 History  Three Branches  Legislative  Executive  Judicial  Monetary  Political Parties

 Treaty of Paris (1951)  European Coal and Steel Community  “Inner Six”  Treaty of Rome (1957)  European Economic Community  European Atomic Energy Community

 Merger Treaty (1965)  European Communities  Three Pillars  Expansion  UK,Ireland, and Denmark  No Norway  Single European Act

MAASTRICHT TREATY

 28 Countries  3 rd Largest “State”  /commons/b/bb/EC-EU- enlargement_animation.gif /commons/b/bb/EC-EU- enlargement_animation.gif

 Passes and Amends European Laws  Co-decision with Council of Ministers  Direct Election  5 Year Cycle  Main location in Brussels  “Lower House”  President of Parliament

 Passes and amends European laws  Co-decision with Parliament  Represents Europe Internationally  Ministers from each country  “Upper House”  Voting  Different kinds of Majorities  Distribution by Country

 Executive Branch (sort of)  Heads of Government  Sets General Direction of EU  President of European Council

 Executive Branch  Proposes Legislation  Oversees Bureaucracy  Drafts and Implements Budget

 Judicial Branch  Interprets European Law  Ensures all Countries Comply  Not Life Terms???

 Treaty of Amsterdam  Monetary Policy  Maintaining Price Stability  Strength of Euro

 Audits Finances of EU  Ensures Fiscal Responsibility  Six-Year Terms  Oversees 800 Staff Members

 Maastricht Treaty  Weak organizations  Conglomeration of National Parties  National Parties Contest Elections  National Loyalties  Real Parties???

EPP - European People's Party (Christian Democrats) S&D - Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in Europe (centre-left) ALDE - Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (liberal) GUE/NGL - European United Left-Nordic Green Left (left-wing) Greens/EFA - Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens and regionalists/nationalists) ECR - European Conservatives and Reformists Group (right-wing) EFD - Europe of Freedom and Democracy (Eurosceptic) NA - Non-attached (MEPs not part of any group) ws/world-europe

 Largest Party in Parliament  Center-Right  First Transnational European Party  Emphasize Austerity  Want to Strengthen EU  Pro-Single Market  Pro-Asylum  Federal Europe

 Second-Largest Party in Parliament  Center-Left  Socialist  Pro-Regulation  “Financial Transaction Tax”  Uniform, High Minimum Wage  Pro-Environment, Renewable Energy

 Agreed upon in 2004  Simplify Mess of Treaties  Solidify Union  Define Relationship with Member States  Signed by all Countries  Failed Ratification in France, Denmark  Lisbon Treaty