EU Law

• What is the European Union?

  A group of democratic European countries
• When was the European Union formed?

  1957
• Which countries formed the European Union initially?

  France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Netherlands, Germany
• When did the UK join the European Union?

  1st January 1973
• What did the European Communities Act 1972 do?

  Made EU laws part of UK law
• What solidified Brexit in the UK?

  European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020
• What is supranationalism in the context of the EU?

  Member States delegate decision-making power
• What are the main institutions of the European Union?

  • European Council/Summit
  • European Parliament
  • Council of the European Union
  • European Commission
  • Court of Justice of the European Union

  
• How often does the European Council meet?

  At least 4 times a year
• What is the main role of the European Council?

  Decides overall EU policy and sets agendas
• Who is the current President of the European Council?

  Charles Michel
• Who does the European Parliament represent?

  The citizens of the EU
• What is the composition of the European Commission?

  President and 27 Commissioners
• What is the role of the European Commission?

  Represents interests of the EU as a whole
• What does the Treaty of Rome state about Commissioners?

  They should not seek instructions from any government
• What are the two roles of the European Commission?

  Legislative and Judicial
• What is the 'Right of initiative' of the European Commission?

  Proposes new European legislation
• What is the European Citizens’ Initiative?

  Allows EU citizens to propose laws
• What is the role of the European Commission as the Guardian of the Treaties?

  Intervenes if EU law is not implemented
• What was the outcome of the Re Tachographs case in 1979?

  Enforcement was ordered by the EU
• How does the Council of the EU represent member states?

  Each MS sends a representative based on the topic
• What is the main role of the Council of the EU?

  Main law-making body of the Union
• What are the voting procedures in the Council of the EU?

  Unanimity, Simple majority, Qualified majority
• How many Members of the European Parliament are there?

  705 plus the President
• How are Members of the European Parliament elected?

  Directly elected in their own countries
• What is the "democratic deficit" in the European Parliament?

  Low turnouts at elections
• What powers does the European Parliament have in the law-making process?

  Supervision, contribution to EU law, budget authority
• What is the Ordinary Legislative Procedure?

  Parliament and Council share equal powers
• What is the Assent Procedure in the European Parliament?

  Council needs Parliament's assent for decisions
• How many judges are in the Court of Justice of the EU?

  27 judges
• What is the role of the Court of Justice of the EU?

  Ensures laws are applied uniformly
• What is the Judicial Role of the Court of Justice?

  Hears disputes against member states
• What is the Supervisory Role of the Court of Justice?

  Provides preliminary rulings on EU law interpretation
• What does Article 267/234 TFEU state?

  MS courts may refer questions about EU law
• What happens during a mandatory referral?

  National court must refer if no further appeal
• What is the ACTE CLAIR doctrine?

  No referral if law is clear and free from doubt
• What is the role of the General Court?

  Reduces workload of the CJEU
• What are the key functions of the Court of Justice of the EU?

  1. Judicial role – hears disputes
  2. Supervisory role – provides preliminary rulings
• What are the differences between the European Council and the Council of the EU?

  • European Council: Heads of State, sets overall policy
  • Council of the EU: Ministers from member states, main law-making body
• What are the roles of the European Parliament in the EU law-making process?

  • Democratic supervision over the Commission
  • Contributes to creating EU law
  • Authority over the EU budget