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All lectures Politics of the European Union
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All lectures on the politics of the European Union.
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College 05-04Why should we care about the EU?
- E.g. Understanding EU unity in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
- This response is extraordinary because:
o EU unity in crisis situations is rare (e.g. euro crisis or refugee crisis).
o EU integration in foreign policy is limited (member states want to protect the
national sovereignty).
o Russia has always caused divisions between member states (national
governments have different economic and defense interests).
There has been a period of 70 years of lasting peace in Western Europe.
In the first half of the 20th century there were political and ideological divisions in Europe.
There were sharp and fluid inter-state relations.
The political systems (late 1930s):
- France: weak parliamentary system.
- Germany: Nazi dictatorship.
- Italy: Fascist dictatorship.
- Spain: Conservative military dictatorship.
- UK: Strong parliamentary system.
The impact of WW2 on Europe:
- Sharp and fluid interstate relations.
o Treaty of Versailles (1919)
o League of Nations (1920), an organization for international cooperation. It
was considered weak and did not have the power to react to the Nazi
aggression. Every country had different expectations from the league of
nations, and there were no clear rules or established institutions. That is why
the league of nations eventually collapsed.
o Start of the EU, to make sure Germany did not get the ability to pick up the
weapons once again.
- Economic devastation (massive war debts, infrastructural damage).
- Political weakness (newly established political systems, loss of empires).
- The continent was quickly divided in two (Western Europe vs Communism in the
East).
- There was a consciousness that the Versailles approach after WW1, had not resolved
the ‘German problem’ (= the amount of sanctions led to the feeling of ‘revenge’,
which ultimately led to WO2).
These factors combined to produce a situation wherein there was a willingness on the part
of many decision-makers to explore new forms of inter-state relations.
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,This changed the climate in Europe:
- Political climate
o Emphasis on combating nationalism (e.g. creation of the Council of Europe,
1949, non-EU focused on human rights).
o The new political map of Europe (new borders, division into West and East,
US support for liberal democratic systems).
o The new international power balance (Cold war, Europe in-between US and
USSR).
o The German problem: how will we prevent another war? (adoption of a
conciliatory approach).
- Economic climate
o Creation of the Bretton Woods monetary system (IMF, World Bank, General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade).
o Improve economic devastation from the war (European Recovery Programme
= Marshall, recipient states must work together to promote greater economic
cooperation among themselves).
Differences between the Western European states
- Although they had much in common post-WW2, there were major differences
between Western European states. (Founding members EU: Benelux, West Germany,
France, Italy).
o Germany wanted to get clear of the ‘Hitlershadow’. France wanted to prevent
another war after all their losses. All these countries wanted a new start, but
all came with very different national interests.
- No state participated in the integration process for idealistic reasons: hard-headed
national calculations always prevailed.
- Integration helped to rescue the European nation-state (Milward). The nation-states
were devastated after two world wars, but through cooperation they managed to
have a united common purpose and grow the economy.
Institutional developments
- No general agreement on what was to be done. Hence multiple organizations:
o The Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC, 1948).
Transformed into the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD, 1961).
o The Council of Europe (CoE, 1949).
o North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, 1949).
o The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC, 1951, Treaty of Paris).
o European Defence Cooperation (EDC, not ratified, 1954).
o The Western European Union (WEU, 1954).
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,The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) (Treaty of Paris, 1951)
- Idea put forth in the Schuman Declaration (1950)
- Envisaged duration: 50 years
- Ambition to create a free trade area
- Supranational organization
- Why coal and steel?
o At the time were some of the basic materials of any industrialized society.
o Moreover, coal and steel were key materials to make arms and wage war in
Europe.
o Lay the foundations of a common market.
Institutions
- High Authority (-> European Commission)
o Nine members (two from each of the larger states, and one each from the
smaller states) appointed for six-year terms.
o To remove barriers to the free movement of coal and steel, represented joint
interests of the ECSC.
- Special Council of Ministers
o Relevant government ministers from each member state. Presidency held by
each memberstate in rotation for periods of three months.
o To make decisions on proposals from the High Authority.
- Common Assembly
o 78 members chosen by national legislatures and divided among member
states based on population.
o Advisory.
- Court of Justice
o Seven members: six judges and a trade union representative.
o Settled conflicts between states and rules on legality of High Authority
decisions.
The European Defence Community (1950)
- Goal to establish a European Army under the political institutions of a united Europe.
- Similar institutional structure as the ECSC (supranational organization).
- Rejected by the French National Assembly in 1954. UK was not interested.
Western European Union (1955)
- 6 + UK
- Loosely structured, essentially consultative, primarily focused on defence.
- Permitted West Germany rearmament and enabled its membership into NATO.
- No ties with the EU.
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, The EEC & Euratom (1957)
- After the failure of the EDC, refocus on economic integration
o Guided by ideas of free-market, liberal, non-interventionist capitalism.
o But with some protectionist elements: agriculture and some elements of
social policy.
- Messina Declaration (1955) -> Treaties of Rome (1957)
o The European Economic Community (EEC)
o The European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)
EEC
Goal: gradual establishment of a common market.
- Free trade area: remove all tariffs and quantative restrictions on internal trade.
- Customs union: create a common external tariff and develop a common external
trade policy, the Common Commercial Policy.
- Common rules: prohibit practices that would distort or prevent competition between
member states.
- Common/single market: promote free movement of goofs but also free movement of
persons, services and capital.
- Referenced to the future common currency.
Institutions
- Commission
o Nine members (two from each of the larger states, and one each from the
smaller states) appointed for six-year terms.
o Less power than the HA to impose decisions on member states. Charged with
initiating policy and overseeing implementation.
- Council of Ministers
o Government ministers sharing 17 votes. Some decisions had to be unanimous
and some could be taken by a simple majority, the rest required a qualified
majority of 12 votes from four states.
o To make decisions on proposals from the Commission.
- Parliamentary Assembly (renamed European Parliament in 1962)
o 142 appointed members (elected from 1979)
o Could question or censure the Commission, but had little legislative authority.
- Court of Justice
o Seven judges appointed for renewable six-year terms.
o Responsible for interpreting the treaties and for ensuring that the EEC
institutions and the member states fulfilled their treaty obligations.
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