European law – history of the EU
1957: France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy,
Luxembourg
1973: Denmark, Ireland, UK
1981: Greece
1986: Portugal, Spain
1995: Austria, Finland, Sweden
2004: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia,
Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland,
Slovakia, Slovenia
2007: Bulgaria, Romania
2013: Croatia
24 official languages with 552 language combination.
1952: European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
1958: European Economic Community (EEC) & European Atomic Energy Community
(Euratom)
1967: Single Council and Single Commission
1968: Customs Union (common customs tariff)
1971: community’s own resources
1979: direct election of parliament
1985: Schengen agreement
1986: Single European Act
Completion of the internal market
Introduction of the QMV in the council
Stronger role of European Parliament
1993: launch of the European Single Market
1993: Treaty of the European Union
Economic and monetary union (leading to the €)
EC and Euratom (first column)
Common Foreign and Security Policy (second column)
Co-operation on Justice and Home Affairs (third column)
EU-citizenship
Principle of subsidiary
Co-decision procedure introduced to strengthen the role of Parliament
1994: European Economic Area (EEA)
EFTA countries (Austria, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland)
and EC
Switzerland bails out
1995: Schengen agreement -> implementation
1999: introduction of the €
Not all member states participate in the euro area
Some non-member states participate in the euro area by monetary agreement
1999: Treaty of Amsterdam
2003: Treaty of Nice
2009: Treaty of Lisbon
Aim: to prepare the EU for more than 25 member states
EC dissolves into the EU
Fundamental right charter
QMV becomes the standard voting system in the Council
, Co-decision procedure becomes the ordinary legislative procedure in the EP
2020: Brexit
Treaties:
1952: The European Steel and Coal Community
1958: The Treaties of Rome (EEC & Euratom)
1987: The European Single Act: the single market
1993: Treaty of the European Union (Maastricht)
1999: Treaty of Amsterdam
2003: Treaty of Nice
2009: Treaty of Lisbon
European law – EU institutions
Council of the European Union
One representative of each member state (27 ministers)
Presidency held by a member state’s government with 6 months rotation
The council is one entity with several configurations (10 at the time).
Functions
1. Legislative procedure (national governments form a legislative body of the EU)
2. Foreign affairs (CFSP)
3. Budget (together with parliament)
Legislative procedure: qualified majority, special qualified majority, simple majority, unanimity
European Council
Originally an informal summit meeting, since 2009 formalised
Defines the general political directions of the Union
Heads of state or government of the Member States, Council’s own president and the
president of the Commission
European Parliament
720 MEP (directly voted)
9 different parliamentary groups
The EU has a democratic deficit if compared to a national state.
The EU combines elements of public international law and a modern national state .
Ordinary legislative procedure
o Introduced by the Treaty of Maastricht
o Council and Parliament play an equal role
o Council and Parliament may suggest changes to the draft legislation
1957: France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy,
Luxembourg
1973: Denmark, Ireland, UK
1981: Greece
1986: Portugal, Spain
1995: Austria, Finland, Sweden
2004: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia,
Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland,
Slovakia, Slovenia
2007: Bulgaria, Romania
2013: Croatia
24 official languages with 552 language combination.
1952: European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
1958: European Economic Community (EEC) & European Atomic Energy Community
(Euratom)
1967: Single Council and Single Commission
1968: Customs Union (common customs tariff)
1971: community’s own resources
1979: direct election of parliament
1985: Schengen agreement
1986: Single European Act
Completion of the internal market
Introduction of the QMV in the council
Stronger role of European Parliament
1993: launch of the European Single Market
1993: Treaty of the European Union
Economic and monetary union (leading to the €)
EC and Euratom (first column)
Common Foreign and Security Policy (second column)
Co-operation on Justice and Home Affairs (third column)
EU-citizenship
Principle of subsidiary
Co-decision procedure introduced to strengthen the role of Parliament
1994: European Economic Area (EEA)
EFTA countries (Austria, Finland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland)
and EC
Switzerland bails out
1995: Schengen agreement -> implementation
1999: introduction of the €
Not all member states participate in the euro area
Some non-member states participate in the euro area by monetary agreement
1999: Treaty of Amsterdam
2003: Treaty of Nice
2009: Treaty of Lisbon
Aim: to prepare the EU for more than 25 member states
EC dissolves into the EU
Fundamental right charter
QMV becomes the standard voting system in the Council
, Co-decision procedure becomes the ordinary legislative procedure in the EP
2020: Brexit
Treaties:
1952: The European Steel and Coal Community
1958: The Treaties of Rome (EEC & Euratom)
1987: The European Single Act: the single market
1993: Treaty of the European Union (Maastricht)
1999: Treaty of Amsterdam
2003: Treaty of Nice
2009: Treaty of Lisbon
European law – EU institutions
Council of the European Union
One representative of each member state (27 ministers)
Presidency held by a member state’s government with 6 months rotation
The council is one entity with several configurations (10 at the time).
Functions
1. Legislative procedure (national governments form a legislative body of the EU)
2. Foreign affairs (CFSP)
3. Budget (together with parliament)
Legislative procedure: qualified majority, special qualified majority, simple majority, unanimity
European Council
Originally an informal summit meeting, since 2009 formalised
Defines the general political directions of the Union
Heads of state or government of the Member States, Council’s own president and the
president of the Commission
European Parliament
720 MEP (directly voted)
9 different parliamentary groups
The EU has a democratic deficit if compared to a national state.
The EU combines elements of public international law and a modern national state .
Ordinary legislative procedure
o Introduced by the Treaty of Maastricht
o Council and Parliament play an equal role
o Council and Parliament may suggest changes to the draft legislation
