1. The present EU institutional framework Decision-making processes
2. Two processes in integration Widening More members 6 -> 27 Deepening More powers: common market in coal and steel -> internal market, common foreign policy, monetary union etc.
3. Member States 1952: 6 BeNeLux, Germany, France, Italy 1973: 9 Denmark, Ireland, UK 1981: 10 Greece 1986: 12 Spain, Portugal 1995: 15 Austria, Finland, Sweden 2004: 25 CzechRepublic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Cyprus, Malta 2007: 27 Bulgaria, Romania
4. Treatyframework 1951 European Coal and Steel Community 1957 European EconomicCommunity, EURATOM 1965 MergerTreaty 1979 Directelectionstothe European Parliament 1986 Single European Act 1992 Treatyonthe European Union 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam 2000 Treaty of Nice 2009 Treaty of Lisbon
6. Group work Formgroups of 5-6 people Introduceyourselves! Importantdates of the European Union Writeimportanthappeningsin Korea! History Politics Family Sport Culture …
8. Institutions Institutions European Council European Commission European Parliament Council of Ministers Court of Justice of the European Union Court of Auditors European Central Bank Advisory bodies Economic and Social Committee Committee of Regions Financial bodies European Investment Bank
9. European Council President of the European Council Representation of the EU Heads of StateorGovernmentoftheMemberStates President of theCommission General guidelinesforthe European integration Main politicaldecisions
10. European Commission Representstheinterests of the Union EachMemberStateappoints a Commissioner 27 Members including President First Vice-President: High Representative ofthe Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy 6 Vice-Presidents Commissionersactindependently of MemberState Agenda-settingrole: right of initiative Legislativerole: delegatedlegislation Implementation Guardian of theTreaties Representation of the EU Not a government, notasecretariat
12. European Parliament Representstheinterests of thecitizens 751 MEPs Electedbythecitizensfor 5 years Verylittlepoweratfirst Growinginfluencewithnewdecision-makingprocedures Legislative power Supervision of the budget Supervision of the executive International (European) parties Strasbourg, France; Brussels, Belgium; Luxembourg
13.
14. Members of the EP Regressively proportional to population
15. Council Representstheinterests of theMemberStateGovernments Has thedecision-makingpowerinco-decisionwiththeParliament Made upbytheministers of theMemberStates COREPER I-II Antici group (II), Mertens group (I) prepares meetings Permanent Representations of MS Special committees (agriculture, Art. 207 (133), PSC…) ~250 working groups Council Secretariat PresidencyrotatesbetweenMemberStates
16. Council shall meet in different configurations… 1. General affairs 2. Foreign affairs (ChairedbytheHighRepresentativeforForeign Affairs and Security Policy) 3. Economic and financial affairs 4. Justice and home affairs 5. Employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs 6. Competitiveness (internal market, industry, research and space) 7. Transport, telecommunications and energy 8. Agriculture and fisheries 9. Environment 10. Education, youth, culture and sport
17. Voting procedures Qualifiedmajority (differentsystemsfrom 2014, 2017) 255 votes out of 345 Over half of theMemberStates Option: verificationthatthevotesalsorepresent 62% of the EU population Simplemajority 14 votes Unanimous 27 votes
18. Court of Justiceofthe European Union 3 Courts: Court of Justice General Court Civil Service Tribunal / specialisedcourts 1 judge per MemberStateforCoJ, GC (27-27) 8 advocates-generalfortheCourt of Justice Plus: Civil Service Tribunal (7 judges) Responsibleforenforcing European law; interpreting and developingit Insomecasestogetherwithnationalcourts viapreliminaryrulings and directactions Mandatoryjurisdiction
19. Court of Auditors Controls the budget of the EU Controls all the spendings of all institutions and bodies 1 auditor per Member State
20. European Central Bank responsible for the stability of the euro, including regulating the money supply, and, together with the other national central banks, defines and implements the monetary policy of the Union Based in Frankfurt-am-Main
22. Advisory bodies Economic and Social Committee representatives ofsocial and economic aspects of society farmers, transporters, workers, businessmen and tradesmen, the professions, consumers and the public in general consultative role integral part of European decision-making: must be consulted
23. Advisory bodies Committee of Regions representatives of regional and local government role is to raise awareness of local and regional points of view with regard to European legislation
24. Financial bodies European Investment Bank long-term lending bank of the European Union raises substantial volumes of funds on the capital markets lends on favourable terms to projects furthering EU policy objectives
25. Otherbodies European Ombudsman Complaintsagainstinstitutions: discrimination, unnecessarydelay, lack of information… Agencies (forexample): Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA) Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) European Environment Agency (EEA) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (EUROFOUND) European Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) …
27. Participants Commission Parliament Council Committee of Regions Economic and SocialCommittee
28. Commission… has the power of initiative – decide if: it should act on what legal basis in which form (if not defined by the treaty) has the right to amend or withdraw proposals In specific cases provided for by the Treaties, legislative acts may be adopted on the initiative of a group of Member States or of the European Parliament, on a recommendation from the European Central Bank or at the request of the Court of Justice or the European Investment Bank
30. Council… Was main decision-maker Nowco-decisionwithParliament Sometimesassent is required
31. Co-decision procedure OrdinarylegislativeprocedureafterLisbonTreaty introduced by the Treaty on European Union Council cannot disregard the opinion of Parliament in the event of disagreement, a conciliation committee made up of representatives of the Council and of Parliament has to arrive at a text that is acceptable to the two institutions two institutions on an equal footing in the legislative roles If no agreement is reached, the legislative process fails
32.
33. Assent (orapproval) procedure 1. introduced by the Single European Act Parliament has the possibility of expressing its approval or disapproval of certain Council instruments Parliament gives its consent by an absolute majority of its members right of veto for Parliament
34.
35. Assent (orapproval) procedure 2. introduced by the LisbonTreaty Council has the possibility of expressing its approval or disapproval of certain Parliament instruments right of veto for Council
38. Whataboutdemocracy? People’sinvolvement European Parliamentelectedbythecitizens of MemberStates European Citizens’ Initiative 1 million EU citizenscanasktheCommissionto start a procedure National parliamentshavesomepower Councilmembersarefromgovernmentsresponsibletonationalparliaments No European referendum
39. Fortomorrow… Question: is thereWiFi (wireless Internet access) here? Ifyoucan, bring a laptop ornetbookorsomethingyoucanusethe Internet with!