Chalmers: European Union Law
Chapter 1:
Developments of the 1960s set out the two dominant models of political authority in EU law: the
Luxembourg Accords (intergovernmental vision with political authority in EU democracy vested in
the nation-state), Van (supranational vision; vested in supranational institutions and the rights of
European citizens).
Single European Act: established internal market and transformed the legislative and political culture
surrounding the European Communities by setting out an ambitious legislative program and
providing for significant amounts of legislation to be adopted free from the national veto.
Treaty of Maastricht: instituted the European Union, establishment of economic and monetary
union, European Union citizenship, increased powers for the European Parliament.
3 strategies to justify authority of the Union: increasing EU competencies (more benefits to its
subjects), sense of common identity, democratic reform of its institutions.
Treaty of Amsterdam 1997: dealt with unfinished business from Maastricht; freedom, security,
justice. Abolition of internal border controls between Member States, supranational immigration and
asylum policy, cooperation in criminal and civil matters.
Treaty on European Union and Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: values set out in
the European Charter of Fundamental Rights must be respected and the Union is to be founded on
Gend en Loos representative democracy.
the core of EU law: constant interplay between two agendas; the claim to develop European
ideals and the government of the problems of contemporary Europe.
Europe re-emerged as a political idea from the eighth century; resistance to the Islam, ‘European
army’, Western Christianity. Charlemagne = ‘father’ of Europe. Twelfth century: inhabitants of
Europe shared a way of life based on Christian humanism.
Schuman plan 1950: integrate small parts of national economies -> spillover. It formed the basis of
the Treaty of Paris 1951 (established ECSC). Common market in coal and steel, supervised by the High
Authority. Beyen Plan 1953: proposed a common market that would lead to economic union
Spaak Report 1956: laid the basis for the Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community
(EEC Treaty) -> intergovernmental conference > signing of Treaties of Rome 1957; one establishing
the European Economic Community (EEC), the other the European Atomic Energy Community
(EURATOM).
EEC Treaty: common market; customs union (abolition of all customs duties, common external tariff),
four freedoms (restrictions on free movement of goods, workers, services, capital), competition
policy (private market barriers and cartels can’t undermine the prohibition on state barriers), state
intervention in the economy (state aids), MS fiscal regimes on goods were regulated so that they
couldn’t discriminate against imports, common commercial policy, more cooperation on economy.
Common Agricultural Policy established too. Commission; officials independent from MS,
responsible for proposing legislation and checking that MS and other institutions complied with the
Treaty and any secondary legislation. Assembly; (later Parliament) composed of national
parliamentarians. Was to be consulted, body responsible for holding the Commission to account.
Council; body in which national governments were represented. Power of final decision, voted by
unanimity or QMV. European Court of Justice; monitor compliance with EEC law by MS and EEC
institutions and to rule on references to it made by national courts where a point of EEC law came up
Luxembourg Accords; gave every MS a veto in all fields of decision-making.
Chapter 1:
Developments of the 1960s set out the two dominant models of political authority in EU law: the
Luxembourg Accords (intergovernmental vision with political authority in EU democracy vested in
the nation-state), Van (supranational vision; vested in supranational institutions and the rights of
European citizens).
Single European Act: established internal market and transformed the legislative and political culture
surrounding the European Communities by setting out an ambitious legislative program and
providing for significant amounts of legislation to be adopted free from the national veto.
Treaty of Maastricht: instituted the European Union, establishment of economic and monetary
union, European Union citizenship, increased powers for the European Parliament.
3 strategies to justify authority of the Union: increasing EU competencies (more benefits to its
subjects), sense of common identity, democratic reform of its institutions.
Treaty of Amsterdam 1997: dealt with unfinished business from Maastricht; freedom, security,
justice. Abolition of internal border controls between Member States, supranational immigration and
asylum policy, cooperation in criminal and civil matters.
Treaty on European Union and Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: values set out in
the European Charter of Fundamental Rights must be respected and the Union is to be founded on
Gend en Loos representative democracy.
the core of EU law: constant interplay between two agendas; the claim to develop European
ideals and the government of the problems of contemporary Europe.
Europe re-emerged as a political idea from the eighth century; resistance to the Islam, ‘European
army’, Western Christianity. Charlemagne = ‘father’ of Europe. Twelfth century: inhabitants of
Europe shared a way of life based on Christian humanism.
Schuman plan 1950: integrate small parts of national economies -> spillover. It formed the basis of
the Treaty of Paris 1951 (established ECSC). Common market in coal and steel, supervised by the High
Authority. Beyen Plan 1953: proposed a common market that would lead to economic union
Spaak Report 1956: laid the basis for the Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community
(EEC Treaty) -> intergovernmental conference > signing of Treaties of Rome 1957; one establishing
the European Economic Community (EEC), the other the European Atomic Energy Community
(EURATOM).
EEC Treaty: common market; customs union (abolition of all customs duties, common external tariff),
four freedoms (restrictions on free movement of goods, workers, services, capital), competition
policy (private market barriers and cartels can’t undermine the prohibition on state barriers), state
intervention in the economy (state aids), MS fiscal regimes on goods were regulated so that they
couldn’t discriminate against imports, common commercial policy, more cooperation on economy.
Common Agricultural Policy established too. Commission; officials independent from MS,
responsible for proposing legislation and checking that MS and other institutions complied with the
Treaty and any secondary legislation. Assembly; (later Parliament) composed of national
parliamentarians. Was to be consulted, body responsible for holding the Commission to account.
Council; body in which national governments were represented. Power of final decision, voted by
unanimity or QMV. European Court of Justice; monitor compliance with EEC law by MS and EEC
institutions and to rule on references to it made by national courts where a point of EEC law came up
Luxembourg Accords; gave every MS a veto in all fields of decision-making.
