European Union Politics and
Policy
The EU at a glance
What is the European Union?
An economic union? A geopolitical alliance?
Er is geen eenduidig antwoord, je kan het niet in een hokje plaatsen want het bestaat
nergens anders.
27 countries are members of the ‘European Union’
445 million citizens
24 official languages
Is the EU a regional an economic organization or just an observer?
The EU is an international organization.
Organization state federation
What is the competence of the EU to take decisions? depends on its treaties.
Treaties are updated during the time, development of the EU The EU expands its
competence to be able to act on different subjects.
The EU has elements of democracy: decisions made by some elected representatives.
an international organization
a democratic governance system
a political union
an economic union
a rule-making body: those who make the rules, decide how to implement them. Its
laws are binding on members
Treaties of the European Union:
The European Coal and Steel Community Treaty, 1951
o 6 founding countries EGKS: Be, Ne, Lux, Fr, De, It
o to create interdependence in coal and steel so that one country could no
longer mobilise its armed forces without others knowing. This eased distrust
and tensions after WWII
Treaty of Rome, 1957
o able to talk of a community, more than coal and steel
o the seeds of the EU-Union and institutional structure
o to set up the European Economic Community EEC and the European Atomic
Energy Community (Euratom)
o extension of European integration to include general economic cooperation
Brussels Treaty, 1965
o merger treaty, to streamline the European institutions
1
, o creation of a single Commission and a single Council to serve the then three
European Communities (EEC, Euratom, ECSC)
2
, Single European Act, 1986
o to reform the institutions and speed-up decision-making in preparation for a
single market
o extension of qualified majority voting in the Council (making it harder for a
single country to veto proposed legislation)
system of a veto: if a state refuses, it can stop the procedure (now
more decision making on consensus)
o giving Parliament more influence
Maastricht Treaty, 1992
o individuals get political rights
o expansion of co-decision procedures or secondary legislations
o ECU European currency that can be transferred to national currency, to
prepare for European Monetary Union
o establishment of the European Union and introduction of the co-decision
procedure
o giving Parliament more say in decision-making
Treaty of Amsterdam, 1997
o to reform the EU institutions in preparation for new members
o more transparent decision-making
o expansion of co-decision procedure
Treaty of Nice, 2001
o about enlargement of the EU and adopting its institutions
o methods for changing the composition of the Commission
o redefining the voting system in the Council
Treaty of Lisbon, 2007
o art. 50 allows member states to leave the EU
o to make the EU more democratic, more efficient, and better able to address
global problems, such as climate change, with one voice
o more power for the European Parliament
o change of voting procedures in the Council
o a permanent president of the European Council
o a High Representative for Foreign Affairs
o a EU diplomatic service (EEAS)
o the Lisbon treaty clarifies which powers:
- belong to the EU
- belong to EU member countries
- are shared.
now leading treaty of Lisbon, 2009
3
, Treaty of Lisbon, 2007
Treaty on the EU (TEU): about values, ex. the rule of law: Poland replaces judges
sanction system.
o Establishing the EU
o Principles of subsidiarity and proportionality
Subsidiarity: making rules at the level of governance that makes the
most sense for the policy, mostly the lower levels of governance
Proportional law: only making rules/policy for the problem you try to
solve, ex. If it comes to trade, you only make policy around trade
o Common foreign and security policy
Treaty on the function of the EU (TFEU): about how to operate
o 3 sorts of competence the EU has:
Full competence: EU is in charge
Shared competence: competence with member states
Supporting competence: giving guidelines without making rules
EU objectives and values
EU values:
EU motto: ”United in values”
EU objectives:
The Union’s aim is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples
The Union shall offer its citizens an area of freedom, security and justice without
internal frontiers, in which the free movement of persons is ensured in conjunction
with appropriate measures with respect to external border controls, asylum,
immigration and the prevention and combating of crime.
The Union shall establish an internal market.
The Union shall establish an economic and monetary union whose currency is the
euro.
In its relations with the wider world, the Union shall uphold and promote its values
and interests and contribute to the protection of its citizens.
4
Policy
The EU at a glance
What is the European Union?
An economic union? A geopolitical alliance?
Er is geen eenduidig antwoord, je kan het niet in een hokje plaatsen want het bestaat
nergens anders.
27 countries are members of the ‘European Union’
445 million citizens
24 official languages
Is the EU a regional an economic organization or just an observer?
The EU is an international organization.
Organization state federation
What is the competence of the EU to take decisions? depends on its treaties.
Treaties are updated during the time, development of the EU The EU expands its
competence to be able to act on different subjects.
The EU has elements of democracy: decisions made by some elected representatives.
an international organization
a democratic governance system
a political union
an economic union
a rule-making body: those who make the rules, decide how to implement them. Its
laws are binding on members
Treaties of the European Union:
The European Coal and Steel Community Treaty, 1951
o 6 founding countries EGKS: Be, Ne, Lux, Fr, De, It
o to create interdependence in coal and steel so that one country could no
longer mobilise its armed forces without others knowing. This eased distrust
and tensions after WWII
Treaty of Rome, 1957
o able to talk of a community, more than coal and steel
o the seeds of the EU-Union and institutional structure
o to set up the European Economic Community EEC and the European Atomic
Energy Community (Euratom)
o extension of European integration to include general economic cooperation
Brussels Treaty, 1965
o merger treaty, to streamline the European institutions
1
, o creation of a single Commission and a single Council to serve the then three
European Communities (EEC, Euratom, ECSC)
2
, Single European Act, 1986
o to reform the institutions and speed-up decision-making in preparation for a
single market
o extension of qualified majority voting in the Council (making it harder for a
single country to veto proposed legislation)
system of a veto: if a state refuses, it can stop the procedure (now
more decision making on consensus)
o giving Parliament more influence
Maastricht Treaty, 1992
o individuals get political rights
o expansion of co-decision procedures or secondary legislations
o ECU European currency that can be transferred to national currency, to
prepare for European Monetary Union
o establishment of the European Union and introduction of the co-decision
procedure
o giving Parliament more say in decision-making
Treaty of Amsterdam, 1997
o to reform the EU institutions in preparation for new members
o more transparent decision-making
o expansion of co-decision procedure
Treaty of Nice, 2001
o about enlargement of the EU and adopting its institutions
o methods for changing the composition of the Commission
o redefining the voting system in the Council
Treaty of Lisbon, 2007
o art. 50 allows member states to leave the EU
o to make the EU more democratic, more efficient, and better able to address
global problems, such as climate change, with one voice
o more power for the European Parliament
o change of voting procedures in the Council
o a permanent president of the European Council
o a High Representative for Foreign Affairs
o a EU diplomatic service (EEAS)
o the Lisbon treaty clarifies which powers:
- belong to the EU
- belong to EU member countries
- are shared.
now leading treaty of Lisbon, 2009
3
, Treaty of Lisbon, 2007
Treaty on the EU (TEU): about values, ex. the rule of law: Poland replaces judges
sanction system.
o Establishing the EU
o Principles of subsidiarity and proportionality
Subsidiarity: making rules at the level of governance that makes the
most sense for the policy, mostly the lower levels of governance
Proportional law: only making rules/policy for the problem you try to
solve, ex. If it comes to trade, you only make policy around trade
o Common foreign and security policy
Treaty on the function of the EU (TFEU): about how to operate
o 3 sorts of competence the EU has:
Full competence: EU is in charge
Shared competence: competence with member states
Supporting competence: giving guidelines without making rules
EU objectives and values
EU values:
EU motto: ”United in values”
EU objectives:
The Union’s aim is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples
The Union shall offer its citizens an area of freedom, security and justice without
internal frontiers, in which the free movement of persons is ensured in conjunction
with appropriate measures with respect to external border controls, asylum,
immigration and the prevention and combating of crime.
The Union shall establish an internal market.
The Union shall establish an economic and monetary union whose currency is the
euro.
In its relations with the wider world, the Union shall uphold and promote its values
and interests and contribute to the protection of its citizens.
4
