Coal and Steel Community (1951/1952)

(Paris Treaty)
 Idea to create supranational institution

 Designed because of the fear that Germany will rearm and in order to prevent

from another war.

 Established Common Market in Coal and Steel

 Institutions:

 High Authority: executive, decision-maker

 Council of Ministers: legislative body, composed from representatives →

The Council

 Assembly: supervisory and advisory powers, powerless, consultative role →

EU Parliament

 Court of Justice: decides disputes on distribution of power and between

MS

 France, Italy, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium

European Defence Community (1952) and European Political Community

(1953) – FAILED
Meeting in Messina in 1955 → further integration, common market and atomic energy
Next step of integration – to develop integration between 6 countries → EEC

European Economic Community / Euroatom

(Rome Treaty 1957/1958)
 New idea of creating community with the specialization on economic integration

 Removal of trade barriers

 Four freedoms: free movement of goods, workers, capital and establishment and the

provision of services

 1st stage: free-trade area – eliminating barriers

 2nd stage: customs union (commercial policy: trade customs with 3d countries)
  3d stage: common market – free movement

 4th stage: economic union - currency

 No place for anti-competitive actions

 Promote similar-economic policies

 Institutions:

 Commision: legislative initiative, executive powers, negotiator on behalf of

the Community

 Council of Ministers: executive, conclusion of international agreements,

planning budget, planning policy agenda

 Parliamentary Assembly

 Court of Justice

 France, Italy, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium

1965 – High Authority and the Council disappeared and their powers were given to the
Commission and the Council of EEC – Merger Treaty
Politicians were not enthusiastic in accepting the Commission to make the decisions (DE
GAULLE). Mid 60S the decisions were made by the MS.
1973 – UK, Ireland and Denmark
1981 – Greece
1986 – Spain and Portugal

Single European Act (1986/1987)

 Transformation of the role of the EP

 Single market aims

 Cooperation procedure

 Commission proposes, Council disposes

 A Court of 1st instance

 Comitology

 Establishment of Internal market (Common Market but successful)

  France, Italy, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium, UK,
Ireland, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Portugal
26 TFEU: main of the internal market → area without any internal frontiers/ economical
boundaries. The internal market is the legal mark that constitutionnalized, the main force
to improve the freedom of movements for persons both employees and employers.

Masstricht Treaty (1992/1993)

(The Treaty on European Union)
 3 pillars system:

 1st pillar: European Community – drive policy making

 2nd pillar: Common Foreign and Security Policy – political cooperation

 3d pillar: Justice and Home Affairs

 TEC + TEU

 Political and economic cooperation

 Indirect legislative initiative of EP

 Single currency

1995 – Austria, Sweden and Finland

Treaty of Amsterdam (1997/1999)

 Continuous amendment progress

 2nd pillar: Council can conclude IA

 3d pillar: “Police and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters”

 Powers from national governments to the EP – immigration, adopting civil and

criminal laws

 Extension of SEA

 Elimination of cooperation procedure

Nice Treaty (2000-2003)

  Institutional problems solved to prepare ground for new enlargements

 EU Charter of Rights

Laeken Declaration (2000-2004) – convention on the future of Europe

Constitutional Treaty – wasn’t ratified
2004 - Poland, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Malta, Cyprus, Hungary, Slovakia,
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia

Lisbon Treaty (2007-2009)

 Founded on the Constitutional Treaty

 The main treaties – TEU and TFEU (equal legal value)

 European Community → European Union

 High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

 3 pillars system disappeared

2007 – Bulgaria and Romania

2013 - Croatia
 The European Council
role:
 It is a supreme political authority (it’s a separate political institution)

 At a summit meeting it provides general political directions and priorities through

consensus of the Heads of State or Government of all EU MS

 It provides necessary impetus for the development of the Union

 Its resolutions are just a framework

 It doesn’t provide drafts, only ideas/ it doesn’t adopt legislation

 It nominates the President of the Commission

 It gives initiatives about the enlargments, monetary union etc.

 Problem resolutions

 Appoints HR

structure:

 Heads of States or Governments (28) + President of the Commission + President of

the European Council = 30 decision makers + High Representative of the Union
for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
 Meets twice every 6 months + special meetings

 Decisions taken by consensus

 May decide by qualified majority

 Decides by simple majority on procedural questions and for the adoption of its
Rules of Procedure
 Is assisted by the General Secretariat of the Council
 President:

 Elected by qualified majority of the Heads of the States or Governments

  Office duration : 2,5 years, once renewable
 Facilitates the work of the EU Council
 Convenes meetings
 Participates at debates and ensures consensus
 Present a raport to the EP after each of the meetings
 Represents Union to the outside world with HR

The European Parliament

role:

 Supranational institution
 Exercises legislative and budgetary powers:
Legislative:
 shapes legislation (with the Council): co-decision procedure – all the
laws go through EP and the Council
 indirect legislative initiative: EP may request the Commission to
submit a proposal made by it
 veto power over delegated acts

Budgetary:

 EU’s annual budget is decided jointly by EP and the Council

 The Committee on budgetary control monitors how budget is spent

 Exercises the function of political control:

 Investigate any maladministration regarding implementation of EU law –

temporary Committee of Inquiry; provisions governing the exercising of
the inquiry shall be subject to the special legislative procedure (consent of
Council and Commission)
 Ombudsman
 Commission is obliged to reply to questions put by EP
 Motion of censure on the Commission: 2/3 majority of votes cast –
Commission resignes as a body as well as HRFASP, they remain on their
position until they are replaced.
 Monitors the work of the Council (ask questions)
 Elects the President of the Commission
  Any citizen of the Union may address to the EP his petition on Union’s field
of activity which affects his, her or it directly

 Exercises the function of consultation:

 On the ratification of international agreements

structure:

 Directly elected (every 5 years)

 Composed of representatives of the Union’s citizens – representation should be
proportional degressively ( smaller countries have advantage)
 751 MEP’s, one which is President
 Minimum 6 and maximum 96 seats per MS
 Duties of MEP’s are set through special legislative procedure( initiative from EP,
opinion from the Commission, consent of the Council)
 MEP’s sit in political groups, not national blocks/ resignation before the term is
impossible
 EP acts by majority of votes cast/ special cases – by majority of all members
 Holds annual sessions – second Tuesday in March
 Plenary sessions (Strasbourg) - prepared by MEP’s and 20 committees – 12 times a
year (examines proposed legislation, votes on amendments)
 President:

 Elected from among the MEP’s

 Office 2.5 years

 Bureau: (regulatory body, which is responsible for EP’s budget, administrative,

organizational and staff matters)

 President

 14 Vice-Presidents

 5 Quaestors (financial matters)

 The Conference of Presidents: (sets the EP’s agenda)

 President

 Leaders of political groups

  20 Committes responsible for different areas

 Ombudsman:

 Elected by EP for the duration of EP’s office – 5 years (may be reappointed)

 Shall be independent

 The regulation of his duties is subject to the special legislative procedure

(EP’s initiative, opinion of the Commission, consent of the Council)

 Receive complaints from EU citizens, natural and legal persons about the

maladministration in the activities of EU’s institutions, bodies etc with the

exception of the Court of Justice

 May act on his own initiative

 If he/she finds the proofs of maladministration he/she shall pass it to the

institution etc concerned during the period of 3 months

 Then he/she forward a report to the EP and institution etc concerned

 Shall submit annual report on his inquiries

 May be dismissed by CJ at the request of EP if he no longer fulfils its duties

or for misconduct

The Council

role:
 Exercises legislative and budgetary powers (jointly with the EP)

 Budgetary powers means expenditures and revenues

 Policy-making functions (eg. Common foreign and security policy, based on

guidelines set by European Council)

 Coordinating functions (eg. Economic field)

 Conclude international agreements

 Can delegate powers to the Commission

structure:

 10 different configurations ( eg. when agriculture is discussed, agriculture

ministers meet; when the subject is the environment, it is environment ministers,

and so on) with General Affairs Council coordinating it.

 Meets when convened by President or at the request of the Member of The

Commission

 Meeting divided into 2 parts : dealing with legislative and non-legislative acts

 Acts by qualified majority – at least 55% of members (15) = 65% of the

population of the EU / blocking minority – 4 Council members (art. 4 TEU)

 If not all members of the Council take part in voting, qualified majority will be as

follows: 55% of members = 65% of population / blocking minority: minimum

number of Council members representing more than 35%of the population + 1

member (art. 238)

 If Council doesn’t act on a proposal from Commission of High Representative, the

qualified majority will be: at least 72% of members = 65% of population

 Representative of each MS (politicians with ministerial level)

 President of the Council

 General Affairs Council:

 Ensures consistency in the work of configurations

 Prepares agenda for the European Council (with President of the European
Council and the Commission)
 Foreign Affairs Council:

 Develops EU’s external actions

 Presidency of the Council:

 build consensus and move decision-making forward

 Chairs the Council meeting for 6 months, the others assist
  It’s a representative of MS, appointed by equal rotation procedure
(diversity, geographical balance) (Member states take it in turns to chair
Council meetings for six months each)
 Team-system: Presidency work in a group of 3 = draw up a joint
programme for 18 months
 7 months before taking chair arranges meeting for the Council
 1 week before taking chair sets the agenda for Council meeting for 6
months
 Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper):

 Each MS has their own Permanent Representative (senior national officials)

 Prepares work for the Council
 Carries out tasks assigned to it by the Council
 Adopts procedural decisions
 Consensual decision-making
 150 working groups
 Operates at 2 levels:
 Coreper I (less sensitive aspects eg. transport, environment)
 Coreper II ( more importat aspects eg. economic affairs, external
relations)
 Council Secretariat:
 General Secretariat
 Administrative services (eg. prepares documents, gives legal advices)
 Helps to smooth conflicts

The Commission

role:

 Driving force of the EU

 Set up to act as an independent supranational authority separate from national

governments

 Promotes general interest of the Union

 Legislative initiatives
  Ensures application of the Treaties and measures

 Executes budget

 External representation of the EU (leading role in the areas of trade policy and

humanitarian aid)

 Coordinate, executes and manages

 Is responsible as a body to the EP

structure:

 Every 5 years, 6 months after appointment of the EP

 Act by a majority of its members

 President of The Commission:

 Qualified majority of the Council puts candidate, EP votes by majority of

component members ( if not – another candidate must be put in 1 month
time)
 Lay down guidelines for Commissions work
 Decides on internal organization of the Commission (which Commissioner is
responsible for what), efficiency
 Appoints Vice-Presidents (from members of the Commission)
 May request a member or HR to resign
 Gives consent on HR

 College of Commissioners:
 Council with President-elected shall adopt the list of proposed
Commissioners on the base of suggestions from MS / then EP shall vote
on it. On the base of this consent The European Council shall appoint
by qualified majority the Commission.
 Consists of national from each MS + President + HR, who correspond 2/3 of
MS = demographic and geographical range (28)
 They act as a college, meet collectively every Wednesday
 Must be independent = dutie
 If retired or have died shall be replaced with the Commissioner of the same
nationality for the remainder of his term
  May be compulsory retired (CJ on the application of the Council by simple
majority) if no longer fulfils its duties ( be independent) or for serious
misconduct

 Commission Bureaucracy:
 Commissioner
 Director General
 Deputy Director General
 Directors
 Head of the Division

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and

Security Policy

 Is not an institution

 Appointed by the European Council by qualified majority with the agreement of the

Commission President

 He is one of the Vice-Presidents of the Commission

 Responsible for:

 External realtions

 Conduct Common Foreign and Security Policy

 Takes part in the work of the European Council

 The European Central Bank

 Maintain the stability of the EU currency and control the amount of currency in

circulation

 Conduct the monetary policy

 Authorize the issue of the euro

 Only for Eurozone

 Composition:

 Governing council

 Executive board (President + Vice President +4 other members)

 8 years term

 Appointed by EU Council on a recommendation from the Council with the consult

from EP and the Governing Council

Court of Auditors

 Carry out Union’s audit

 Examine the accounts of all revenues and expenditures

 Annual report after each financial year

 28 members
 6 year-term

 Appointed by the Council after consulting EP , list of proposals by MS