The Essential
European Union
First things first…
• The EU is a Supranational Organization
consisting of 28 individual nations.
• Initially started in 1951 as a cooperative
between 6 nations over the coal and steel
industries.
• Treaty of Rome 1957 signed by 6 governments
(France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg,
and Netherlands) begins to expand and define
this relationship.
Important Dates
• 1957 – Treaty of Rome ( Beginning of modern
EU)
• 1991 – Treaty of Maastricht signed (European
citizenship & common economic policy)
• 2002 – Euro launched
• 2007 – Treaty of Lisbon
Broadening & Deepening
(New Members) & (New Powers)
Create a common Foreign
and Security Policy (CFSP)
Cooperation in Justice and
Home Affairs (Social)
Trade and Economic Policy
3 Pillars
So know you have…
The E.U. Institutions
Decision Making Triangle of EU
• The European Parliament (751 members)
• The Council of the Union (28 members)
– Council of Ministers
– European Council (Bigwigs) meet 4X per
year for general goal setting
• The European Commission (28 members)
plus a large bureacracy
European Commission
• Turns general goals (from European Council) into
proposed policy.
• Initiates & Implements policy – similar to the
Executive Branch of the USA.
• Members of the EC are appointed by the member
countries governments. Undemocratic process
• They then become (supposedly) independent of
their home countries and employed by the EU.
The Council of the Union
• Represent the individual Nation States of the
European Union.
• 2 Parts (Council of Ministers & European Council)
• European Council (David Cameron for UK) meets
@ 4 X per year to set BROAD goals.
• Council of Ministers (rotating group from each
country – for instance it might be the country’s
Finance Minister if the issue is Financial) actually
pass laws along with European Parliament (Codecision making)
European Parliament
• This is a Democratically elected body (increases
legitimacy) of MEPs.
• There are 751 members in total that are elected
for 5 year terms. Representation is proportional
to population with individual countries sending
anywhere from 6 to 96 members.
• Pass Laws along with The Council.
• Responsible along with The Council for budgets
Unanimity
• The Treaty of Lisbon
limited the areas that
required UNANIMOUS
agreement between the
countries of the EU.
• EG – admittance of a
New member
Qualified Majority Voting
• Complicated – Yes
• Basically aligned or weighted with population.
• 55% of votes from at least 15 of the EU
nations representing at least 65% of the Eus
total population.
• Simple Right?
Democratic Deficit?
• Why may some EU citizens feel
“disconnected” from the EU?????
European Court of Justice