Download FROM THE SCHUMAN DECLARATION TO EUROSCLEROSIS

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A LOOK AT THE UNION
1. Main Treaties and Provisions
May 1950 – Schuman Declaration
 vision of a united Europe that would have Franco-German
reconciliation at heart
1951 – Treaty of Paris: European Coal and Steel Community
Significance:
 creation of a free trade area + the foundations of a
common market in basic materials of industrialized
economies
Failure of Political Integration in the 50s
 The 1952 draft EDC Treaty never ratified
 May 1955 WEU
1957 – Treaty of Rome
Euratom and the European Economic Community
 philosophy:
capitalism
free
market,
liberal,
non-interventionist
Art 2: “The Community … task … establishing a common market
… progressively approximating the economic policies of MS …”
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 quantitative restrictions
 erection of a Common External Tariff (CET)
 customs union
 serve as basis for a Common Commercial Policy
 prohibition of practices which might lead to distortion or
prevention of competition between ms
 measures to promote not just free movements of goods BUT
persons, services, capital
 creation of a free trade area by removing all tariffs and
developing common agricultural and transport policies
 creating a European Social Fund & European Investment
Bank
1965:
a. The Merger Treaty
b. the Luxembourg Compromise
1973: first enlargement
Late 70s – early 80s: Eurosclerosis
 Economic
 monetary crisis
 oil crisis – unable to agree how to respond to the
impending oil shortage
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 Political
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strain relations with the US
Franco/German rift: Ostpolitik
German/British rift: 1973 – ERDF
British Budgetary Question
 “second” enlargement
1987 Single European Act
Context:
 mid 80s - pick of Thatcher liberal policy
 1985: new president of the Commission
 SEA - creating a single market - 4 FREEDOMS:
free movement of goods
free movement of services
free movement of capital
free movement of persons
 institutional provisions = QMV, co-operation procedure
1992 Treaty of Maastricht = Treaty of the European Union
Context:
 the Franco-German trade off
 the “F” word
 “an ever closer Union”
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Provisions
 three pillars structure (EEC, CFSP, JHA)
 monetary union
 institutional provisions: co-decision
Signs of Euroscepticism – the ratification crisis
1997 - Treaty of Amsterdam
Context - enlargements
Provisions:
 increased use of QMV
 rules allowing flexible integration
- first pillar: triggered by QMV
- CFSP – “constructive abstention”
- JHA: opt-out
 CFSP:
- Council Secretary General – high representative
- QMV on implementing measures
 JHA:
- complete freedom of movement (\UK, Ireland)
- unanimity: immigration, visas, asylum
2000 - Treaty of Nice
 Eastern enlargement
 institutional reform
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2. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
WORKING DYNAMICS
European Commission = proposes
European Parliament = consults
Council of Ministers = decides
European Commission = the guardian of the treaties
ECJ = “ensures that the law is observed”
European Council
 membership: head of states and government
 also president of the Commission + one other member of
the Commission + foreign ministers of member states
 the Presidency (rotates every six months) DRIVES a European
Council
Functions
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general political guidance and impetus = the main agenda setter
visibility in external affairs = EU voice
ratification of significant documents
negotiation of treaty changes
Council of Ministers
 symbol of the continuing power of ms within EU
 intergovernmental body
 legally = 1 Council; practically = 16 Councils
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 membership – ministers in ms governments = as
representatives of respective government, authorized to
commit them.
Functions:
 the decision-maker
 main legislative institution
Voting Procedure
a. unanimity
b. majority voting
b1. Simple Majority
b2. Qualified Majority Voting (QMV)
The European Commission
 supranational body
Institutional organisation
 College of Commissioners: President + 20 commissioners
 Directorates-General (DGs)
Functions
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Commission = power to initiate
Commission = EU’s executive body
budgetary responsibilities
external relations responsibilities
policing community law - the “Guardian” of the treaties
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European Parliament
 supranational institution
 directly elected body
 shared-legislative body
- consultation
- co-operation
- co-decision
- assent
 investing the Commission
 power to take down the Commission
 budgetary powers
European Court of Justice
 supranational body
 function: “TO ENSURE THAT THE LAW IS OBSERVED”
European Central Bank
 central site of monetary governance
 most politically independent central bank in the world
 ECB cannot seek or take instructions from any EU, national
entity or any other body
Functions
 managing the euro
 responsible for formulating & executing monetary policy –
providing a stable economic environment across EU
 directing & coordinating the national central banks
 prohibited for investing & lending money
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Other institutions:
European Court of Auditors
Court of First Instance
Economic and Social Committee
Committee of the Regions
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