secure the outcomes Ò Liberal intergovernmentalism
- They corporate because its in their own interest
- Contrary to federalism and neo-functionalism, LI does not take the idea of the role of specific actors or
institutions (ex the European commission)
Question:
9. Who holds more power when bargaining?
Answer:
• Countries satisfied & least eager to strike a deal
- Ex: Germany: a big country thats very eager and has resources
- Ex: Ireland: a small country and is not eager as much
- The middle holds leverage b/c they have to be convinced to join
- dont stretch leverage too much b/c in next rounds of negotiations don't know who you need to convince
• Credible threat to veto proposals
• Withholding financial payments
• Forming alternative alliances excluding recalcitrant(uncooperative) govts
• Those who gain the most are those who compromise the most and vice versa
Question:
10. Liberal intergovernmentalism & the EU - assumptions
, Answer:
• States are the ACTORS: the EU like other intergovt institutions should be studied treating MS as the
actors in a context of anarchy
-> Negotiations are to reach state's objectives
• MS: masters of the treaties - enjoy pre-eminent decision-making power
Question:
11. Liberal intergovernmentalism - Critiques
Answer:
• LI works only on the issues where EU institutions have a small role - it cannot explain the board trend of
EU regional integration
- ex: LI works best when there is the unanimity requirement
• LI focus only at intergovernmental decision-making during treaty negotiations but a lot happens before
and after that Ò dependent on the historical periods the EU power shifts (now GER, ITAL, FRA are weak
so EU seems weak ’ very reactive towards U.S.)
Question:
12. The European Commission (EC)
Answer:
• Executive Arm
• Guider of treaties (guardian of treaties)
• One Member per country (b/c of treaty of Nice) Roles
• Proposes new EU legislation (adopted by EP and Council of Ministers but needs to be initiated by EC)
• Implements the decision of the EP and European Council
• Protects the interests of EU and its citizens on issues that can't be dealt with by MS
• Manages EU policies and allocated funding (sets spending priorities, defines annual budget, supervises
spending)
• Enforces EU Law
• Represents EU internationally
• In charge of strategic planning
• Collective decision making
Question:
13. The Power of the EC
Answer:
Agenda setting influence
• Frames the terms in which issues are considered (EP wants to talk about migration, can frame it as a
national security risk)
• By whom they are considered
• With what receptivity they are considered
• "Guardian of the treaties" vs MS
• Proposes laws to attain treaty objectives
Question:
14. Community method (EU Decisions process)
CORRECT ANSWERS
Question:
1. Council of Ministers
Answer:
• voice of EU member MS
• Govt ministers from each EU MS and selected policy areas
• the Council of EU is: Discussion, amendment, adoption of laws, and coordination of policies
• Its decisions commit MS governments
• Together with the EP, the council translates the proposals from the Commission into decisions
-> DIFFERENT councils for specific issues (foreign affairs, economic and financial affairs...)
Question:
2. Who does the council of Ministers vs the parliament vs the commission represent
Answer:
The parliament represents the people Council of EU (ministers) represents the government Commission
represents the EU and the guardian of the treaty
Question:
3. Powers of the Council of Ministers
Answer:
• Negotiates and adopts EU laws, together with ’ the EP
• Based on proposals from ’ the EC
• Coordinates EU countries' policies on all issues
• Develops EU's foreign & security policy, based on guidelines set by the European Council (heads of
govt)
• Adopts the annual budget of the EU with the EP
Question:
4. Different configurations of the Council Meetings
Answer:
• 10 different configurations; depending on the area of expertise MS govt send their minister (Ex: fisheries
problem send agriculture and fisheries minister to sit at the AgriFish council)
• Meetings chaired by minister of the MS holding the rotating Pres (Foreign affairs council has permanent
chair)
• EC Commissioners responsible for the concerned areas take part (no vote) Ex: Economic and financial
affairs (EcoFin Council) has finance ministers Ex: Meeting on the Euro only countries that have the Euro
meet
Question:
5. Presidency of the Council of Ministers
,Answer:
• Each member country will be president (reside) for 6 months
• President: 6 month rotating basis
• MS holding the Presidency work in terms of three, 'trios'
• Trios set long-term goals and prepare a common agenda that will be addressed by the council over an
18th month long period
Question:
6. Voting procedures of the Council of Ministers
Answer:
• To pass, decisions usually require QMV
- 55% of countries, representing at least 65% of total EU population
- majority of leg passed this was
• To block a decision: at least 4 countries representing at least 35% of EU population
• Exceptions: topics like foreign policy and taxation require a unanimous vote (all countries in favor) ==>
THEMES: Community method vs intergovernmental method
• Simple majority is required for procedural & administrative issues (15 votes for non-legislative)
Question:
7. Gender Balances in Public companies in the EU
Answer:
Question:
8. Why do states cooperate?
Answer:
1) State define their preferences
2) States bargain agreements
3) States create institutions to secure the outcomes Ò Liberal intergovernmentalism
- They corporate because its in their own interest
- Contrary to federalism and neo-functionalism, LI does not take the idea of the role of specific actors or
institutions (ex the European commission)
Question:
9. Who holds more power when bargaining?
Answer:
• Countries satisfied & least eager to strike a deal
- Ex: Germany: a big country thats very eager and has resources
- Ex: Ireland: a small country and is not eager as much
- The middle holds leverage b/c they have to be convinced to join
- dont stretch leverage too much b/c in next rounds of negotiations don't know who you need to convince
• Credible threat to veto proposals
• Withholding financial payments
• Forming alternative alliances excluding recalcitrant(uncooperative) govts
• Those who gain the most are those who compromise the most and vice versa
Question:
10. Liberal intergovernmentalism & the EU - assumptions
, Answer:
• States are the ACTORS: the EU like other intergovt institutions should be studied treating MS as the
actors in a context of anarchy
-> Negotiations are to reach state's objectives
• MS: masters of the treaties - enjoy pre-eminent decision-making power
Question:
11. Liberal intergovernmentalism - Critiques
Answer:
• LI works only on the issues where EU institutions have a small role - it cannot explain the board trend of
EU regional integration
- ex: LI works best when there is the unanimity requirement
• LI focus only at intergovernmental decision-making during treaty negotiations but a lot happens before
and after that Ò dependent on the historical periods the EU power shifts (now GER, ITAL, FRA are weak
so EU seems weak ’ very reactive towards U.S.)
Question:
12. The European Commission (EC)
Answer:
• Executive Arm
• Guider of treaties (guardian of treaties)
• One Member per country (b/c of treaty of Nice) Roles
• Proposes new EU legislation (adopted by EP and Council of Ministers but needs to be initiated by EC)
• Implements the decision of the EP and European Council
• Protects the interests of EU and its citizens on issues that can't be dealt with by MS
• Manages EU policies and allocated funding (sets spending priorities, defines annual budget, supervises
spending)
• Enforces EU Law
• Represents EU internationally
• In charge of strategic planning
• Collective decision making
Question:
13. The Power of the EC
Answer:
Agenda setting influence
• Frames the terms in which issues are considered (EP wants to talk about migration, can frame it as a
national security risk)
• By whom they are considered
• With what receptivity they are considered
• "Guardian of the treaties" vs MS
• Proposes laws to attain treaty objectives
Question:
14. Community method (EU Decisions process)
