15

THE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL

INTEGRATION IN EUROPE
 Devastation of the Second World War and
effect on the European economies

 US support for concerted efforts of European

countries to institutionalise economic and
political integration

 Reconciliation between France and Germany at the heart

of the emerging efforts to drive forward European
integration

 Gradual integration of sectors of national economies

the predominant goal of the European project

 Political integration remains limited but is intended!

 EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY
ECSC (1951)
EURATOM (1957)
TREATY OF ROME (1957)
 EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (EEC)
SINGLE EUROPEAN ACT (1987)
MAASTRICHT TREATY
(TREATY ON THE EUROPEAN UNION, 1992)
 EUROPEAN UNION (EU)
TREATY OF AMSTERDAM (1997)

Indicates year NICE TREATY (2000)

each treaty was
signed! LISBON TREATY (2007)
STAGES OF ENLARGEMENT

(9 member states)

(10)

(12)

(15)

(25 in 2004  27 in 2007)

(28)
Candidate countries:
ALBANIA, MACEDONIA, MONTENEGRO, SERBIA, TURKEY,
ICELAND (put on hold by Icelandic government in May 2013)

Potential candidates:
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, KOSOVO
GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
 Establishment of a Common Market
(free movement of people, goods, services and
capital)

 Free and fair competition on the basis of the

removal of trade restrictions
 Coordination of economic and monetary policies
 Long-term harmonization of fiscal and social policies
 CUSTOMS UNION and
COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY (CAP)
 The progressive establishment of the common internal market by
January 1993 as ‘an area without internal frontiers in which
the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is
ensured’

 Introduction of qualified majority voting in Common Market areas

(excluding taxation and border controls)

 Greater influence for the European Parliament in the area of

Common Market legislation

 Monetary union as a goal that is to be achieved in Thatcher

progressive stages

 Intention to expand the Commmunity powers in

the area of social policy (DELORS Commission)
( SOCIAL CHARTER, 1989)
 Creates the ‘temple’ / three pillar structure of the EUROPEAN UNION

 European Social Charter (not included in treaty due to UK veto)

- Basic standards and rights for workers

 SINGLE EUROPEAN MARKET BY 1993

 Economic and Monetary Union:

- Common European currency EURO to be introduced by 1999
- Replaces national currencies in member states on 1 January 2002
- European Central Bank (established in Frankfurt in 1999)

 Introduction of the subsidiarity principle

 Greater powers for the European Parliament (e.g. consumer protection)

(co-decision principle with ability to block decisions with an absolute
majority)

 Creation of an EU citizenship
 Committee of the Regions
 The EUROPEAN UNION temple structure
(Maastricht 1993)
EUROPEAN COMMON FOREIGN JUSTICE AND HOME
COMMUNITY (EC) AND SECURITY AFFAIRS (JHA)
POLICY
(CFSP)
- Acquis communautaire - Intergovernmental: - Intergovernmental:
(Legal body of the EU) - Rapid Reaction Force - Enhanced
cooperation on:
- Treaties -Peacekeeping missions
- Laws - Asylum&
- Policies - Foreign aid Immigration policy
- Supranational community
institutions - External borders

- Drug&people
trafficking,
terrorism,
fraud&cybercrime
 JUDICIAL&
POLICE MATTERS
 Greater Flexibilisation of the integration
process:
 Possibility for member states to ‘opt out’
of individual policies is introducted

Development of a Stability and Growth Pact

for the emergingSingle European Currency
 Ongoing discussion about the
need to streamline institutions
towards greater effciciency
and democratic accountability
 The next steps…
 Nice IGC (2000)  TREATY OF NICE

 Laeken IGC(2001)
 EUROPEAN CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

 CONSTITUTIONAL TREATY (2003)

 Signed by member states in 2004

 Rejected in public referenda in

France and Netherlands (2005)

 2 YEARS OF REFLECTION
 SLIMMED DOWN REFORM TREATY
(LISBON TREATY) DEVELOPED UNDER
THE GERMAN 2007 EU COUNCIL
PRESIDENCY
 Rejected in public referendum in Ireland (2008)
 Ratified after second referendum in Ireland
(2009)
 The Lisbon Treaty (2009)
 Reinforcement of the subsidiarity principle
 Greater role for EP and national parliaments
 2/3 of national parliaments can force
Commission to re-examine a proposal

 Greater transparency on Council decisions

 EU citizens and national parliaments gain right to
have access to the details of ministerial legislative
negotiations
 EU Council president: Coordination of Council
activities and external representation of the member states

 ‘Citizen’s initiative’
 1 millions citizens from at least 7 of the 28 member states can
ask the Commission to officially consider a legislative initiative

 EU ‘High Representative’ on foreign and security policy

(Vice-president of the Commission/ external affairs Commissioner)
 Supported by European External Action Service
 Frequent meetings of ministers
from 28 member states

28 Heads of government
Meet four times per year