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Lecture Notes European Integration and Democracy (Y)
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,Lecture 1: Introduction and History: The Creation of the ECSCEuropean integration: voluntary cooperation of states that agreed on cooperation Why do we have European institutions?
through surrendering some of their national sovereignty —> outcome of competing ideas, • (Political) Institution = system of established rules that structure the interaction
opportunities, chances, convictions, calculations, personal preferences and ambitions —> between people: determining which language you will use, which rules you have to
compromises during negotiations. follow and what models you will follow as a community for which the institution sets
• Combining different states into one union is a way older idea (Napoleon —> use of these rules —> organizing large scale political communities: describing patterns of
codes). behaviour, what you can and can’t do.
• European Integration: not just about dates, treaties and official decision-making (the • Trias Politica: legislative power, executive power and juridical power (organization
outcomes) but also about processes that led to decisions, understanding which options for a political community) —> in the EU there is not just one institution per power
existed and whether they had an after-life (does it truly happen?) and it is influenced (more hybrid)
by different kinds of dilemma’s!
• Moments of deepening of integration but also stagnation, crises and interruptions: ups Institutions have a long history, looking at European crises at the time —> peace plans
and downs during the years (oil crisis ’70, Brexit, refugee crisis) to unify Europe:
• Some reasons for European Integration (there are many more! People disagree about • Congress of Europe in The Hague 1948: start to think of a unified Europe —> it is
the reason to give up a part of a countries sovereignty for integration): the first concrete idea for a cooperative Europe/one community (leader of Congress:
Churchill)
How European Integration? Some ideas, there are many more (combinations) —> How • Three planetary sessions and committees: Economic and Social Committee (later:
much power do states want to hand over to Brussels? OEEC), Political Committee – European Assembly (later: Council of Europe) and
1. Supranational organisation: one organisation, the European community as a whole. Cultural Committee —> fierce debates between the committees about setting rules
2. Federal: the voice for the different states . and sovereignty (sovereignty = the legal capacity of national decision makers to
3. Intergovernmental: overarching institution (both for Europe as a whole and for take decisions without being subject to external restraints; guarantees that member
national states). states are not subject to the authority of other member states (in the EU): how much
power do we want to hand over?)
Dilemma’s in European Integration: • Dealing with the question of sovereignty:
1. Widening (expansion/enlargement) vs. deepening (more solid/function better between 1. Supranationalists: advocate a form of international cooperation in which
the member states): continuous friction. countries give up some control of their affairs as they work together to achieve
2. Determining the added value of European solutions to certain problems: interference shared goals (interests of citizens of Europe as a whole can only be safeguarded
of the EU or not? common market functions (but UK not pleased) and debates about this way ).
the refugee crisis (southern countries want a European solution, other countries 2. Federalists: advocate a system of government in which powers are divided and
don’t). shared by central governments and its sub-divisional governments (combination of
3. Balancing technical forms of cooperation and national forms of governance: cooperation and the state itself: interests of citizens of Europe as a whole and the
complicated bureaucratic system with many rules and regulations individual member states).
4. Exclusivity vs. inclusivity: member states have benefits but must adapt to rules by 3. Intergovernmentalists: advocate a system in which national states cooperate on the
Brussels. intergovernmental level without giving up their sovereignty (interests of the
5. Giving a voice to citizens and states: goal of an equal voice for all countries. individual member states).
• Outcome of the debates at the Congress of Europe 1948: establishment of
Reasoning European Integration institutions:
1. Perpetual peace: countries looking for peace after WW2 —> mutual dependence will 1. The European Centre for Culture (ECC);
result in less conflicts. 2. The College of Europe;
2. Rescue of the nation state: fuelled by political and economic crisis states could 3. The European Court of Human Rights;
maintain themselves in bad economic conditions (after WW2) —> cooperation and a 4. The Assembly of the Council of Europe —> Council of Europe
safety net (pragmatic reason). • Some failed first attempts since the Consultative Assembly in Strasbourg didn’t
3. Limit the power of Germany: fear of Germany due to WW2 —> control/influence function since decisions weren’t followed up by the states so it became more a place
Germany’s power. for Europeans to talk about European affairs (no complete result of an
establishment during the Congress)
Europeans Institutions • Second attempt: European Coal and Steel Community 1952:
“Who do i call if i want to call Europe?” - Henry Kissinger, US foreign minister —> Who is • High Authority: 9 members, independent of the member states and very
the EU? Who stands for the EU? Not a single person to call. —> The institution farreaching authority, such as the power to ban subsidies and price controls.
cooperates, but is at times in competition. • Council of Ministers: 1 representative per country, tasks: coordination
, between the High Authority and the member states and in some cases, they had • Meeting max. 4 times a year, they only meet more often in case of emergency
to monitor the High Authority • Main tasks:
• Assembly: representatives sent by the national parliaments, task: advisory 1. Defines the EU’s overall political direction and priorities;
function only. 2. Sets the EU’s policy agenda;
• Court of Justice: 7 judges, tasks: making sure that law is upheld with regard 3. Nominations of senior positions
to interpreting and applying the treaty and the implementation of directives ->
fundamentally different in comparison with before/new format of construction Charles Michel: President of the European Council former prime minister of Belgium
From 1952-1992: European communities, focusing on economics (Euratom, EEC, ECSC) • Member of Renew Europe
From 1992-now: European Union, focusing on all aspects • Precedessors:
• Donald Tusk (PL)
What are their tasks? EU institutions: • Herman van Rompuy (BE)
• Decision making: European Commission, the Council of the EU and the European
Parliament Council of Europe (Conseil de l’Europe, Europarat)
• Enforcing law: European Court of Justice • International human rights organisation NOT an EU institution
• Input/guidance: European Council, Economic and Social Committee and Committee of • 46 members states, all signed European Convention of Human Rights (EVRM)
the Regions (voice for the regions, besides the member states) Russia was a member until 2022
• Independent: European Central Bank • Made the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), which stipulated the rights of individuals and
The European Comission —> promoting the common interest (SUPRANATIONAL) citizens for all inhabitants of the member states.
Roles of the European Commission
1. Propose legislation to the parliament and the council The high representative
2. Manage and implements EU policies and budgets • The high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
3. Enforce European Law (with the court of justice) • Visible international legal personality
4. Represent the EU on the international stage • Blurs boundaries between Council + Commissioner
• Boost EU as credible global actor
Commission president: the political leader of the commission • High-level diplomacy through European External
• Has permanent secretariat: Secretariat-General Action Service Josep Borrel
• Power to reject Commissioner nominees • European Council appoints HR for 5-year term
Ursula von der Leyen
• Power to re-allocate portfolios & reshuffle
• Primus inter pares —> she is formally equal to other members of the Commission, but European Parliament —> The voice of the people
she’s a bit of a honour member. • Based in Brussels as well as in Strasbourg
• Headed by a President (selected different party groups)
The European Commission: Structure —> • Cross-national party groups (751 members) such as social and christen democrats
• 20 standing committees
Council of EU/Council of Ministers (INTERGOVERNMENTAL) • Combination of supranationalism, nationalism and ideology
• Rotating presidency • Main tasks:
• Relevant government ministers of member states on the different fields such as 1. Negotiates and adopts EU laws;
agriculture (national interests are discussed/negotiated) 2. Supervises the democratic scrutiny of all EU institutions;
• Permanent representatives – COREPER I and COREPER II 3. Adopts the EU budget
• Main tasks:
1. Negotiates and adopts EU laws; EP president Roberta metsola
2. Coordinates member states’ policies; • In office since 2022
3. Develops the EU’s common foreign and security policy; • After death of Davide Sassoli
4. Concludes internal agreements; • Youngest president, third woman, first Maltese
5. Adopts the EU budget • Member of EPP
• Controversial: “pro life”
European Council
• Heads of government of EU member states European Union: a mixture of a supranational and intergovernmental organization (no
• Appointed president (now: Donald Tusk) separation of powers —> hybrid construction)
, Current political groups —> 1939-1945: European continent under Nazi rule: Nazi Reichsminister Walther Funk’s
Plan for European economic cooperation: plan for an economic and monetary union in
EP elections every five years Europe but Hitler didn’t want to hear of it so it wasn’t established.
• First elections in 1979
• Last elections 2019, next elections in 2024 Wartime ‘federalist’ plans for a Postwar European Federation (vision for Europe):
• Regional or national lists German resistance towards Hitler (Goerdeler and Kreis: situation once Hitler was
• Proposal for transnational lists pushed aside) AND Italian anti-fascist resistance (Spinelli’s Manifesto: breaking up
• Steady decrease in turnout until 2019 nation states in smaller provinces that had to be united in one European Federation to
prevent huge power of Germany but also integrate Germany in Europa so it didn’t need to
Power and influence in three key areas be kept small out of fear for military aggression from Germany)
1. EU budget
2. Commission: right to scrutinise, dismiss, and appoint Briand Memorandum 1930: which contained a plan for European cooperation within the
3. Law-making: right to amend & reject Commission proposals framework of the League of Nations. Much like in the League of Nations, his plan
Wobke Hoekstra —> Commissioner for the climate envisioned complete sovereignty for the affiliated countries. Although the plan did
mention a common market, for Briand peace among the great European powers came first.
—> Plan failed: “French were trying to establish their position of power” & 1929 Stock
Part 1 - Plans for European integration before 1945
These plans aimed to create a common “European” market (= Europe and overseas Market Crash (world wide crisis broke out)
territories) without internal trade restrictions. The aim of this was to increase
prosperity and to protect the “European” economy against cheap imports from the extra- “Economic nationalism” after economic crisis 1929: “beggar-thy-neighbour” policies,
European world “dumping” and, in response to that, the building up of tariff walls —>
Examples: The economic crisis of 1929 led to an economic warfare within Europe between the
• 1923-Coudenhove-Kalergi’s Pan-Europa Plan [never realised] European states.
• 1930-Briand Plan [never realised]
• 1940-Nazi Funk Plan [never fully realised] Second World War, 1939-45: European continent under Nazi rule. Nazi Reichsminister
Democracy was of secondary importance in the plans of Coudenhove-Kalergi and Briand. Walther Funk’s Plan for European economic cooperation —> Nazi’s pleaded for
The Nazis were opponents of parliamentary democracy economic warfare union in Europe
• Albert Speer – a key economic figure in Hitler’s Third Reich during the Second World
1923: Coudenhove-Kalergi’s Pan-Europa: views on the economic rise of the far East and War – had wanted to create an organization similar to the ECSC in terms of
Pan- America and the threatening decline of a divided Europe —> development of new economic goals (albeit an undemocratic version). As the dominant power on the
force fields: Pan-America, Southeast-Asia, the Soviet Empire and Europe including European continent, Nazi Germany propagated European economic cooperation in a
colonial empires (except the British Empire because that was a force field on its own). ‘Großraumwirtschaft’ (‘bloc economy’). —> plan resembled the European Payment
• Establishment of tariff walls around the borders of Europe: high import tariffs to Union created in August 1950.
protect the Pan-European economy from cheap imports.
• Kalergi: conservative, anti-communist, catholic, supporter of colonialism and Part 2 - The economic importance of West Germany for Western Europe after the end of
admirer of Italian fascism. His views about major power blocs (and the will to make the Second World War and the fear of a future flirtation of West Germany with “Moscow”
one powerful Europe) weren’t that influential, even though the book was read a lot and
• Germany between East and West (good geopolitical position: benefit from one and the
he did a lot of attempts for a united Europe other —> threatening both sides that they’d take the other side)
• Tehran conference (1943: second front against Germany), Yalta conference (1945:
Briand Memorandum 1930: which contained a plan for European cooperation within the division spheres of influence and SU had to be kept at war) and conference of
framework of the League of Nations. Much like in the League of Nations, his plan Potsdam (1945: future of Germany).
envisioned complete sovereignty for the affiliated countries. Although the plan did
• Morgenthau Plan (1944-45): US plan for post-war Germany
mention a common market, for Briand peace among the great European powers came
• De-industrialisation, re-agrarisation and partition of Germany.
first. —> Plan failed: “French were trying to establish their position of power” & 1929
• Severe negative economic consequences for post-war Western-Europe
Stock Market Crash (world wide crisis broke out) (German trade partners).
• West-German chancellor Konrad Adenauer: no flirtation with Moscow, but
“Economic nationalism” after economic crisis 1929: “beggar-thy-neighbour” policies, Westintegration of Westbindung via ECSC and NATO (siding ONLY with West and
“dumping” and, in response to that, the building up of tariff walls —> stop integrating with East) *purpose of NATO: attempt to profit from the German
The economic crisis of 1929 led to an economic warfare within Europe between the economic potential but keeping it down as a political power (keeping the Russians
European states. out, Americans in, and the Germans down).
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