Structures and Functions of the European Union

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Transcript Structures and Functions of the European Union

The European Union
I.
II.
III.
IV.
History & Evolution
Structures-Functions
Contemporary Challenges
Discussion
Evolution of the European
Union
The Best Intentions
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Revitalize Europe after World War II
Strength in Unity vs. Warsaw Pact
Fix broken economies
Promote Dialogue
Integrate & Cooperate
• To this end:
– Council of Europe, 1949
– European Coal & Steel Community, 1951 (Treaty of
Paris)
– Basis for Euro Community…
Evolution: European Community (EC)
• Established by Treaty of Rome, 1957
– Benelux + Fr, Ge, Italy
• 3 Pillars:
1. European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) (aka
“Common Market”)
2. European Economic Community (EEC)
3. European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or
Euratom). The only remaining structure.
Evolution: European Communities
• Main Concerns of Euro Community
– Peace
– Trade & elimination of tariffs
– Travel
– National sovereignty
– Expansion
– Transitions from communism to
capitalism
Evolution: EC → EU
• Maastricht Treaty, 1993. Absorbed the EC.
• Authority in new areas: monetary policy, foreign
affairs, national security, transportation, the
environment, justice, and tourism
• Established a 3-pillars of authority:
– Trade and other economic matters (one currency
& creation of European Central Bank). 17
members use Euro. So does Vatican, Monaco and
3 others.
– Justice & home affairs (policy governing asylum,
border crossing, immigration, & judicial
cooperation on crime and terrorism)
– Common foreign and security policy (common
defense policy, joint positions and actions)
Evolution: Membership History
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Began w/ 6: Benelux + France, Germany, Italy
Denmark, UK, and Ireland joined in early 1970s
Greece in 1981
Portugal and Spain in 1986
Austria, Finland, Sweden in 1995
10 Countries joined in 2004: Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,
Malta, Poland, Slovenia, and Slovakia
• Bulgaria and Romania in 2006
• The combined population of all 27 members is
510,000,000
• Organization and diversity makes consensus
hard
Structures and Functions
of the European Union
5 Main Bodies
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European Commission (EC)—EXEC
Council of Ministers—LEG
European Parliament—LEG
Court of Justice—JUD
Court of Auditors—Financial Evaluator
The European Commission (EC)
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Executive Body
Initiates all legislation and enforces decisions
Ensures proper implementation of laws
Administers EU budget
Represents EU in trade negotiations
Scrutinize the implementation of the treaties and legislation
Act solely in the interest of the EU as a whole, as opposed to the
Council which consists of leaders of member states who reflect
national interests. “The only body paid to think European“
Implements, monitors, and controls enforcement of EU law and
policy
Can bring a Member State before the Court of Justice for failure to
enforce EU law
Based in Brussels
27 Commissioners. 1 is President (Barroso until 2014)
– Commissioners appointed for 5 years
– 25,000 Euro civil servants
Council of Ministers
• Meets in Brussels
• Legislative Branch I
– Legislative authority is divided between Council and EP
– Council and EP required to vote to pass law
– Budgetary power (w/EP). 116 bil. euro/year
• Consists of one Minister from each Member State
• Responsible for making the major policy decisions of EU
• Power to adopt legislation proposed by Commission
• Each Member State acts as President of Council for 6
month rotation
• Meetings attended by different Ministers according
to agenda
• Develop political cooperation
The European Parliament
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Legislative II
736 seats. Proportionate Rep.
Directly Elected. 5 year terms.
Second largest democratic electorate in the world (India)
Can’t initiate leg
– CAN amend and reject legislation
– CAN request leg
– CAN Veto Commission
– CAN censure EC w/ 2/3 majority = resignation of the entire EC
Equal legislative and budgetary powers with Council
Appoint Court of Auditors and the president and executive board of the
European Central Bank
Sit in political groups. For a group to be recognized, it needs 25 MEPs
from 7 different countries
Consensual. People’s Party-Socialist Coalition
President Martin Schulz of Germany. 30 month term began in Jan 2012.
96/13 Germany
74/10 France
73/10 Italy
73/10 UK
54/7 Spain
51/7 Poland…
EPP (265)
S&D (186)
ALDE (84)
ECR (55)
Greens – EFA (55)
EUL-NGL (35)
EFD (30)
Non-Affiliated (27)
The European Council
• Comprises the heads of government of Member States and
President of Commission assisted by Foreign Ministers of the
Member States and a member of Commission
• Defines the EU's policy agenda—the motor of EU integration
• No direct legislative power but "supreme political authority"
• Meets 4 times/year
• Sorts out disputes between member states and the institutions
• President of the European Council
– Once-renewable term of 30 months
– Primus inter pares
– Herman Van Rompuy (Belgium). Dec 2009-Present. 2nd term
– The President must report to the European Parliament after
each European Council meeting
The European Council
• All members of Council are
members of a political party
at national level
• Most are members of a Euro
Party
• Ideological alignment does
color political agreements
and choices of
appointments (such as their
President)
#
QM
V
People's Party
15
204
Socialists
5
65
Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
4
31
Alliance of Conservatives and
Reformists
2
41
Party of the Left
1
4
27
345
Party
Total
The Court of Justice
• Ensures that the European Treaties are interpreted and
implemented in accordance with EU law
• 13 judges appointed by agreement with Member States
• Assisted by 6 advocates general
• Judgements overrule those of national courts
• Power to fine a Member State
• National courts have power to
enforce decisions of Court of
Justice
The Court of Auditors
• Monitors the Union’s financial activities
• 1 member from each EU member state
– Appointed by Council
– 6 yr terms
– 800 auditors
• No judicial functions
• Function: externally check EU budget
• In Luxembourg
EU Legal Instruments
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Binding:
– Regulations - Apply directly in the Member
States w/o requiring any further national
legislation
– Directives - Binding in substance but up
discretion of Member States how to transpose
them into national legislation & execute them.
– Decisions - Addressed to a Member State, firm,
or individual.
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Non Binding:
– Recommendations
– Opinions
– Resolutions
Pop Quiz: Who is the European „President“?
a. Herman Van Rompuy - President of the
European Council since 12/1/09
b. José Manuel Barroso - President of the
European Commission since 11/22/04
c. Ireland - Presidency of the Council of the
European Union 1/1/13 – 7/1/13
Anyone?
Pop Quiz: Who is the European
„President“?
a. Van Rompuy is President of Council. Not of EU.
Yet, the press usually cites him as President.
b. Barroso is President of Commission. Not of EU.
Yet, the press often cites him as President. Has
more power that Van Rompuy. Gets fewer
mentions as President.
c. Ireland. Not. Hehe
→ Answer: There is no EU President.
→Does this matter?
No - Presidents are not necessary
Yes - most Europeans think there is a President
Challenges of the EU
Broadening, Deepning &
Legitimizing
...oh, and the economy
EU Policy Challenges 20092019: A Report to the President
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Economic Issues
– Deepening/extending economic reforms
– Reducing unemployment and large gov.
– Revising financial regulation and supervision
– Completing the Single Market
– Balance multilateralism and bilateralism in trade policy
– Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
– Ageing population and shrinking workforce
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Climate change
– The future of transport
EU Policy Challenges 20092019: A Report to the President
3. Cultural Issues
– World Wide Web-balancing security and privacy +
intellectual property Audiovisual and cultural policies
– Civil Rights and Justice
– Migration policy
– Crime
– Safeguarding diversity and cultures
4. The Politics of Poltics
– Inter EU Structural Issues: Good Governnance and
Insitution Building
– Security & Crisis Mangement
– ^ Turnout in European Elections in 2014 and 2019
EU Policy Challenges 20092019: A Report to the President
5. Intermestic Issues
– Stabilization and Reform in the Balkans
– Question of Turkish membership
– Deepening the Eastern Partnership without
alienating Russia
6. Foreign Policy
– Promoting Middle East Peace
– Seizing the 'Obama moment' to deepen
Transatlantic relations
– Strengthening Europe's relevance to Asia
– Deepening the EU-Latin American partnership
It‘s the Economee Stoopid
“If EU is to flourish far beyond its 50th birthday, it is its
economy that most needs attention“
-The Economist „Fit at 50“
It‘s the Economee Stoopid
Euroscepticism
• France followed by the Netherlands
rejected EU Constitution in 2006.
• New members are more enthusiastic than
the old ones
• Skeptcism is strongest in UK, though
Eurobarometer polls show dissatisfaction
in other EU members as well
• No further expansion
Broadening: Eastern Europe?
– Possible new members: Croatia, Albania,
Bosnia, Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, and
Montenegro
-West: „Easterners may sink the boat“
Broadening: Turkey?
Pro:
-USA
-extension into southern Caucasus
-stabilize pipeline: oil and gas
-compatibility of Islam with democracy?
Con:
-dif. levels of development
-religious and ethnic feuds
-Cyprus
Discussion
• Structures & Functions?
• To increase legitimacy? Is it just PR?
• Broadening vs. Deepening: Focus on
deepening and broadening or one of the
two?