IAFS world tour

EU, latin america, middle east, east asia

how many members of the EU?

27 member states

foundational myths for the EU’s existance?

• Bring peace to Europe

• Represent a shared European cultural and historical heritage

• Voice for all European citizen

• Protect democracy, capitalism and human rights in Europe

why was it ORIGINALLY created?

there was a need to integrate, so Europe could become a big superpower, and hold down against US and USSR

1965: European Community EC

combines already established orgainizations in europe

1985: Single European Act

creates single internal market

1992: maastricht treaty

officially creates EU—> Euro, common citizenship, common foreign policy

• first time it claimed authority over non-economic issues

2004: Constitutional Treaty

• attempt to create a more formal EU constitution

• France and Netherlands reject this in a referendum

2009: Treaty of Lisbon

less supranationalism + deepening, but without bigger reforms that constitutional language

Why did UK leave EU?

mainly to reclaim sovereignty

why are East European countries motivated to join?

protection from Russia, more economic stability

Why do states want in?

1. integration into the largest market in the global economy —> basically one economy

2. benefit from EU programs that aim to redistribute wealth

3. cultural and symbolic integration in Europe —> legitimization

European council

• 27 national leaders (from dif states who alr in office there)

• sets policy agenda

• doesn’t vote on things, but have influence

• Elects President of European Council

european commission

• 27 member nominees by European Council and approved by parliament

• Elects a president of european commission

council of EU

• approves or rejects legislation by qualified majority

  • 55% of member states

  • 65% of population

• composition changes based on policy area

• rotating presidency

European Parliament

• approves or rejects legislation by absolute majority

• elected on fixed five year terms

• weakest institution

• only part that gets elected by citizen

court of justice of EU

• settles disputes and hear cases

• has power to interpret if national law complies with EU law

• appointed by national governments

european court of auditors

• settles disputes and hear cases

• has power to interpret if national law complies with EU law

• appointed by national governments

european central bank

• oversees Eurozone

• sets monetary policy for all member states that adopt the Euro

supranational aspects of EU

• European commission

• European parliament

• Court of justice

• European central Bank

intergovernmental aspects of EU

• European Council

• Council of the European Union

democratic deficit

the people only elect parliament members to the EU; not european council because those elections are domestic