The European Union

Olive Chen, Sana Karim, and Ashley Weston

Background Check

Origins: ECSC

European Coal and Steel Community: unify western Europe during Cold War, help economy, and prevent war • Formed by France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium.

Luxembourg, Netherlands• Created common market for coal and steel• Served for economic purposes• Established by the Treaty of Paris 1951

Origins: EEC

European Economic Community: aimed to bring about economic integration and a single market among the 6 nations • Formed by France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium.

Luxembourg, Netherlands• Served for economic purposes• Later became the European Community (EC)• Established by the Treaty of Rome

Treaty of Maastricht

• 1993 created the European Union and  established a single currency- the Euro

• Set up the EU's current system• Later amended by the Treaty of Nice

Leading the EU

Government Setup:

EU governed by three branches:• Executive • Judicial • Legislative

Executive Branch

Chief of Union:  • President of the European Commission 

o José Manuel Durão Barroso (Portuguese) • President of the Council of the EU 

o Belgium (July-Dec 2010)o Hungary (Jan-June 2011)

Executive Branch ctd.

Elections:

1. President of Euro Commission designated by member governments 2. Confirmed by Euro Parliament3. Commission president creates a "college" of

Commission members4. Parliament confirms for next 5 years   

Judicial Branch

Court of Justice of the European Communities•  makes sure treaties are interpreted and applied uniformly

throughout the EU• resolve "constitutional" issues among the EU institutions • 27 justices (one from each member state) appointed for a

six-year term

Legislative Branch

There are two legislative bodies:• The Council of the European Union 

o 27 member-state ministers having 345 voteso the number of votes is roughly proportional to member-

states' population• The European Parliament 

o 736 seats; seats allocated among member states in proportion to population

o members elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/elections/euro/09/flash/html/eu.stm

Enlargement 

Order of Accession:

• Original members: France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg

• 1973: Britain, Ireland, Denmark• 1981: Greece• 1986: Spain, Portugal• 1995: Finland, Austria, Sweden• 2004:

        -Cyprus                   -Hungary        -Malta            -Slovenia         -Czech Republic     -Latvia            -Poland        -Estonia                  -Lithuania      -Slovakia• 2007: Romania, Bulgaria• Current candidates: Croatia, Turkey, Macedonia, Bosnia,

Iceland, Western Balkans 

How to Become a Member:

• Application• Council must have unanimous vote• Negotiations• Accession partnerships• Agreement to acquis• Treaty• Treaty of Amsterdam criteria:

o stable and functioning democratic regimeo market-oriented economyo willingness to accept all EU laws and regulations

Enlargement Fatigue

• Decline in support in enlargement among EU voters• EU governments have lost enthusiasm for further growth• Expansion has been bringing in many former communist

countries with weak economies• Original government structure doesn't work for growing

number of countries• Should the European Union extend to all of Europe or be

selective? 

Turkey:

• Been in negotiations to join EU since 1963• Reasons against accepting membership:

o partly in Asiao religious differenceso underdevelopment of economyo high population birth growth rateo domestic policieso violate human rights

• Should Turkey be admitted into the EU?

The Slatest:

The press, much like the European public and its leading politicians, is sharply divided over the question of Turkish EU entry. Many fear that Muslim Turkey would undermine Europe's commitment to secularism. French President Jacques Chirac supports Turkey's bid to join the club, but most of his party, the Union for a Popular Movement, does not.  A key requirement for the European Union to begin negotiations over eventual terms for Turkey's entry is the reform of the country's penal code. http://www.slate.com/id/2107495/

The EU Now

• Voted to allow GM foods• Supports Egypt to achieve political and economic reform

 Does the EU still serve a valuable purpose?Is it more effective than single nations?Should it continue to exist like it does?What are the advantages/disadvantages of the system?