Transcript European Integration and the EU

European Integration
and the EU
GEOG 3762
Geography of Europe
Understanding the EU
Why the European Union?
 What is the EU today?
 Historic Steps
 Enlargement
 How does the EU work?
 What does the EU do?
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Why the EU?
Peace
 Safety and Security
 Economic and Social Solidarity
 Bridging the gap between “rich” and “poor
 OR is it about something else? (see video
later)
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What is the EU today?
Supranational Organization of 25 nation
states
 450 million people
 One of the largest global economies
 An organization with distinct economic
and social patterns
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Population
Population Density
Land Area
Population Density in Comparison
Population Projections
Life Expectancy of Elderly People (Seniors)
Schoolchildren under Age 18
Families
Average Household Income
Total GDP
Historic Steps
Treaty of Paris (1951) = ECSC
 Treaty of Rome (1957) = EEC+Euratom
 Single European Act (1986)
 Treaty on the European Union (1992)
 Treaty of Amsterdam (1997)
 Treaty of Nice (2001)
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= Growth from 6 to 15 countries
Enlargement
Copenhagen Summit 2002
 Expansion to 25 countries by May 2004
 Historical origin: 1989
 Criteria for membership:
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Political
 Economic
 Acquis communautaire
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Enlargement
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Economic issues
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How large can the EU become?
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10 new members are at 40% of average EU GDP
25 countries
454 Million people
Expansion to 27 in 2007
Bulgaria and Romania
Turkey, anyone?
New Member Populations
How does the EU work?
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Confederation of Countries
NOT a federal state
Something NEW!!
Delegation of SOME (?) national sovereignty to
EU organizations
National interests
Collective interests
How does the EU work?
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Political Structure
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Council of European Union
European Commission
European Parliament
European Court of Justice
European Court of Auditors
European Ombudsman
How does the EU work?
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Political Structure
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Council of European Union
Not European Council or
Council of Europe
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Main decision making body
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• Rotating presidency (6
months)
• Economic cooperation
• Budgetary control
• Member state are
represented proportionally
according to population they
represent
• Acts on proposals from the
Commission, in consultation
with the parliament
• Majority Vote
How does the EU work?
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Political Structure
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European Parliament
• 626 members
• Elected for 5 years
• Largest groups
• EPP - European People’s
Party
• PES - Party of European
Socialists
• Strasbourg and Brussels
• Democratic control over
community institutions
• Shares legislative power with
council
• Cooperation
• Assent
• Codecision
How does the EU work?
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Political Structure
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European Commission
• Executive arm of EU
• 25 members
• Driving force in the
integration process
• Proposes directions to take
• Implements the measures
decided on by the Council
and Parliament
• Answerable to the European
Parliament
• Since1967, a single
Commission has served all
three European Communities
(ECSC, Euratom and EC).
How does the EU work?
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Political Structure
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European Court of Justice
• 25 judges
• Ensure the equal application of community law
• Issues proceedings
• Failure to fulfill obligation
• Annulment
• Failure to Act
How does the EU work?
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Political Structure
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European Court of Auditors
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Fiscal watchdogs
Monitors the income and spending of the EU
Ensures correct contributions and redistribution of resources
Monitors the spending habits of member states and individual EU
projects and funding sources
• Central concern: fraud protection
How does the EU work?
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Political Structure
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European Ombudsman
• Liaison between EU citizens and the organization
• Helps individuals in their legal battle against maladministration in
the EU
• Makes recommendations to Commission to counteract
maladmistration
How does the EU work?
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Economic Structure
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European Central Bank
European Investment Bank
How does the EU work?
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Economic Structure
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European Central Bank
• Define and implement the monetary policy of the euro zone
• Conduct foreign exchange operations
• Hold and manage the official exchange reserves of the countries of the
euro zone;
• Issue notes in the zone euro;
• Promote the smooth operation of payment systems.
• Collects statistical information from national authorities