1. The European Union in Review
Advanced Placement Comparative Government

2. The European Union
Integration: A process that encourages states to pool their sovereignty in order to gain political, economic, and social clout.
A countertrend to devolution.
Binds states together with common policies and rules
Supranational organizations

3. History EU Founding Treaties
ECSC Treaty (1951) European Coal and Steel Community
EEC (1957) European Economic Community- Treaty of Rome
EC Treaty (1967) European Community
* Free Movement of Goods
* Free Movement of Labor
* Free Movement of Capital
* Freedom to Provide Services
Maastricht Treaty (1992)
* European Union Established
* Three Pillars
The Lisbon Treaty (2009)
* Due to the failure of the proposed EU constitution
* Reorganizes EU institutions/broadening and deepening

4. Membership
The European Union is open to any European country that fulfils the democratic, political and economic criteria for membership.
A stable and functioning democratic regime
A market-oriented economy
A willingness to accept all EU laws and regulations
The EU has increased from 6 to 28 members.
Each treaty admitting a new member requires the unanimous approval of all member states.

5. Expansion 2004 Members Bulgaria 2007 Romania 2007 Croatia 2014 Poland
United Kingdom
Ireland
Sweden
Finland
Germany
Netherlands
Denmark
Belgium
Luxembourg
France
Spain
Portugal
Italy
Greece
Austria
2004 Members
Poland
The Czech Republic
Hungary
Slovenia
Cyprus
Malta
Slovakia
Latvia
Lithuania
Estonia
Bulgaria 2007
Romania 2007
Croatia 2014

6. Pending Applications to the EU
Turkey ?
Macedonia

7. Composition
The European Union has 5 major institutions of governance and administration:
The European Parliament
The Council of the European Union
The European Commission
The European Council
The Court of Justice

8. The Decision-Making Triangle
The European Council
The European Parliament
The European Commission
The European Commission
The European Parliament
The European Council

9. The European Parliament
Composition
The European Parliament
Role: Directly elected legislative arm of the EU
Powers:
Shares with the Council the power to legislate
Exercises democratic supervision over all EU institutions-especially the Commission
Shares with the Council authority over the EU Budget
751 elected members serve 5 year terms (2014)
Numbers will change as new members are admitted

10. Parliament 2014

11. Council of the European Union
Composition
Council of the European Union
Role: Legislative arm of the EU, representing member states
Powers:
Pass European Laws (Co-decision with Parliament)
Coordinate the broad economic policies of the member states
Conclude international agreements
Approve the EU Budget
Develop the EU’s common foreign and security policy
To co-ordinate co-operation between the national courts and police forces in criminal matters

12. The Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Rotates every 6 months (Leader of Government)
3 main responsibilities:
Direct the work of the Council of the European Union
Maintain relations with other Union institutions
Represent the European Union in international matters
At the start of its term, the Presidency country submits its work programme to the European Parliament and, at the end of the six-month period, a report is delivered to the Parliament on the outcomes of the Presidency.

13. Trio Presidency
Although the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe is not legally binding, member states have decided to adopt the concept of the presiding Trio.
September 2006 the Council amended Rules of Procedure: "Every 18 months, the three Presidencies due to hold office shall prepare, in close cooperation with the Commission, and after appropriate consultations, a draft programme of Council activities for that period."
Slovenia collaborated with Germany and Portugal, both of which presided over the Council of the EU in 2007.

14. Composition
There are no fixed members as such. At each Council meeting, each country sends the minister for the policy field being discussed – e.g. the environment minister for the meeting dealing with environmental matters. That meeting will then be known as the “Environment Council".
The foreign ministers’ Council has a permanent chairperson – the EU's High Representative for foreign and security policy.
All other Council meetings are chaired by the relevant minister of the country holding the rotating EU presidency.
For example, any environment Council meeting in the period when Estonia holds the presidency will be chaired by the Estonian environment minister.

15. The European Commission
Composition
The European Commission
Role: Executive arm of the EU and initiator of
legislative proposals
Powers:
To propose legislation to Parliament and the Council
To manage and implement EU policies and the budget
To Enforce European Law
To represent the European Union on the International stage
28 members appointed by Parliament and the member states to run the institution and make its decisions

16. Composition The European Council
Role: Initiator of the European Union’s major policies and is empowered to settle difficult issues on which ministers in the Council of the European Union fail to agree
Powers:
Highest level policymaking body
Meets 4 times a year
Presidents and Prime Ministers of all the EU countries plus the President of the European Commission
Discuss European and World issues. Its aim is to speak with one voice on international issues, developing a common foreign and security policy (CFSP)

17. The Commission
The Commission is independent of national governments. Its job is to represent and uphold the interests of the EU as a whole. It drafts proposals for new European laws, which it presents to the European Parliament and the Council.

18. Composition Role: To give legal judgments on cases brought before it
The Court of Justice
Role: To give legal judgments on cases brought before it
Court of Justice: One Judge from each EU country; Eight
advocates-general
Court of First Instance: One Judge from each EU country
Term of Office: Members of both courts are appointed for
renewable terms of six years
Powers:
Makes decisions on EU laws, rules and regulations
All decisions are binding to all EU institutions, as well as states, courts, citizens, and companies operating in the union
May overrule the decisions of national courts

19. Organization Commission: Brussels, 28 members. Powerful EU Law Can
censure
proposes
Council of the EU: Brussels, (population) Main decision making body. Specialized members. Qualified majority needed. 6 month presidency
European Parliament: Strasbourg, 785 members elected for 5 years. Only democratic body in structure. A two-thirds vote can censure Commission and force it to resign. Consults with Council to amend policy proposals.
consults
lobbies
The European Council: Brussels, 28 members, each ambassador to the EU. Lobbies Commission and Council. Media
European Court of Justice: Luxembourg, 27 justices. Adjudicates disputes arising under EU treaties and rules.
adjudicates
EU Law

20. Issues
Democratic Deficit: Loss of direct control of political decisions by the people.
Immigration
Security
Terrorism
The Environment
Globalization