1. The European Union And Why It Matters To Indiana
The European Union And Why It Matters To Indiana
Teachers’ Training Workshop, 5/11/2007
Presentation by Prof. Beate Sissenich
Indiana University
Bloomington

2. Part 1: General Introduction to the EU
Part 1: General Introduction to the EU
Please refer to
The European Union: A Guide for Americans
and
How the European Union Works

3. Please reflect in writing on the following question:
Please reflect in writing on the following question:
How does the European Union affect Indiana?

4.
What is the EU? See map and table on p. 4 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans
The world’s most deeply integrated system of regional inter-state cooperation
27 European member states
Ca. 490 million people (US: 300 million)
Independent countries pooling their sovereignty in shared institutions to create common policies
See map and table on p. 4 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans

5. What the EU is NOT: A “superstate” A “United States of Europe”
What the EU is NOT:
A “superstate”
A “United States of Europe”
A welfare state
A federation
An international organization such as the United Nations
 the EU is unique in structure and composition

6. Goals and Purposes Peace and stability Democracy Economic growth
Goals and Purposes
Peace and stability
Democracy
Economic growth
Social solidarity
“Unity in diversity”

7. History 1951: European Coal and Steel Community (F, D, I, BeNeLux)
History
1951: European Coal and Steel Community (F, D, I, BeNeLux)
1957: Treaties of Rome: European Economic Community (EEC), European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM)
1986: Single European Act to facilitate Single Market
1992: Treaty on European Union (Maastricht Treaty)
1997 Treaty of Amsterdam
2001 Treaty of Nice
See p. 3 and 34 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans

8. Governance: The 3 Pillars of the EU
Governance: The 3 Pillars of the EU

9. Gradual Enlargement: from 6 to 27 members
Gradual Enlargement: from 6 to 27 members
1957: BeNeLux, D, F, I
1973: Denmark, UK and Ireland
1981: Greece
1986: Spain and Portugal
1995: Sweden, Finland, Austria
2004: “jumbo” enlargement: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia
2007: Bulgaria, Romania
Candidates: Croatia, Turkey, FYR Macedonia

10.
How is the EU run? See ch. 2 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans
Unique system of governance—some key institutions:
European Commission
Council of the European Union and European Council
European Parliament
European Court of Justice and Court of Auditors
Interest representation: Economic and Social Committee and Committee of the Regions
See ch. 2 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans

11.
European Commission p. 6 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans; pp in How the EU Works
Represents European perspective
27 Commissioners, appointed for 5-year terms
Executive branch w/seat in Brussels (also Luxembourg)
Sole initiator of legislation
Implements EU policies and budget
Enforces EU law
Represents the EU internationally
p. 6 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans; pp in How the EU Works

12.
Council of the EU p. 6-7 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans; pp in How the EU Works
Main decision-making body
Voice of the member states
Made up of one member from each member state government
Meets in 9 issue-specific configurations: general affairs and external relations, economics & finance, agriculture, etc.
Rotating presidency (6 months)
Responsibilities: adopting laws; coordinating economic policies; concluding international agreements; approving the budget (w/ Parliament); developing Common Foreign and Security Policy; coordinating cooperation in police and judicial affairs
p. 6-7 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans; pp in How the EU Works

13. Voting in the Council p. 19 in How the EU Works
Voting in the Council p. 19 in How the EU Works
By unanimity in Common Foreign and Security Policy, taxation, and asylum and immigration
By qualified majority in most policy areas: majority of member states and minimum of 72.3 % of votes
Weighted voting: larger countries have more votes, but smaller countries are disproportionately represented

14.
European Parliament p. 7 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans pp in How the EU Works
Directly elected since 1979
785 members from 27 member states, elected for 5-year terms
Organized in 8 political groups, each of which is based on national parties
Seats in Strasbourg and Brussels
Passes legislation (together with the Council)
Democratic supervision of other EU institutions
Approves/rejects the budget

15.
What does the EU do? See pp in The European Union: A Guide for Americans
Single market: freedom of movement for goods, services, capital and people
Common currency (13 out of 27 member states currently use the euro)
Common foreign and security policy
Police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters

16.
Activity: Please consult Key Facts and Figures about Europe and the Europeans to answer the following questions:
How wealthy are Europeans?
How much does the EU spend on research?
How much does the EU produce?
How much do EU countries trade inside the EU? How much do they trade with other countries?

17. Spending and Government in the EU
Spending and Government in the EU
EU budget is capped at 1.27 % of EU GNP
2003: 1.02% of EU GDP
↔ US: 36.7 % of GDP
↔ D: 48.3 % of GDP
↔ SW: 57.3 % of GDP
↔ EI: 33.5 % of GDP
EU administration is smaller than national administrations:
EU permanent staff = 30,000, of which 73 % are Commission staff
↔ US federal civilian employment = 2.73 million

18. Trade Source: http://www.eurunion.org/profile/EUUSStats.pdf
Trade
Source:

20. Foreign Direct Investment
Foreign Direct Investment
Source:

21.
EU-Indiana Trade Indiana’s goods exports to EU25 were USD 3.96 billion representing 24.1% of total exports in

22.
Foreign Investment in Indiana EU15 Investment in Indiana supported an estimated 84,200 jobs in EU15 was #1 foreign investor in Indiana in EU15 Investment amounted to an estimated USD 18,454 millions or 65.6% of total foreign direct Investment in Indiana in

23. Please revisit your earlier notes on the question:
Please revisit your earlier notes on the question:
How does the European Union affect Indiana?
How has your assessment changed?
What would you add to your earlier observations?