Introduction to EU law and EU institutions
Background
- New EU law is passed by the Commission
- Each member state has a Commissioner
- The Commission will prosecute people for breach of competition law
- The Council and European Parliament pass new laws
- The Council is a moveable group and is made up of government ministers from the member
states.
- The European Parliament is made up of directly elected MEPs.
- The European Council is made up of the heads of states of each member state and they meet 4
times a year
- The Present of the Council is a member state and it will change every 6 months.
Aims and Role of the EU
Article 3.1 TEU
The Union’s aim is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples
Article 2 TEU
Respect for human dignity, Freedom, Democracy, Equality, The rule of law and Respect for
human rights including the rights of minorities
Institutions of the EU
Commission Runs the EU on a day-to-day basis.
Drafts proposed EU legislation.
Council Allows government ministers from each Member State to meet and
discuss important EU matters.
Passes EU legislation, sometimes in conjunction with the European
Parliament.
European Council Sets the general political direction of the EU.
Comprises the Heads of State or of government of each Member State of
the EU
European Parliament Allows representatives of the peoples of the Member States to consider
and often to vote on EU legislation.
Can ask written and oral questions of the Commissioners who make up
the Commission.
Court of Justice of the EU Imposes sanctions for breaches of EU legislation.
Adjudicates disputes over the meaning of EU Law.
European Central Bank Sets and implements monetary policy for the eurozone countries of the
EU.
Must aim to keep inflation in the Eurozone countries of the EU at around
2%.
European Court of Auditors Checks any person or organisation handling EU funds.
Checks that the EU collects and uses its funds legally and efficiently.
EU - Key Terms
Term Definition Members
EU An economic and political union Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
made up of 28 countries. Croatia, Republic of Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark,
, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands,
Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
and the UK.
European Economic Area The European Economic Area EU countries and also Iceland,
provides for the free movement of Liechtenstein and Norway.
persons, goods, services and
capital within the internal market of
the European Union.
European Free Trade An intergovernmental organisation Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
Association set up to promote free trade and and Switzerland.
economic integration for its
member states
The Schengen Convention An agreement whereby the free Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic,
movement of people is guaranteed Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
by member states as all France,Germany, Greece,
international boarders have been Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia,
abolished. Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
The Eurozone Countries who have adopted the Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia,
Euro as they sole legal tender. Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia
and Spain
Candidate Countries The countries that are officially Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, The
applying to become part of the EU. former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia and Turkey.
Potential candidates include
Bosnia and Herzegovina and
Kosovo.
EU - Key treaties and agreements
Date Agreement Objective
1945 End of the Second World War Rebuild a devastated Europe
1958 ECC Treaty Create a common market ad
improve living and working
conditions.
1987 Single European Act Promote a single market and
more use of the qualified majority
voting system as opposed to the
unanimous system.
1993 Maastricht Treaty Create the new EU, an economic
community and co-operation of
defence, justice and police
policies. Gave Parliament more
power.
1999 Treaty of Amsterdam Increases powers of Parliament
ad the EU
, 2003 Treaty of Nice Alter rules on the make up of EU
institutions to allow for future
enlargement.
2009 Treaty of Lisbon Rename of the EC treaty to
TFEU, rename the co-decision to
ordinary legislative procedure to
make it the default procedure.
