Single European Act : Signed in Luxembourg on 17 February 1986 and the Hague (Netherlands) 28 February 1986, the Single European Act amending the Treaties establishing the European Communities established European political cooperation. With the entry into force of the Single European Act (SEA), became the official designation of 'European Parliament' (which the Assembly had been using since 1962). The SEA also expanded the legislative powers of Parliament with the introduction procedures for assent and cooperation. Since its entry into force on 1 January 1987 the European Economic Community was called. Introduced new objectives:
- The creation of a single market by 1 January 1993.
- weight Strengthening the European parliament.
- The attempt to reduce development disparities within the Community, raising funds.
Agenda 2000 : July 1997 Commission President Jacques Santer, the European Parliament introduced the Agenda 2000. This document lays the groundwork for strengthening growth, competitiveness and employment, modernizing key policies, expand the frontiers of the European Union to the east and find a way to finance the expansion, preparation and development of internal policies EU. Recommended open negotiations with the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Estonia, Poland and Hungary. Cyprus had already submitted the application, accepted favorably, while Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia would be proposed. To integrate it must meet the criteria adopted by the European Council in Copenhagen in June 1993:
- The existence of stable institutions guaranteeing democracy.
- A functioning market economy.
- The ability to assume the obligations of membership including adherence to the EMU.
Benelux: customs union and common policies in some economic sectors that were Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg.
ECSC : European Coal and Steel Community. It was the first agreement reached by the six founding countries, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Was formalized in the Treaty of Paris of 1951. Allow the free movement of steel and coal, key raw materials in the industrialization of the continent. It was powerful to create a common market to strengthen ties between countries and show the benefits of economic cooperation. In addition, represented a crucial step towards a Franco-German union that would ensure the necessary political stability on the continent at that time.
Commissioner: EU official component of the European Commission, who are responsible for different areas of EU policy. Never act to defend the interests of their country of origin, but represent the European Union.
Commission : consists of a chairman and commissioners. Are 27, one for each EU state elected for five years. Holds the executive and legislative branches and has assigned the following functions: proposed laws community-managed common policies, perform the treaty and EU law, safeguards treaties, manages the budget and imposes penalties on states you or individuals who breach Community law.
European Council : is the real center of power of the European Union. Created at 1974m is made by the Heads of State or Government of member countries, which joined the foreign ministers, a member of the Commission and the President of this. It meets at least three times a year, and their functions are to promote and coordinate EU policy. The Maastricht Treaty gave him certain operational responsibilities related to foreign and security policy.
ECU: European Currency Unit, was a reference currency for national currencies. The ECU was a composite currency (or basket of currencies) formed by specific percentages for each of the participating currencies, established according to the respective country's contribution to the GNP of the Community and the Community trade. The value of the basket calculated by multiplying the weight assigned to each currency by its exchange rate against the ECU.
is a currency that is used to specify the Community budget, not being legal tender. Served as a means of payment and reserves of central banks.
Table on the evolution of exchange rates of the ECU (European Currency Unit) annual average. 1990 to 1998, ECU =
Euro : single currency European Union introduced from 1999 for full implementation in 2002, in order to strengthen the economic integration of European countries. The Euro itself was agreed on December 15, 1995, through an agreement establishing circulation Madrid since 2001. The first countries to take part in the single currency plan was Portugal, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, Ireland, France, Finland, Spain, Austria, Belgium and Germany, joining then Greece. There was a period of coexistence of the old national currencies until they were out of circulation.
Codecision Mechanism : it implies that if a law proposed by the Council or made by the Commission, must be approved by Parliament. If he rejects it and no agreement between Parliament and Council, if even after a process of conciliation, the Council proposal was rejected.
OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In 1948 he created the OEEC (Organisation for European Economic Cooperation) to establish the criteria for request for assistance to individual countries, depending the real needs of each country, which established the Marshall Plan. In 1961 this body no longer makes sense, since the Marshall Plan aid is no longer necessary. Founded in 1961, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development groups 34 member countries committed to democracy and a market economy, which aims to:
- support sustainable economic development, increase
- employment ,
- Raising living standards,
- maintain financial stability,
- support economic development in other countries
- contribute to the growth of world trade.
PAC : Acronyms "Common Agricultural Policy, created in 1961 (Spain joined in 1986) in order to ensure living standards of farmers markets stabilize prices and ensure supplies to consumers. Although the percentage of active population of the European agricultural sector is 6.5% and the sector contribution to GDP is 2%, the PAC takes 34% of the budget. The CAP proposes the following objectives:
- The establishment of an agricultural common market based on freedom of trade and the abolition of tariffs. The market goes through setting common prices guaranteed and the protection of the European market against imports.
- A defense of the productivist model.
- support to farmers in central and northern Europe, which hurts the most competitive sectors of the English agriculture.
- Ensuring the maintenance of the income of farmers.
European Parliament : Based in Strasbourg, France, is the body representing the national sovereignty of Member States. Since 1979, MEPs are elected every five years by universal suffrage and distributed, not by states but by political and ideological affinities. Currently it is composed of 785 members divided into eight political groups. The functions are: to ensure the participation of citizens to exercise democratic control over the Commissioners and the Commission, to legislate with the Council (co) and approve the budget. After the Treaty of Amsterdam of 1999, the Parliament has a veto in the election the President of the Commission and in 80% of the legislative proposals of the European Union.
CFP: CFP launched in 1983 as response to the new situation created by the Exclusive Economic Zone which aims to establish specific guidelines on fisheries policy, such as: a) the accessibility of EU fishermen to waters within the limits of the 200 miles; b) conservation and management of sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources; c) ensure the income of fishermen, d) ensure the supply at the right price for consumers.
subsidiarity principle : The subsidiarity principle is to ensure that a decision as close to the city, constantly verifying the action to be taken at Community level is justified in relation to possibilities available at national, regional or local. Specifically, it is a principle that the Union does not act, except for the sectors within its exclusive competence, until his action is more effective than action taken at national, regional or local. Is closely linked to the principles of proportionality and necessity.
EMS: European Monetary System, created in 1979 with the objective d stabilize exchange rates of EU currencies, trying to regulate the settings in the wake of the gold standard the trustee system. The European Monetary System in the ECU had its reference currency for national currencies.
Amsterdam Treaty : signed in 1997, entered into force in 1999. He came to reinforce the Maastricht agreements, deepening in the powers granted to Parliament and simplifying the decision making process of the Council, passed from unanimity to qualified majority. The new Parliament had the right of veto in the election of President of the European Commission in processing the 80% of EU legislative proposals. Establishing the mechanism of co-decision. Other issues such as reinforce common foreign policy, the rights of workers and removing barriers to the free movement of persons and goods. It was assumed also the possibility that some states wishing to join the European Union did not maintain an economic growth rate similar to that of the strongest countries, opting for a two-tiered system.
Maastricht Treaty : Netherlands. It was signed in 1992 and acquired the official name of the Treaty on European Union entered into force in January 1993. It implements complete the single market in the Single European Act signed in 1987. He assumed the name change to European Union. Establishing these pillars:
- economic and monetary union. Sought convergence of European economies in order to create a single currency, the euro, which eventually entered into force on January 1, 2002.
- CFSP, Common Foreign and Security Policy, try to coordinate and improve security, strengthening the external position with one voice.
- greater collaboration in justice and internal security. Mechanisms are needed to strengthen and streamline the legal proceedings between EU countries and to share the police to increase security within the European Union.
- political union, represented on the free movement of persons throughout the EU, ensuring freedom of residence and voting.
- Social Protocol, intended to strengthen social protection and the rights of EU workers.
Nice Treaty , signed in December 2000 set a new distribution of power in the Union. Larger countries (Germany, France, Italy and the UK) have had their share of power when going from 10 to 29 the number of votes in the Council. Other states vote multiplied by 2.3, from Spain from 8 to 27, so it was very beneficial in this area, as compensation for the loss of one of the two Commissioners who contributed. Parliament was expanded to 732 seats, although this did not mean an increase in its powers. In this sense, Spain lost, they rose from 64 to 50 seats. It looked a multi-speed Europe and admitted the possibility that countries that wish come together to move faster.
Treaty of Rome : 1957, meant the founding of the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Community for Atomic Energy (Euroatom), which together constitute the European Communities ECSC. Comprises six countries, Germany, Italy, France, Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg. The Euroatom sought to promote collaborative research and development of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, and create a common market for nuclear fuel. The EEC had wider objectives, it sought to create a common market where goods could move freely, people, capital and services.
