Comprehensive Reference Guide to European Union Governance and Political Science
European Union Legislative Procedures and Legal Instruments
Ordinary Legislative Procedure (Yhteispäätösmenettely): Formerly known as the co-decision procedure, this is the main legislative process in the EU. It places the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union on an equal footing for the adoption of laws (directives, regulations, etc.). Both bodies must agree on a legislative text for it to become law.
Consent Procedure (Hyväksyntämenettely): A legislative procedure that allows the European Parliament to exercise a power of veto. The Parliament must approve a proposal by an absolute majority, but it cannot amend it. This is typically used for the admission of new member states and certain international agreements.
Consultation Procedure (Kuulemismenettely): A procedure where the Council of the European Union is required to consult the European Parliament and, in many cases, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions before adopting a proposal from the European Commission. While the Council must listen to the Parliament's opinion, it is not legally bound by it.
Qualified Majority Voting (Määräenemmistöpäätös): The most common voting method in the Council. A "qualified majority" is reached if two conditions are met: of member states vote in favor (currently 15 out of 27) and the proposal is supported by member states representing at least of the total EU population.
Regulation (Asetus): A legal act that is binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all EU member states. Unlike directives, it does not need to be transposed into national law; it becomes law across the EU as soon as it enters into force.
Directive (Direktiivi): A legislative act that sets out a goal that all EU countries must achieve. However, it is up to the individual countries to devise their own laws on how to reach these goals. States are usually given a deadline (transposition period) to integrate the directive into national legislation.
Decision (Päätös): A legal instrument that is binding on those to whom it is addressed (e.g., a specific EU country or an individual company) and is directly applicable.
Principal EU Institutions and Bodies
European Council (Eurooppa-neuvosto): The body comprising the heads of state or government of the EU member states, along with its own President and the President of the European Commission. It defines the EU's overall political direction and priorities but does not exercise legislative functions.
European Commission (Euroopan komissio): The executive branch of the EU. It is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding EU treaties, and managing the day-to-day business of the EU. It consists of one Commissioner from each member state.
European Parliament (Euroopan parlamentti): The only directly elected body of the EU, representing EU citizens. It shares legislative and budgetary authority with the Council and exercises political supervision over the Commission.
Council of the European Union (Euroopan unionin neuvosto): Also known as the Council of Ministers, it represents the governments of the member states. National ministers from each country meet to discuss, amend, and adopt laws, and coordinate policies.
European Central Bank (Euroopan keskuspankki - ECP): The central bank for the euro and administers monetary policy within the Eurozone. Its primary objective is to maintain price stability (target inflation rate of approximately ).
European Court of Justice (Euroopan yhteisöjen tuomioistuin): The highest court in the European Union in matters of Union law. It ensures that EU law is interpreted and applied the same way in every EU country and that countries and EU institutions abide by EU law.
European Court of Auditors (Tilintarkastustuomioistuin): The institution tasked with checking that EU funds are collected and used correctly, and that the EU budget is managed efficiently.
European Ombudsman (Euroopan oikeusasiamies): An official appointed by the European Parliament to investigate complaints about maladministration in the institutions and bodies of the European Union.
European Investment Bank (Euroopan investointipankki - EIB): The EU's non-profit long-term lending institution. It provides finance and expertise for sound and sustainable investment projects which contribute to furthering EU policy objectives.
Committee of the Regions (Alueiden komitea): An advisory body representing local and regional authorities in the European Union. It must be consulted during the legislative process on matters concerning local and regional government.
European Economic and Social Committee (Euroopan talous- ja sosiaalikomitea): An advisory body that represents civil society organizations, including employers, trade unions, and social groups.
COREPER (Committee of Permanent Representatives): Composed of the permanent representatives (ambassadors) from the member states to the EU. Its main role is to prepare the work of the Council of the European Union.
EU Ambassador (EU-suurlähettiläs): Heads of the EU Delegations, who represent the EU externally in third countries and international organizations.
Foundations, History, and Treaties
Schuman Declaration (Schumanin julistus): Presented by French foreign minister Robert Schuman on May 9, 1950. It proposed the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community, whose members would pool coal and steel production.
European Coal and Steel Community (Euroopan hiili- ja teräsyhteisö - EHSY): Formed in 1951 by the Treaty of Paris to integrate the coal and steel industries in Europe, aimed at preventing further war between France and Germany.
European Community (Euroopan yhteisö - EY): One of the three pillars of the European Union established by the Maastricht Treaty, previously known as the European Economic Community (EEC).
Maastricht Treaty (Maastrichtin sopimus): Signed in 1992, it created the European Union, established the three-pillar structure, paved the way for the Euro, and introduced the concept of EU citizenship.
Founding Treaties (Unionin perussopimukset): The primary legislation of the EU, including the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
Constitutional Treaty (Perustuslakisopimus): An unratified international treaty intended to create a consolidated constitution for the European Union. It was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.
Berlin Declaration (Berliinin julistus): Signed in 2007 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome, outlining the values and achievements of the EU.
Lisbon Strategy (Lissabonin strategia): An action and development plan devised in 2000, for the economy of the European Union between 2000 and 2010. Its aim was to make the EU "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world."
Governance Principles and Political Concepts
European Integration (Integraatio): The process of industrial, political, legal, economic, social, and cultural integration of states wholly or partially in Europe.
Deepening (Syventyminen): Refers to the process of increasing the level of integration among existing EU member states, such as moving toward a monetary union or common defense policy.
Subsidiarity Principle (Subsidiariteettiperiaate/Läheisyysperiaate): The principle that the EU does not take action (except in areas of its exclusive competence) unless it is more effective than action taken at the national, regional, or local level.
Rule of Law (Oikeusvaltio): The principle that all members of a society—including those in government—are considered equally subject to publicly disclosed legal codes and processes.
Legitimacy Deficit (Legitimiteettivaje): A perceived lack of popular support or legal foundation for the decisions and structures of the EU.
Democracy Deficit (Demokratiavaje): A term used by people who argue that the EU institutions and their decision-making procedures suffer from a lack of democracy and seem inaccessible to the ordinary citizen due to their complexity.
Parliamentarism (Parlamentarismi): A system of government in which the power to govern for the state is held by the parliament, and the executive is accountable to that parliament.
Lobbying (Lobbaus): The act of attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of officials in their daily life, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies.
Federation (Liittovaltio): A political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government.
Presidency (Puheenjohtajavaltio): The responsibility for the functioning of the Council of the European Union, which rotates among the member states every six months.
Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)
Economic and Monetary Union (Euroopan talous- ja rahaliitto - EMU): The umbrella term for the group of policies aimed at converging the economies of member states of the European Union in three stages.
Euro: The official currency of 20 of the 27 member states of the European Union. This group of states is known as the eurozone.
Stability and Growth Pact (Kasvu- ja vakaussopimus): A set of fiscal rules designed to prevent countries in the EU from spending beyond their means. It mandates that budget deficits should not exceed of GDP and public debt should not exceed of GDP.
Bazaar Economy (Basaaritalous): A concept (notably argued by Hans-Werner Sinn) suggesting an economy where exports increase but domestic value-added decreases because products are increasingly made from imported parts.
Security and Defense Policy
Security Policy (Turvallisuuspolitiikka): The strategic framework a state or international organization (like the EU) uses to protect its citizens and interests.
Crisis Management Forces (Kriisinhallintajoukot): Military or civilian units deployed to stabilize regions following conflict or disaster.
Rapid Reaction Forces (Nopean toiminnan joukot): Military units capable of rapid deployment to respond to emerging crises.
Petersberg Tasks (Petersbergin tehtävät): A list of military and security priorities including humanitarian and rescue tasks, peacekeeping tasks, and tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking.
Partnership for Peace (Rauhankumppanuus): A North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) program aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Citizenship, Rights, and Social Policy
EU Citizenship (EU-kansalaisuus): Afforded to every person holding the nationality of a Member State. It provides rights such as the right to move and reside freely within the EU and the right to vote in European elections.
Charter of Fundamental Rights (Perusoikeuskirja): A document enshrining certain political, social, and economic rights for European Union citizens and residents into EU law.
Citizens' Initiative (Kansalaisaloite): An EU mechanism that allows one million citizens from at least one-quarter of the member states to call directly on the European Commission to propose a legal act.
Public Consultation (Kansalaisten kuulemismenettely): A process used by the Commission to gather feedback from citizens and stakeholders before proposing new legislation or policy.
Europass (Europassi): A set of five documents to make skills and qualifications clearly and easily understood in Europe.
Dual Citizenship (Kaksoiskansalaisuus): A person's citizenship status, in which a person is concurrent a citizen of more than one state under the laws of those states.
European Identity (Eurooppalainen identiteetti): The sense of personal identification with Europe as a cultural and political entity.
European Youth Pact (Eurooppalainen nuorisosopimus): An initiative to improve the education, training, mobility, vocational integration, and social inclusion of young people.
Bologna Process (Bolognan prosessi): A series of ministerial meetings and agreements between European countries to ensure comparability in the standards and quality of higher-education qualifications.
Area Policy (Aluepolitiikka): Also known as Cohesion Policy, it is the EU's main investment policy aimed at reducing the disparities between the various regions and the backwardness of the least-favored regions.
Continental Welfare State (Mannermainen hyvinvointivaltio): A model of social security (often associated with the Bismarckian model) characterized by social insurance funded by contributions from employers and employees, prevalent in countries like Germany and France.
Political Ideologies and Systems
Conservatism (Konservatismi): A political and social philosophy promoting traditional social institutions and practices.
Liberalism (Liberalismi): A political and moral philosophy based on liberty, consent of the governed, and equality before the law.
Euroskepticism (Euroskeptisismi): Criticism of and strong opposition to the European Union and European integration.
Euro-optimism (Euro-optimismi): A positive belief in the benefits and future of the European Union and integration.
Republic (Tasavalta): A form of government in which "the country is considered a 'public matter'", not the private concern or property of the rulers; the head of state is usually an elected president.
Monarchy (Monarkia): A form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication.
Constitutional Monarchy (Perustuslaillinen monarkia): A form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in deciding such matters.
Proportional Representation (Suhteellinen vaali): An electoral system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them.
Majority Election (Enemmistövaali): An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes (or an absolute majority) wins, often resulting in seat counts that do not strictly reflect the percentage of the total vote.
Miscellaneous
White Paper (Valkoinen kirja): Documents containing proposals for Community action in a specific area. They sometimes follow a Green Paper published to launch a consultation process at the European level.
MEP (Meppi): A Member of the European Parliament, elected by the citizens of the member states to represent their interests in the EU's legislative body.
EU Cabinet Committee (EU-ministerivaliokunta): A Finnish governmental body that prepares important EU matters for the government's consideration.
Eurobarometer (Eurobarometri): A series of public opinion surveys conducted regularly on behalf of the European Commission and other EU institutions since 1973.