The European Institutions

Chapter 4

European Institutions II

• Major treaties of the EU– Rome (1957) Creation EEC– SEA (1986) Single Market– Maastricht (1992) Economic Union– Amsterdam (1997) + Nice (2001) Institutional

changes– Constitution (2004) – Lisbon (2007) Replacing Rome

and Maastricht

European Institutions III

• European Council1. Legal status in SEA2. Steering committee, meeting 4 times/year in

Brussels3. Start in 19744. Many initiatives start here5. Europe 2020

European Institutions IV

• European Commission1. Executive-bureaucratic arm of EU2. Most supranational of institutions3. More a servant of the countries than powerful4. Power of initiative; .. of implementation;

conscience of the EU; management of finances; external relations

5. Regulations, directives, decisions (page 855/836)

European Institutions V

• Council of ministers ≠ European Council ≠ Council of Europe!

1. 10 technical intergovernmental meetings2. Co-legislature [Regulations, directives, decisions]3. GAC, FAC, Ecofin, Agriculture & Fisheries4. Coreper5. Presidency is rotating6. QMV

European Institutions VI

• European Parliament1. Gained political power, but is only quasi-

legislative2. Three cities! 3. 751 members, 1 chairperson (each 2½ years)4. Right of budget5. Resignation of Commission (2/3 of votes)

European Institutions VII

• European Court of Justice1. Clarifying the meaning of the treaties2. Preliminary rulings Direct actions; only in

areas where EU is active3. 28 judges, 6 years4. Function ≈ USA Supreme Court

5. Problem: work load

European Institutions VIII

• Assignment See page 222 of the book (6th edition); in a multinational group of 4-5, create three different groups of EU member states which affirm a decision and two different groups which block a decision [give your calculations]