Transcript EU Institutions Presentation – Jackson Kane - Linn

EU Political Institutions
Member States (27 minus UK)
Members: Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Malta, Netherlands, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United
Kingdom(leaving)
Candidates: Albania, Macedonia,
Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey
Origins
The Union’s first predecessor, the European Coal and Steel Community,
was intended to prevent war by making it economically infeasible, and
had six member states: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy,
Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. It was established in 1951.
The ECSC was joined by the European Atomic Energy Community, as
well as the European Economic Community in 1957.
More treaties and supranational organizations continued to amass in
Europe, until they were largely subsumed by the EU as it stands
today.
Expansion
The European Union actively expands its membership, through a
process of candidacy and full membership requiring the consent of all
current member states. A state being considered will be offered
candidacy if all members agree, and generally this is accepted- the
only refusal being Iceland. Then, after a period as a candidate, if all
members consent, the state becomes a full member.
The requirements for joining include a functioning, competitive market
economy, a working democracy, laws guaranteeing human rights, and
laws compatible with the Union’s.
The Euro
The Euro, established virtually in 1999 and first minted in 2002, is the
primary currency of the European Union, and is administered by the
European Central Bank.
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and
Spain have adopted the Euro as their sole currency. This group of
states is known as the Eurozone. The rest of the Union maintains
their own currencies, but, in many cases, will accept the Euro.
Open Borders
Pursuant to the Schengen Agreement of 2014, the 26 countries of the
European Union share open borders: it is not required to pass through
immigration or customs to pass between the member countries.
The Schengen Agreement also includes heavier restrictions on travel into
the Union by non-citizens, and has complicated exceptions applying
to work and study visas.
This decision was controversial, and is a large part of the pressures that
led to the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom.
Legislature
● The European Parliament, elected independently of national
governments, and Council of the European Union, composed of
members of government from the member states, comprise the
legislature of the Union.
● Other pseudo-legislative bodies exist as temporary measures at
different times, such as the European Council policy direction
summits.
● Each member state maintains its own legislature, but cannot overrule
the EU legislature on international matters.
Judiciary
● The EU’s judicial system consists of three courts: the Civil Service
Court, handling intragovernmental matters, the Court of Justice,
handling most interpretations and appeals, as well as some
annulments, and the General Court, handling most annulments.
● As with the legislature, each member state maintains its domestic
judicial systems under the EU system.
Activity
● Should the Union be more unified?
● Specifically, should member states be freely allowed to leave, or not?
How does this compare and contrast with secession from a single
state?
● Half of the class will represent each side- each person will choose,
but adjustments may need to be made to maintain balance.
● Finally, discuss how national pride may play into these opinions.
Sources
● Europa.eu
● Nationsonline.org
● Consilium.europa.eu
● Curia.europa.eu
● Travel.state.gov
● Eur-lex.europa.eu