Samenvatting Politiek van de Europese Unie 2022/2023 Universiteit Leiden
Lecture notes and book summary - Politics of the European Union - 2023 - Grade 9.7
Politics of the European Union Notes on Readings - GRADE 8,0
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Universiteit Leiden (UL)
International Relations and Organizations
Politics of the EU
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POLITICS OF THE EU
1. Introduction
What is the EU?
o Is it a state?
Has institutions with power
Has executive, legislative, judiciary
Has policy competences transferred from states to EU level
Has external representation (EEAS = like a foreign ministry; High Representative =
quasi- foreign minister (Mogherini))
Since 1993: EU Citizenship
o Is it an IO?
Does not have monopoly on violence (can’t police, imprison etc)
Does not have monopoly on taxes
Unable to define its own powers (transferred from MS)
Difference from other IOs
Since 2009: Legal personality (can sign treaties; seat in other IOs)
Scope of powers very broad: EU active across the board in all sorts of policy
areas
EU law > national law -> direct rule over citizens
Combines different institutions (eg different representative bodies)
o EU = an unidentified political object?
“…in 30 or 40 years Europe will constitute a UPO – a sort of unidentified political
object – unless we weld it into an entity enabling each of our countries to benefit from
the European dimension and to prosper internally as well (…) externally” – Jacques
Delors
3 levels of politics
o Domestic politics in the MS
o EU politics mainly in Brussels (supranational level)
o International politics, eg EU in the UN, EU-Japan strategic partnership
4th level: local politics, esp. in federal states
Boundaries = blurred
Problematic to say which policies are supranational & which are domestic (division
between internal & external used to be clear, shocked Foreign Ministers at first)
Reading
o Theme 1: Peace-Building thru economic cooperation in a mixed economy
o Theme 2: More than an IO, less than a state
o Theme 3: From economic to democratic legitimation?
2. EU history
Intro Chapter
o A few successes of the EU
Nobel Peace Prize (2012): “The Union and its forerunners have for over six decades
contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human
rights in Europe”
Single Market
o Current challenges
Financial crisis
Shook EU profoundly, one Central Bank but so many different policies
EU does not have a large budget
Migration crisis
No joint idea of how to deal with it
Hit different countries in different ways, disproportionately affected Italy,
Spain, Greece)
Brexit
What will happen with the relationship between EU & UK?
Will other countries want to leave?
Deepening & widening
Calam Gallacher Roig
, Deepening: transferring powers from national level to EU institution-level, eg
FP, environment & agricultural policies
Widening: extension of policy fields / expansion number of MS
o 3 themes central in the book
Building peace thru economic cooperation in a mixed economy
More than an IO but less than a state
From economic to democratic legitimacy
History of the EU
o European unification is a concept that has been around for centuries
origins of civilization in Europe back in 18/19C, great thinkers & leader writing letters
to each other about this
Coudenhove-Kalergi: Pan-European Union
o It only really took off from 1945 onwards (more serious collaboration)
o Idealistic visions: creation of a federal state with a supranational authority
o Pragmatic goals: intergovernmental cooperation (Benelux)
o Competence (power to make laws regarding certain policy areas)
o Jean Monnet (1888-1979)
Founding father of European integration
Cognac merchant, travelled to Scandinavia, England, US, Canada
Idea of European Unity
o Important events / dates
Congress of Europe in The Hague (1948): Council of Europe
Schuman Plan (09.05.1950): Coal & Steel Community
Monnet method (work incrementally on collaboration, might move higher up
gradually)
ECSC: 1951, in force 1952-2002 (avoid build-up of weapons)
Euratom: 1957 (atomic energy & weaponry, know who is using uranium for what)
EEC in force 1958 (economic benefits come easier if you collaborate economically)
EDC signed in 1952, rejected in 1954 by French parliament (to ensure lasting peace
thru collaboration, also part of Monnet method)
o European Community
1960s: empty chair crisis in 1965: France made sure there was a possibility to veto,
CAP major thing at the time
1970s: turbulent period, oil crisis, different response in different countries
1980s: EC MS have hard time picking up economic activity, own national business
methods / policies; Round Table of Industrialists come together and discuss the need
to jumpstart this
1990s: geopolitical change, end of CW, intergovernmental conference generating
Maastricht Treaty
o Treaties
Single European Act (1986)
Calam Gallacher Roig
, Set objective to establish Single Market & codified political cooperation
(forerunner of EU’s CFSP)
Treaty of Maastricht (1992/93)
Creation of the EU
Treaty of Amsterdam (1997/99)
MS agreed to transfer certain powers to EP, implemented institutional changes
for expansion
Treaty of Nice (2001/03)
Amended Maastricht Treaty & Treaty of Rome
Reformed institutional structure of EU to withstand eastward expansion
Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (2004)
Treaty of Lisbon (2007/09)
Summary & Conclusion
o European integration started a long time ago
o Enlargement only works if MS all agree
o Sometimes deeper integration does not work
o Deepening is often incorporated into treaties
Reading
o EU is best described as a unique entity governed by atypical institutions designed to ensure
dialogue between its members and the functioning of the decision-making process
o 2 understandings of integration:
Establishment of a European federation
Intergovernmental cooperation
o 1950s
1948 conference in The Hague led to the creation of the Council of Europe
(consultative assembly) in 1949
Schuman Plan (1950): Fra, W Germany, Ita, Benelux
Underlined importance of establishing a High Authority, made up of
independent experts, decisions binding on MS
Establishment of Council of Ministers to safeguard interests of national govts
Result: Treaty establishing the ECSC signed in 1951
EDC proposed by Monnet in 1952
Aim: contain possible future rearmament of West Germany & prevent it from
becoming a NATO member
Supranational character, joint institutions, armed forces & budget
Rejected by French Assembly in 1954
Mid 1950s: European integration seemed to have reached a deadlock
Messina Conference 1955
1957: Establishment of the EEC & the Euratom
Treaty of Rome entered into force in 1958
Establishment of a common market
CAP & CCP (Common Commercial Policy)
o 1960s
Empty Chair Crisis
Origins: proposal to increase Commission’s role & enhance EP’s budgetary powers &
application of QMV instead of unanimity in the Council of Ministers
Worried de Gaulle (feared that CAP would be reformed against France’s interests)
France withdrew its representative in Council meetings for 6 months
Luxembourg Compromise: QMV applies, but if
country feels that very important national
interests are at threat, it can veto a decision
o 1970s
Summit of The Hague (1969) defined EEC’s
primary objectives
Further membership expansion
Establishment of an Economic and
Monetary Union (EMU)
EMU attempts failed & plans abandoned by
late 80s
o 1980s & 90s
Calam Gallacher Roig
, Unprecedented advance of European integration
Single European Act (SEA) 1985: major reinforcement of supranational institutions &
extended EEC competence to new policy fields
Creation of a single market 1992
Maastricht Treaty of 1992
Establishment of the EMU
Expand EU competence in FP & security policy & justice & home affairs
3 Pillars established by MT of 1992
o 2000s
Massive enlargement of the EU
Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe (2001)
Replaced the ECS, EEC & Euratom
Consolidated & simplified text (eg abolishing 3 pillar structure)
Integrated charter of HR
Introduced new EU symbols
Was never ratified
Lisbon Treaty (2007)
Incorporated many innovations of the TECE
Creation of the EEAS
Addressed democratic deficit by giving national parliaments more say in the
legislative process
Gave up 3 pillar system
Preserved intergovernmental character of CFSP
o Expanded QMV
3. The European Commission
Why look at institutions? Aren’t states all that manner?
o A state-centric approach (eg neorealism) in IR downplays the role of institution
o Institutional approaches argue that institutions matter
Alter state preferences
Alter power structures
Provide normative environments
o EU = ‘rescue of the nation-state’?
Article 9
o 7 official
institutions: EP, European Council, Council of the EU, European Commission, Court of Justice,
ECB, Court of Auditors
Article 9d
o The Commission shall promote the general interest of the Union and take appropriate
initiatives to that end,
o So: represents whole EU? -> controversial
‘Guardian of the Treaties’ & of legal framework
o The case of Poland and the ‘rule of law’ procedure
Calam Gallacher Roig
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