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Summary All lectures European Integration
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All extensive notes of the lectures of the course European Integration, first year of European Studies.
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European IntegrationLecture 1: Introduction
European Integration: voluntary cooperation of states that agreed on cooperation through
surrendering some of their national sovereignty outcome of competing ideas, opportunities,
chances, convictions, calculations, personal preferences and ambitions (integration is a difficult
process) compromises during negotiations
Combining different states into one union is a way older idea (Napoleon use of codes)
European Integration: not just about dates, treaties and official decision-making (the
outcomes) but also about processes that led to decisions, understanding which options
existed and whether they had an after-life (does it truly happen?) and it is influenced by
different kinds of dilemma’s!
Moments of deepening of integration but also stagnation, crises and interruptions: ups and
downs during the years (oil crisis ’70, Brexit, refugee crisis)
Some reasons for European Integration (there are many more! People disagree about the
reason to give up a part of a countries sovereignty for integration):
1. Peace: countries looking for peace after WWII mutual dependence will result in less
conflicts
2. Rescue of the nation state: states could maintain themselves in bad economic conditions
(after WWII) cooperation and a safety net (pragmatic reason)
3. Limit the power of Germany: fear of Germany due to WWII control/influence
Germany’s power
How European Integration? Some ideas, there are many more (combinations) How much
power do states want to hand over to Brussels?
1. Supranational organisation: one organisation, the European community as a whole
2. Federal: the voice for the different states
3. Intergovernmental: overarching institution (both for Europe as a whole and for national
states)
Dilemma’s in European Integration:
1. Widening (expansion/enlargement) vs. deepening (more solid/function better between
the member states): continuous friction
2. Determining the added value of European solutions to certain problems: interference of
the EU or not? common market functions (but UK not pleased) and debates about the
refugee crisis (southern countries want a European solution, other countries don’t)
3. Balancing technical forms of cooperation and national forms of governance: complicated
bureaucratic system with many rules and regulations
4. Exclusivity vs. inclusivity: member states have benefits but must adapt to rules by
Brussels
5. Giving a voice to citizens and states: goal of an equal voice for all countries
Lecture 2: European Institutions
Why do we have European institutions?
(Political) Institution = system of established rules that structure the interaction between
people: determining which language you will use, which rules you have to follow and what
models you will follow as a community for which the institution sets these rules organizing
large scale political communities: describing patterns of behaviour, what you can and can’t
do
Trias Politica: legislative power, executive power and juridical power (organization for a
political community) in the EU there is not just one institution per power (more hybrid)
, Institutions have a long history, looking at European crises at the time peace plans to unify
Europe:
Congress of Europe in The Hague 1948: start to think of a unified Europe it is the first
concrete idea for a cooperative Europe/one community (leader of Congress: Churchill)
Three planetary sessions and committees: Economic and Social Committee (later: OEEC),
Political Committee – European Assembly (later: Council of Europe) and Cultural
Committee fierce debates between the committees about setting rules and
sovereignty
*sovereignty = the legal capacity of national decision makers to take decisions without
being subject to external restraints; guarantees that member states are not subject to
the authority of other member states (in the EU): how much power do we want to hand
over?
*dealing with the question of sovereignty:
1. Supranationalists: advocate a form of international cooperation in which
countries give up some control of their affairs as they work together to achieve
shared goals
*interests of citizens of Europe as a whole can only be safeguarded this way
2. Federalists: advocate a system of government in which powers are divided and
shared by central governments and its sub-divisional governments
*combination of cooperation and the state itself: interests of citizens of Europe
as a whole and the individual member states
3. Intergovernmentalists: advocate a system in which national states cooperate on
the intergovernmental level without giving up their sovereignty
*interests of the individual member states
Outcome of the debates at the Congress of Europe 1948: establishment of institutions:
1. The European Centre for Culture (ECC);
2. The College of Europe;
3. The European Court of Human Rights;
4. The Assembly of the Council of Europe Council of Europe
Some failed first attempts since the Consultative Assembly in Strasbourg didn’t function
since decisions weren’t followed up by the states so it became more a place for
Europeans to talk about European affairs (no complete result of an establishment during
the Congress)
Second attempt: European Coal and Steel Community 1952:
*High Authority: 9 members, independent of the member states and very far-reaching
authority, such as the power to ban subsidies and price controls
*Council of Ministers: 1 representative per country, tasks: coordination between the
High Authority and the member states and in some cases, they had to monitor the High
Authority
*Assembly: representatives sent by the national parliaments, task: advisory function only
*Court of Justice: 7 judges, tasks: making sure that law is upheld with regard to
interpreting and applying the treaty and the implementation of directives
fundamentally different in comparison with before/new format of construction
From 1952-1992: European communities, focusing on economics (Euratom, EEC, ECSC)
From 1992-now: European Union, focusing on all aspects
What are their tasks? EU institutions:
Decision making: European Commission, the Council of the EU and the European
Parliament
Enforcing law: European Court of Justice
Input/guidance: European Council, Economic and Social Committee and Committee of
the Regions (voice for the regions, besides the member states)
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