1. Introduction to the European Union
Joe Jupille
Colorado European Union Center of Excellence
University of Colorado at Boulder
National Council for the Social Studies
Denver, CO
November 13, 2010
Edited in 2013 to reflect the accession of Croatia.

2. “Nothing is possible without men; nothing is lasting without institutions” – Jean Monnet “To understand the Europe you have to be a genius … or French” – Madeline Albright

3. Historical Development: Treaties and Members
Paris
1952 (ECSC)
Rome
1958 (EEC)
SEA
1987
Maastricht
1993 (EU)
Am'dam
1999
Nice
2003
Lisbon
2009
2010
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
"The Six": 1952, 1958
"Big 3 & Small 3"
France, Germany, Italy,
Belgium, Netherlands,
Luxembourg
EC 10 & 12: 1981 & 86
"Southern 3"
Greece (1981)
Spain & Portugal
(1986)
EC 9: 1973
"Northern 3"
Ireland,
Denmark,
United Kingdom
EU15: 1995
“Easy 3"
Austria,
Finland,
Sweden
EU25: 2004
“Big Bang”
Latvia, Lithuania,
Estonia, Poland,
Hungary, Czech
Republic, Malta,
Cyprus, Slovakia,
Slovenia
EU27: 2007
Romania,
Bulgaria
EU28: 2013
Croatia
Member States

4. Growth of EU Policy Competence

5. European Union Basics, 2010 28 500+ 7 30 56 million
*Countries shaded gray are candidates for EU membership 28
Member States
500+
million
Combined population of EU Member States 7
Percent of world’s
population 30
Percent of
global GDP 56
Percent of combined
worldwide Official
Development Assistance

6. EU Basics, 2010: Policy Competence
Non-Discrimination and …
Services
Approximation of Laws
Public Health
… Citizenship of the Union
Capital …
Economic and Monetary Policy
Consumer Protection
The Internal Market
… and Payments
Economic Policy
Trans-European Networks
Free Movement of Goods
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
Monetary Policy
Industry
Cutoms Union
Policies on Border Checks, Asylum and Immigration
Employment
Economic and Social Cohesion
Agriculture…
Judicial Cooperation in Civil Matters
Common Commercial Policy
Research and Technology
… and Fisheries
Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters
Customs Cooperation
Environment
Free Movement of Persons, Services and Capital
Transport
Social Policy
Development Cooperation
Workers
Competition
Education, Vocational Training and Youth
Economic, financial and technical cooperation with third countries
Right of Establishment
Tax Provisions
Culture
Association of Overseas Countries and Territories
Common Foreign and Defense Policy

7. EU Institutions European Council (Summit) European Parliament
Council of the EU
European Commission
Court of Justice
Court of Auditors
Committee of the Regions
Economic and Social Committee
European Investment Bank
European Central Bank
Agencies

8. Summit of the European Council
Summit of heads of state and government of all EU countries
Held at least 4 times a year
Sets the overall guidelines for EU policies
President: Herman Van Rompuy

9. European Commission President José Manuel Barroso
28 Commissioners, each responsible for specific policy areas, representing the common European perspective.
Proposes legislation and enforces laws.
Negotiates trade agreements.
Manages Europe’s multilateral development cooperation.
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso

10. Council of the European Union
EU’s main decision-making body, comprised of ministers of 28 Member States, representing each Member State’s point of view.
Decides on foreign policy issues.
Council presidency rotates among Member States every six months.

11. Council of the European Union voice of the member states
One minister from each EU country
Presidency: rotates every six months
Decides EU laws and budget together with Parliament
Manages the common foreign and security policy

12. Council of the European Union number of votes per country
Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom 29
Spain and Poland 27
Romania 14
Netherlands 13
Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary and Portugal 12
Austria, Bulgaria and Sweden 10
Croatia, Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Finland 7
Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg and Slovenia 4
Malta 3
Total:
352
“Qualified majority” needed for many decisions: 260 votes and a majority of member states
From 2014: 55% of the Member States with 65% of the population

13. European Parliament Voice of European citizens.
Members elected for five-year terms.
With the Council, passes EU laws and adopts EU budgets.
Approves EU Commissioners.

14. The European Political Parties
Number of seats in the European Parliament per political group
(January 2010)
Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats for Europe 84
European People’s Party (Christian Democrats)
265
Greens/European Free Alliance 55
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Socialists and Democrats Democrats
184
European Conservatives and Reformists 54
Europe of Freedom and Democracy 32
European United
Left - Nordic Green Left 35
Total : 736
Non-attached members 27

15. European Court of Justice
Highest EU judicial authority.
Ensures all EU laws are interpreted and applied correctly and uniformly.
Can act as an independent policy maker but unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, the ECJ can only deal with matters covered by the Treaties.

16. Legislation: Three key players
The Eu ropean
Parliament Voice of the people
The Council of the
European Union
Voice of the Member States
The European
Commission
Promoting the common interest

17. Legislative Process
Citizens, interest groups, experts: discuss, consult
Commission: makes formal proposal
Parliament and Council of Ministers: decide jointly
National or local authorities: implement
Commission and Court of Justice:
monitor implementation

18. The Politics of EU Institutions
Following Monnet, the EU has always had an “institutionalizing reflex”: when in doubt, create a rule/institution.
These politics of institution-building distinguish the EU from its national counterparts in the developed world.
This is also partly why the EU is so messy, complex, and hard for Americans (and other non-French) to understand.

19. The Frustrations …
All of this messiness strikes most Americans as inefficient , confusing, somewhat pointless.
It can indeed be maddening to even comprehend the EU, with its arcane debates and constantly shifting institutional arrangements, let alone engage with it.

20. … and the Need
Yet, this sometimes inward-looking, institutionally-oriented nature of EU politics isn’t pointless; working out and through all of this is part of the process of mutual adjustment required when 28 states pool their sovereignty.
Messy complexity is in the EU’s genetic makeup and it is not going to change. Indeed, things may get worse in this respect (e.g., because of the addition of new members) before they get better.

21. Conclusion
EU Politics is messy and complex, due to its size and crowded agenda, but also due to the “institutional reflex” first instilled by Monnet.
Yet, as we know, and as other panelists and panels will discuss, the EU is an indispensible partner for the US.
We have to learn to live with, if not love, the European Union.

22. Resources: To Learn More
European Union Delegation to the United States of America:
Its Education Resources and Teachers’ Corner pages offer a rich range of materials for use in your classrooms.
Network of European Union Centers of Excellence in the United States:
Its Education page offers a tremendous range of K-12 content, including wonderful lesson plans.