The European Unionmiracle, mess or both?

In the beginning…1945-1950• Post-war French distrust of Germany but

economic dependence on Ruhr valley coal.

• US push for greater Euro integration to speed economic recovery, heal political wounds, improve efficiency of Marshall plan ($13 billion or 5% of US GNP!).

• UK fear of supranational structures, loss of sovereignty.

Some History• 1950 – Shuman plan: French-German coal and steel union.

• 1952 –European Coal and Steel Community (France, W.Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands).

• 1957 – European Economic Community (EC) = customs union, Euratom. Rome Treaty.

• 1960’s – development of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

• 1970 – UK, Ireland, Denmark join EC (Norway rejects).• 1981-1995 – new members: Greece ’81, Spain +Portugal ’86, Austria,

Sweden, Finland ’95.

• 1992 – European Union created by Maastricht treaty – 3 pillar system (adding Common Security and Foreign Policy and Justice and Home Affairs).

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Key Structures

• European Council• Led by “the Presidency” nation – six mo. rotation.

– Head of State/Govt = EU Summit

– Council of Ministers = ministerial level, e.g. the GAERC (Foreign Ministers)

European Commision

– “Cabinet” of the EU

– 27 Commissioners, one per member state, specializing in different issue areas

• (agriculture, trade, environment, foreign and security policy, development, etc.)

• Led by Barosso

• CoRePer – EU member Ambassadors in Brussels

• PSC – junior Ambassadors to Policy and Security Committee (Solana).

Other Key Structures

• European Parliament -- Strassbourg- 750 members, direct national

elections, seated by party affiliation– “Co-decision” = treaties, budget, legislation– “Assent” = appointments

• European Court of Justice -- Luxembourg

• European Central Bank -- Frankfurt

Key Concepts• “Cohesion” policy – 37% of EU budget (E 44 billion in

20006).”

• 1997 Schengen Agreement – visa and tariff-free zone.

• EMU ~ the EURO, launched 2002 in 15 countries.

• Qualified Majority Voting: – Now: 74% of votes, 62% of population.– Lisbon: 55% of member states, 65% of population.

The Messy Part

• Undecided endstate: – United States of Europe or Integrated Union of

Sovereign States?– Where does Europe end?

• Character of club changing with enlargement• Structure inefficient – Lisbon treaty• “Blame Brussels” phenomenon• Enlargement fatigue• No consensus vis Russia