European Institutions
,Table of contents
Chapter one: historical overview .................................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 What is the European Union? ............................................................................................................................... 5
Supranational & intergovernmental organizations ................................................................................................. 5
What kind of entity is the EU exactly? .................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 History of the European integration ..................................................................................................................... 6
After World War II (40s): initial steps to co-operation: ........................................................................................... 6
Fifties: first steps in integration process: ................................................................................................................ 6
Sixties: the European integration in crisis ............................................................................................................... 7
Seventies: the start of European political and monetary cooperation ................................................................... 7
Eighties: a new impetus for European integration .................................................................................................. 7
Nineties: establishment of the European Union ..................................................................................................... 7
Beginning of the new millennium: paving the way for the enlargement of the EU ................................................ 8
1.3 European integration: supranational & intergovernmental initiatives ................................................................. 9
1.4 Enlargements and withdrawals ............................................................................................................................. 9
Who can join? ......................................................................................................................................................... 9
Procedure for membership ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Withdrawal: .......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Timeline ................................................................................................................................................................ 10
Chapter two: EU institutions ......................................................................................................................................... 10
2.1 Institutional framework ...................................................................................................................................... 10
2.2 The European council ......................................................................................................................................... 10
Origin .................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Composition.......................................................................................................................................................... 11
The European Council ........................................................................................................................................... 11
The Council of Europe ........................................................................................................................................... 11
Presidency of the EC ............................................................................................................................................. 11
Functioning of the European Council .................................................................................................................... 11
Powers of the European Council ........................................................................................................................... 11
Status of decisions ................................................................................................................................................ 12
2.3 The European Parliament ................................................................................................................................... 12
Composition.......................................................................................................................................................... 12
Presidency of the European Parliament................................................................................................................ 12
EP political groups and their seats ........................................................................................................................ 13
Powers of the EP ................................................................................................................................................... 13
Functioning of the EP ............................................................................................................................................ 13
Evaluation of the EP .............................................................................................................................................. 14
2.4 The Council of EU ................................................................................................................................................ 14
Composition.......................................................................................................................................................... 14
, Configuration of the council ................................................................................................................................. 14
Presidency............................................................................................................................................................. 14
Powers .................................................................................................................................................................. 15
Co-ordination ........................................................................................................................................................ 15
Functioning ........................................................................................................................................................... 15
Decision-making ................................................................................................................................................... 15
Evaluation ............................................................................................................................................................. 16
2.5 The European Commission ................................................................................................................................. 16
Presidency............................................................................................................................................................. 17
Commissioners...................................................................................................................................................... 17
Appointment of the European Commission.......................................................................................................... 17
Independence ....................................................................................................................................................... 18
Supporting units ................................................................................................................................................... 18
Powers .................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Functioning ........................................................................................................................................................... 19
Evaluation ............................................................................................................................................................. 19
REMINDER: ............................................................................................................................................................... 19
2.6 The Court of Justice of the European Union ....................................................................................................... 19
The two courts of Justice ...................................................................................................................................... 19
Composition.......................................................................................................................................................... 20
Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................................................................ 20
Functioning ........................................................................................................................................................... 21
Evaluation ............................................................................................................................................................. 21
Chapter three : EU policy making ................................................................................................................................. 21
3.1 How decisions are made: legislative procedures ................................................................................................ 21
The standard decision-making procedure ............................................................................................................ 21
Other decision-making procedures ....................................................................................................................... 22
The outcome of legislative procedures: EU legislative acts .................................................................................. 23
3.2 Modes of governance ......................................................................................................................................... 23
3.3 Decision making in the framework of common foreign and security policy of the EU: ...................................... 23
3.3 EU separation of powers ..................................................................................................................................... 24
Vertical separation ................................................................................................................................................ 24
Chapter four : Internal market policies ......................................................................................................................... 25
4.1 The single market................................................................................................................................................ 25
First stage in the EEC: customs union ........................................................................................................................... 25
Next stage: single market: free movement of persons, goods, services and capital ............................................. 25
4.2 Obstacles for the single market .......................................................................................................................... 26
Chapter five : competition policies ............................................................................................................................... 26
5.1 Competition policy .............................................................................................................................................. 26
, 5.2 Rules for companies ............................................................................................................................................ 27
5.3 State aid .............................................................................................................................................................. 27
Chapter six : economic and monetary union (EMU) ..................................................................................................... 27
6.1 Economic and monetary union ........................................................................................................................... 27
Roadmap to the EMU ........................................................................................................................................... 28
Convergence criteria ............................................................................................................................................. 28
6.2 From treaty to reality .......................................................................................................................................... 28
Stability and growth pact (1997)........................................................................................................................... 28
Consequences of and responses to the financial and economic crisis .................................................................. 29
6.3 What the EMU means now ................................................................................................................................. 29
Chapter seven : external relations of the EU ................................................................................................................ 29
7.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 29
7.2 Trade policy ........................................................................................................................................................ 30
Principles or trade policy EU ................................................................................................................................. 30
Instruments of trade policy EU: trade defence ..................................................................................................... 30
Instruments of trade policy: trade promotion ...................................................................................................... 31
7.3 External economic relations of the EU ................................................................................................................ 32
Development cooperation/ assistance ................................................................................................................. 32
,Table of contents
Chapter one: historical overview .................................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 What is the European Union? ............................................................................................................................... 5
Supranational & intergovernmental organizations ................................................................................................. 5
What kind of entity is the EU exactly? .................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 History of the European integration ..................................................................................................................... 6
After World War II (40s): initial steps to co-operation: ........................................................................................... 6
Fifties: first steps in integration process: ................................................................................................................ 6
Sixties: the European integration in crisis ............................................................................................................... 7
Seventies: the start of European political and monetary cooperation ................................................................... 7
Eighties: a new impetus for European integration .................................................................................................. 7
Nineties: establishment of the European Union ..................................................................................................... 7
Beginning of the new millennium: paving the way for the enlargement of the EU ................................................ 8
1.3 European integration: supranational & intergovernmental initiatives ................................................................. 9
1.4 Enlargements and withdrawals ............................................................................................................................. 9
Who can join? ......................................................................................................................................................... 9
Procedure for membership ..................................................................................................................................... 9
Withdrawal: .......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Timeline ................................................................................................................................................................ 10
Chapter two: EU institutions ......................................................................................................................................... 10
2.1 Institutional framework ...................................................................................................................................... 10
2.2 The European council ......................................................................................................................................... 10
Origin .................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Composition.......................................................................................................................................................... 11
The European Council ........................................................................................................................................... 11
The Council of Europe ........................................................................................................................................... 11
Presidency of the EC ............................................................................................................................................. 11
Functioning of the European Council .................................................................................................................... 11
Powers of the European Council ........................................................................................................................... 11
Status of decisions ................................................................................................................................................ 12
2.3 The European Parliament ................................................................................................................................... 12
Composition.......................................................................................................................................................... 12
Presidency of the European Parliament................................................................................................................ 12
EP political groups and their seats ........................................................................................................................ 13
Powers of the EP ................................................................................................................................................... 13
Functioning of the EP ............................................................................................................................................ 13
Evaluation of the EP .............................................................................................................................................. 14
2.4 The Council of EU ................................................................................................................................................ 14
Composition.......................................................................................................................................................... 14
, Configuration of the council ................................................................................................................................. 14
Presidency............................................................................................................................................................. 14
Powers .................................................................................................................................................................. 15
Co-ordination ........................................................................................................................................................ 15
Functioning ........................................................................................................................................................... 15
Decision-making ................................................................................................................................................... 15
Evaluation ............................................................................................................................................................. 16
2.5 The European Commission ................................................................................................................................. 16
Presidency............................................................................................................................................................. 17
Commissioners...................................................................................................................................................... 17
Appointment of the European Commission.......................................................................................................... 17
Independence ....................................................................................................................................................... 18
Supporting units ................................................................................................................................................... 18
Powers .................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Functioning ........................................................................................................................................................... 19
Evaluation ............................................................................................................................................................. 19
REMINDER: ............................................................................................................................................................... 19
2.6 The Court of Justice of the European Union ....................................................................................................... 19
The two courts of Justice ...................................................................................................................................... 19
Composition.......................................................................................................................................................... 20
Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................................................................ 20
Functioning ........................................................................................................................................................... 21
Evaluation ............................................................................................................................................................. 21
Chapter three : EU policy making ................................................................................................................................. 21
3.1 How decisions are made: legislative procedures ................................................................................................ 21
The standard decision-making procedure ............................................................................................................ 21
Other decision-making procedures ....................................................................................................................... 22
The outcome of legislative procedures: EU legislative acts .................................................................................. 23
3.2 Modes of governance ......................................................................................................................................... 23
3.3 Decision making in the framework of common foreign and security policy of the EU: ...................................... 23
3.3 EU separation of powers ..................................................................................................................................... 24
Vertical separation ................................................................................................................................................ 24
Chapter four : Internal market policies ......................................................................................................................... 25
4.1 The single market................................................................................................................................................ 25
First stage in the EEC: customs union ........................................................................................................................... 25
Next stage: single market: free movement of persons, goods, services and capital ............................................. 25
4.2 Obstacles for the single market .......................................................................................................................... 26
Chapter five : competition policies ............................................................................................................................... 26
5.1 Competition policy .............................................................................................................................................. 26
, 5.2 Rules for companies ............................................................................................................................................ 27
5.3 State aid .............................................................................................................................................................. 27
Chapter six : economic and monetary union (EMU) ..................................................................................................... 27
6.1 Economic and monetary union ........................................................................................................................... 27
Roadmap to the EMU ........................................................................................................................................... 28
Convergence criteria ............................................................................................................................................. 28
6.2 From treaty to reality .......................................................................................................................................... 28
Stability and growth pact (1997)........................................................................................................................... 28
Consequences of and responses to the financial and economic crisis .................................................................. 29
6.3 What the EMU means now ................................................................................................................................. 29
Chapter seven : external relations of the EU ................................................................................................................ 29
7.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 29
7.2 Trade policy ........................................................................................................................................................ 30
Principles or trade policy EU ................................................................................................................................. 30
Instruments of trade policy EU: trade defence ..................................................................................................... 30
Instruments of trade policy: trade promotion ...................................................................................................... 31
7.3 External economic relations of the EU ................................................................................................................ 32
Development cooperation/ assistance ................................................................................................................. 32
