EU history

What was Shean Monet’s role to help Europe recover after WWII?

• help France and rest of Europe recover

• advise French Finance Minister Robert Schumann on an economic union across borders.

  • Schuhmann Declaration (9 May 1950 → Europe Day)

  • Treaty of Paris (1951): foundation of ECSC to prevent further war between France and Germany

Which 6 countries founded the European Community of Steel and Coal (ECSC)?

France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Belguim, The Netherlands

→ was first step to European unity! (Treaty of Paris, 1951)

What was the aim of the Treaty of Rome signed by 6 founding nations of ECSC in 1957?

• create a customs union and a common market between member states

• broaden economic cooperation between European countries

• higher income, higher standard of living

• foundation European Economic Community (EEC) and European Atomic Energy Community (Euroatom)

What is the purpose of a customs union?

• member states don’t have to pay additional tariffs or taxes for trade with member states

• set common external tariffs for trade with non-member states

• eliminate customs / duties on trade between member states

What are the four fundamental freedoms on which the Common Market is based?

freedom of movement of

• goods

• services

• people

• capital

! You could move yourself, your capital, goods and services to any EU member state without having to pay taxes, fees, customs !

What was the first step for the EEC towards a democratic system?

1979: first election of MEP’s by EU citizens (citizens had a say for first time)

In what way did the fall of the Berlin wall on 9 November 1989 and the end of the Cold War change the landscape of Europe?

• Eastern and Western Europe were no longer separated

• Collapse of communism

  • new opportunities for expansion and support of the growth of democracy

What is the Maastricht Treaty (1993)?

• foundation of The European Union

Main principles:

• monetary unit

• defence, foreign affairs & safety policy

Why was the Schengen Treaty (1995) such an important step?

• important for freedom of movement

  • abolished internal border controls

  • strengthened external borders

! UK, Ireland and Denmark didn’t participate !

Why did a constitution for Europe not come into being in its original form?

• EU looked too much like a state (constitution, flag, anthem, currency, government)

• people might become worried that EU would become a superstate

• The Netherlands and France voted against it in national referendums

Why were EU leaders convinced that the institutional changes were necessary?

the membership had doubled

What was the Treaty of Lisbon (2009)?

• reforms to existing treaties leaving out the name “intistutional treaty” & official EU symbols

• remained President, Foreign Minister, Charter of fundamental rights (doc.) from constitutional treaty

Aims:

• make EU more democratic

• make EU more efficient and able to tackle today’s global challenges (e.g. climate change)

! Now everyone was happy, except Ireland !