IP 325 European Integration ZS 2011/

Amsterdam Treaty Main changes brought about by the Amsterdam Treaty in the areas of: Freedom, security and justice The Union and the citizen Effective and coherent external policy Institutional questions 2

Amsterdam Treaty – cont.1 Freedom, security and justice: – Fundamental rights and non-discrimination Fundamental rights and non-discrimination – The gradual establishment of an area of freedom, security and justice The gradual establishment of an area of freedom, security and justice 3

Amsterdam Treaty - cont. 2 4

The 70´- Decade of Strengthening April 1970: Signature of the Treaty of Luxembourg. The Council approves the gradual introduction of a system of own-resources under which the Community will receive all customs duties on products imported from non-member countries, all levies on agricultural imports and resources deriving from value-added tax. They also decide to extend the budgetary powers of the European Parliament. 5

The 70´ - cont. 1 June 1970: Negotiations with four prospective Member States (Denmark, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom) open in Luxembourg. May 1971: The Council introduces a system of monetary compensatory amounts for trade in agricultural products between Member States in order to maintain the unity of the common agricultural market. 6

The 70´ - cont.2 April 1972: The currency "snake" is set up: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands agree to limit the margin of fluctuation between their currencies to 2.25%. January 1972: Signature by Denmark, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom, of the Treaties of accession to the European Communities. 7

The 70´ - cont. 3 September 1972: A referendum is held in Norway on the country joining the European Communities. The majority is unfavourable to accession; January 1973: Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join the European Communities. The Community free trade agreement with Austria, Switzerland, Portugal and Sweden comes into force. 8

The 70´- cont. 4 November 1978: A European Council is held in Brussels, Belgium. It establishes the European Monetary System based on a European currency unit (the ECU); March :The European Monetary System enters into force; June 1979: First direct elections to the European Parliament; December 1979: The Community signs the "Tokyo round" agreements. 9

The 80´ Decade of Enlargement January 1981: Greece joins the European Communities; June 1984: Second direct elections to the EP; June 1985: The Schengen Agreement signed; January 1986: Spain and Portugal join the European Communities (12); 10

The 80´ Decade of Enlargement February 1986: The Single European Act is signed in Luxembourg and The Hague, effective July 1, 1987; The Single European Act (SEA) revises the Treaties of Rome in order to add new momentum to European integration and to complete the internal market. 11

Treaty of Maastricht The Treaty on European Union (TEU), signed in Maastricht on 7 February 1992, entered into force on 1 November The Maastricht Treaty creates the European Union, which consists of three pillars: the European Communities, common foreign and security policy and police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters. 12

Treaty of Maastricht - 1 strengthen the democratic legitimacy of the institutions; improve the effectiveness of the institutions; establish economic and monetary union; develop the Community social dimension; establish a common foreign and security policy. 13

The First Pillar of EU The European Communities pillar handled economic, social and environmental policies. It was the only pillar with a legal personality, consisting of the European Community (EC), the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC, until its expiry in 2002), and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM).European CommunitiesEuropean CommunityEuropean Coal and Steel Community European Atomic Energy Community 14

Second Pillar The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) pillar took care of Foreign policy:Common Foreign and Security Policy Human Rights, Democracy, Foreign Aid and Security policy: Common security and defense policy, EU battlegroups, peacekeeping 15

Third Pillar Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PJCC), originally Justice and Home Affairs (JHA): Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters Drug trafficking and weapons smuggling Drug traffickingweapons smuggling Terrorism Trafficking in human beings Organised Crime Bribery and fraud Briberyfraud 16

European Economic Area January 1994: The EEA Agreement states that when a country becomes a member of the European Union, it shall also apply to become party to the EEA Agreement (Article 128), thus leading to an enlargement of the EEA.enlargement of the EEA 17

EEA – cont. The EEA Agreement provides for the inclusion of EU legislation covering the four freedoms— the free movement of goods, services, persons and capital — throughout the 30 EEA States. In addition, the Agreement covers cooperation in other important areas such as research and development, education, social policy, the environment, consumer protection, tourism and culture. 18