THE EUROPEAN UNION EXPLAINED The Treaties

THE TREATIES The European Union is based on the rule of law. A TREATY is a binding agreement between EU Member States. It sets out EU objectives, rules for EU institutions, how decisions are made and the relations between the EU and its member states. Treaties are amended to make the EU more efficient and transparent, to prepare for new member countries to introduce new areas of cooperation – such as the single currency. Under the treaties, EU institutions can adopt legislation, which the member countries then implement.

PARIS TREATY ( ) First step towards ‘European brotherhood’ or ‘Federal Union’ The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)was to expire in 2002 (art. 97 Paris Treaty) Established COMMON INSTITUTIONS (executive, legislative and judiciary): HIGH AUTHORITY+Parliamentary Assembly+Council of ministers+Court of Justice+Consultative Committee.

ECSC OBJECTIVES Free movement of goods and free access to sources of production Permanent monitoring of the market to avoid distortions which could lead to the introduction of production quotas Compliance with the rules of competition and the principle of price transparency Support for modernisation and conversion of the coal and steel sectors

THE EURATOM TREATY (ROME ) EEC established a common market based on the 4 freedoms of movement (goods, persons, capital and services) EURATOM coordinate the supply of fissile materials and the research programmes initiated or in progress by member states on peaceful use of the atomic energy

EEC AND EURATOM OBJECTIVES Eliminations of custom duties between the member states The establishment of an external Common Custum Tariff The introduction of common policies for agriculture and transport The creation of an European Social Fund (ESF) The establishment of an European Investment Bank (EIB) The development of closer relations between the Member States

In order to achieve these objects the EEC Treaty laid down GUIDING PRINCIPLES and set THE FRAMEWORK for the legislative activities of the Community Institutions. These involved common policies: The common agricultural policy (art ) Transport policy (art.74 and 75) Commercial policy (art ) The COMMON MARKET guaranteed the free movement of goods and the mobility of factors of production (e.g. the free movement of workers and enterprises, the freedom to provide services and the free movement of capital)

THE MERGER TREATY (1967) The ‘merger Treaty’ established common institutions of the three communities ratifying the executives: the Parliamentary Assembly the Court of Justice a single Council a single Commission Gave more relevance to the EEC over the sectorial communities

1973 first enlargement Denmark, Ireland, Uk 1979 first election EP 1981 Greece joins in 1986 Spain and Portugal join in Important Internal developments:

THE SINGLE EUROPEAN ACT (1986/1987) Extension of the Union’s powers 1. Through the creation of a large internal market by 1 Jan Through the establishment of new powers in: monetary policy; social policy; economic and social cohesion; research and technological development; the environment; cooperation in the field of foreign policy.

Improvement in the decision-making capacity of the Council of Ministers with the introduction of the qualified majority instead of unanimity Growth of the role of the European Parliament: Making Community agreements on enlargement subject to Parliament’s assent; Introducing a procedure for cooperation with the Council which gave Parliament some limited legislative powers. This marked an important step in the transformation of the EP into a genuine co-legislator

THREE IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL FACTS 1989 fall of Berlin wall 1990 Unification of Germany 1991 fall of URSS

MAASTRICHT(TEU) AND AMSTERDAM ( / ) Established the EUROPEAN UNION, based on the European Communities and supported by policies and forms of cooperation provided for in the Treaty on European Union (TEU) Had a single institutional structure: the Council, the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Court of Justice and the Court od Auditors; Introduced a division of competences: the three pillars. Established an Economic and Social Committee and a Committee of the Regions with advisory powers Established an European System of Central Banks and an European Central Bank in addition to the existing financial institutions in the European Investment Bank group (European Investment Bank and European Investment Fund)

THE GREATEST ENLARGEMENT Czech republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Cyprus and Malta (2004)

THE TREATY OF LISBON (2007/2009) Defines exclusive, shared and supporting competences; Defines the secondary laws as regulations, directives, recommendations and opinions. Gives Parliament more power in legislative process and budget control It gives a permanent President in the European Council for 30 months (2005) Creates the post of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Established new mechanisms to ensure the stability of banks, to reduce public debt and to coordinate the economic policies of the Member States, particularly those using the euro.

LATEST ENLARGEMENTS Bulgaria and Romania (2007) Croatia (2013)

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