Definitions (Institutions)

international organizations (IO’s)

promote voluntary cooperation and coordination between members

BUT NO autonomous powers and NO authority to impose ruling on members

=NOT ALWAYS BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS

-example Google, Red Cross

intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)

consist of representatives of national governments and promote voluntary cooperation among these government.  = BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS

- Example: United Nations

state

legal and physical entity that

1) Operates within the fixed and populated territory,

2) Has authority over that territory,

3) Is legally and politically independent, and

4) Is recognized by its people and by other states.

political system

1.Stable and clearly defined set of institutions for collective decision-making and a set of rules governing relations between and within these institutions.

2.Citizens seek to realize their political desires through the political system.

3.Collective decisions in the political system have a significant impact on the distribution of economic resources and the allocation of values across the whole system.

4.Continuous interaction between these political outputs, new demands on the system, new decisions, etc.

spillover

3 forms: functional, technical, political

general concept: cooperation in one sphere would “spill over” to cooperation in other spheres

functional spillover (1)

cooperation in one area creates pressure or necessity to cooperate in another related area

Example: If countries integrate their coal and steel industries, they may also need to coordinate transport or energy policies to make it work efficiently.

technical spillover (2)

differences in standard will cause states to rise/ sink to the level of those with the tightest/ loosest regulations

Example: Greece had few environmental controls before joining the EU and needed to adopt controls (EU laws), which was driven by pressures with tight environmental controls.

political spillover (3)

This refers to the way in which initial integration efforts lead to political pressure for deeper political unity or supranational governance.

• Example: Economic integration may lead citizens, interest groups, or elites to push for stronger political institutions, like a shared parliament or common foreign policy

integrative potential < Joseph Nye

= potential to good integration, conditions:

-        States’ economies are equal or compatible. 

-        The extent to which economic elites in member states share similar values and views.

-        The extent of interest group activity or pluralism.

-        The capacity of MS to adapt and respond to public demands. 

Neofunctionalism < Haas, Lindberg

Political and economic integration (like the single market) created spillover pressure that made monetary union necessary.

Liberal intergovernmentalism < Taylor, Keohane, Moravcsik

sees integration as a rational, state-led negotiation, where governments maintain control.

Governance

an arrangement in which laws and policies are made and implemented without the existence of a formally acknowledged set of governing institution, but as a result of interactions involving a complex variety of actors (MS, EU institutions, interest groups, …). 

Multi-level governance

power is shared among the supranational (European), national, subnational and local levels. Actually a more subtle expression of the idea of federalism.

federalism

Union of peoples

Power is divided between levels of government; shared authority

States surrender power to new & permanent ’higher’ level of government

Direct link: federal and state institutions answer to citizens

confederalism

Union of states

Power rests with sovereign states; central government derives authority from states; overall weak authority

States are sovereign; ‘higher’ authority exists at their discretion

No direct link between central authority and citizens

tasks European Commission

1. Generating new laws and policies.

2. Overseeing the implementation of laws and policies.

3. Managing the EU budget.

4. Representing the EU in international negotiations.

5. Promoting the interests of the EU as a whole.

consent procedure

legislative procedure

EP MUST agree with proposal before it passes, either accept or reject, NO amendments

consultation procedure

legislative procedure

Council of ministers asks EP for its advice

o EP can accept or reject the proposal, or ask for amendments.

o Amendments: goes back to Commission for a remake and the new proposal advances to the

Council.

ordinary legislative procedure

Council shares legislative powers with Parliament.

o Both read the proposal 2x and must agree to a common final draft.

o Disagreement: Council-Parliament conciliation committee to develop a new proposal.

Afterwards, both institutions read it a third time and vote.

o Proposal can be accepted or rejected.

multi-partisanship

groups must work together in order to achieve a majority

farm vote

the political influence of people working in agriculture—primarily farmers and rural communities—on elections and policymaking. Farmers influence a large voting population that political parties can't ignore. With little opposition, strong national and EU-wide farming unions give the agricultural sector significant lobbying power. But recently, this influence is declining.

Mansholt plan

(1968) small farmers would be encouraged to leave the land so farms could be merged into bigger and more efficient units.

Decoupling

breaking the link between subsidies and production, with the goals of encouraging farmers to

produce for the market rather than for EU subsidies.

European Environmental Agency (EEA)

EU institutional body that deals with the environment. It is

an information-gathering agency that assists the Commission in making proposals. The EEA receives data

provided by the MS through EIONET.

European Environmental Information and Observation Network (EIONET)

a trans-Europe network that

collects and shares environmental data from member states.

sustainable development: 3 priority areas for the EU

1. Sustaining natural capital and halting biodiversity loss.

2. Transforming EU into a low-carbon economy and trying to achieve capping greenhouse gas emissions.

3. Improving air and water quality that are a threat to human health.

Sustainable development

meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)

the EU's framework for coordinating foreign policy and se

EU Global Strategy (EGS) 

initiatives to respond more quickly and robustly to the EU’s foreign policy

challenges.

Soft power

 incentives and influence through economic and cultural power.

Hard power

threats, coercion and force tied to military power.

(EPC)

European Political Cooperation

RRF

European Rapid Reaction Force

ESDP

European Security and Defence Policy

CSDP

Common Security and Defence Policy

EGS

European Global Strategy: emphasizes strengthening EU military capabilities, improving crisis response, and fostering deeper defence cooperation among MS. It focusses on practical global solutions and supporting the resilience of fragile states.

CCP

Common Commercial Policy

Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC)

responsible for the operational planning and conduct of the EU’s military training defence cooperation among the 25 MS.

Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO)

a framework and process to enhance defence cooperation among the 25 MS.

o A way to invest, plan, develop and operate security cooperation between MS.

Common Commercial Policy (CCP)

how the EU speaks with one voice on global trade, making it a powerful player in the world economy.

Transatlantic Declaration (1990)

high-level contacts and cooperation in areas like terrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons of mass destruction

New Transatlantic Agenda (1995)

shifted focus from consultation to joint action

Enlargement fatigue

 a growing reluctance or resistance among existing EU MS to continue expanding the

European Union. It is driven by concerns about the economic costs of integrating poorer countries, the strain

on EU institutions and decision-making, and geopolitical sensitivities

Candidate countries

countries that have been officially recognized by the EU as eligible for membership

and have started formal negotiations to join. They must meet certain political and economic criteria

(Copenhagen criteria), and their accession depends on fulfilling EU standards and aligning national laws with

EU law.

Potential candidates

countries that have expressed a desire to join the EU and have been recognized as

having the potential to become candidate countries, but they have not yet started formal accession

negotiations. They may still need to make progress on reforms before being granted candidate status.

Yaoundé Convention

the first major trade and aid partnership between the EU (then EEC) and African states, laying the foundation for future EU–Africa cooperation

Lomé Convention

key pillar of EU foreign policy in the Global South. It offered generous trade preferences and aid to ACP countries, aiming to foster development and partnership

Lomé III (1985)

 focused EU aid on food security and self-sufficiency rather than industrial development

Lomé IV (1990)

introduced structural adjustment support to help ACP countries diversify their economies

Cotonou Agreement

replaced Lomé in 2000, aiming for more flexible interregional trade

deals, but critics say it lacked innovation and real impact.

International nongovernmental organizations (INGOs)

consists of individuals or the representatives of private associations rather than states.

- Example: Amnesty International, Oxfam

Sovereignty

the rights of jurisdiction that states have over their people and territory and that cannot legally be challenged by any other authority.

Realism

-States are the most important actors in international relations.

- Domestic policies could be separated from foreign policies.

- Rational self-interest and conflicting national objectives encourage states to protect their interests relative to other states.

New institutionalism

institutions shape political outcomes by structuring access in ways that favor certain groups and can also act as autonomous political actors.

Letter of Formal Notice

If a MS falls behind schedule, it receives a Letter of Formal Notice from the Commission as a warning to comply within 2 months.

Reasoned Opinion 

If the state still doesn’t comply, they receive a Reasoned Opinion that explains why

the Commission feels they may be a violation. 

European Semester

an initial vetting of member states’ budget. The Commission can analyse each country’s plans for its national budget.

General Affairs Council 

prepares and ensures follow-up meetings of the European Council.

Foreign Affairs Council

deals with external relations and trade and development issues.

Coreper

the key preparatory body where the Permanent Representatives of the MS coordinate and finalize

most proposals (90%) before they are submitted to the Council.

Coreper II 

permanent representatives deal with matters of General Affairs, Ecofin, and Justice and Home Affairs

Coreper I

deputy permanent representatives deal with the work of the other Councils.

Quaester

an adviser of MEPs elected from within the EP. If MS are unhappy, they complain to the quaesters.

Rapporteur 

a MEP appointed by a committee to draw up a legislative recommendation for the full EP to vote on.

Conciliation Committee

Where the representative of the EP and Council of Ministers try

to reach accord when there is a disagreement on the wording of legislative proposals

temporary committees and committees of enquiry

depending on momentary issues.

Examples: climate change (2007-2008), global economic crisis (2009), organized crime, corruption and money

laundering (set up in 2012).

Political groups

MEPs sit together with elected MEPS from other MS with whom they share similar goals and values.

direct effect

EU law is directly and uniformly applicable in all member states.

 supremacy of EU law

EU law trumps national law in policy areas where the EU has responsibility.

advocates general

They review each case, study the arguments and deliver opinion before the

judges decide on what action to take and which EU laws apply.

Official Journal

a document that describes the dispute, explains the grounds for the application and gives

the defendant a month to respond.

Judge-rapporteur

a judge of the Court who is charged with drawing up a preliminary report on the case.

EU Environmental agency

provides information on the environment and help the EU to implement

and evaluate environmental policy.

Europol

a criminal intelligence organization that oversees information exchange on problems such

as terrorism and drug trafficking.

 Economic and Social Committee 

provides employers, workers and other sectoral interests with a

forum in which they can meet and formulate advice for the EU institutions.

CoR = Court of Regions

provides local and regional governments with a forum in which they can meet and formulate

advice for the EU institutions.

European System of Central Banks

consists of all national banks in the EU.

Eurosystem

onsists of the national banks of those MS that adopted the euro

Agency

a distinct body from the EU institutions – separate legal entities set up to perform specific tasks

under EU law. 

Executive agencies

temporary bodies created and overseen by the European Commission.

Decentralized agencies

permanent, legally independent bodies established by the EU 

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

the EU's framework for agriculture, focusing on sustainable and

environmentally friendly farming practices.

European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF)

protects markets and prices by buying and storing

surplus produce and encouraging agricultural exports.

European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) 

finances the EU’s contribution toward rural development programs.

Sustainable development

 meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future

generations to meet their own needs.

Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)

he EU's framework for coordinating foreign policy and security

matters among member states, aiming to promote peace, democracy, and international cooperation.

EU Global Strategy (EGS)

initiatives to respond more quickly and robustly to the EU’s foreign policy

challenges.