Regionalism and the EU (topic 5)

• What historical context is important for understanding the EU?

  Post-World War II rebuilding efforts
• What was the first major step towards European integration?

  Formation of the European Coal and Steel Community
• What was the goal of the European Coal and Steel Community?

  Create economic interdependence to prevent war
• What treaty established the European Economic Community?

  Treaty of Rome
• What did the Treaty of Rome aim to create?

  A common market for goods and services
• How did the Single European Act change decision-making in the EU?

  Introduced qualified majority voting
• What are the four key freedoms of the EU?

  Free movement of goods, services, people, capital
• What is the Common Agricultural Policy?

  A system of subsidies for farmers
• What was the significance of the first enlargement in 1973?

  UK, Denmark, and Ireland joined the EEC
• What was a crucial shift introduced by the Single European Act?

  Shift from intergovernmental to supranational elements
• What was the Treaty of Maastricht known for?

  Transforming the EC into the EU
• What are the three pillars established by the Treaty of Maastricht?

  European communities, common foreign policy, justice affairs
• When was the Euro introduced as a physical currency?

  2002
• What was the aim of the Constitutional Treaty proposed in 2004?

  Streamline decision-making and enhance global influence
• What challenges did the EU face after the enlargement following the Cold War?

  Economic disparities and decision-making pressures
• What does qualified majority voting allow in the EU?

  Decisions made by majority, not unanimous consent
• What was a significant outcome of the Lisbon Treaty?

  Reformed EU's institutional framework
• What was the public response to the Constitutional Treaty?

  Faced public opposition due to security concerns
• What is the voting procedure in QMV?

  Decisions made by majority consent
• How is each country's vote weighted in QMV?

  Based on its population
• What was the aim of the Constitutional Treaty in 2004?

  To replace existing treaties with a single constitution
• What did the Constitutional Treaty seek to enhance?

  The EU's global influence
• What positions were created by the Constitutional Treaty?

  President of the European Council and foreign minister
• What led to the rejection of the Constitutional Treaty?

  Public opposition due to national security concerns
• When was the Lisbon Treaty signed?

  2007
• What did the Lisbon Treaty preserve?

  The existing legal structure of the EU
• What new position was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty?

  President of the European Council
• What was a key flaw in the Euro Zone structure?

  Diverse economies with a shared currency
• How did the 2008 financial crisis affect the Euro Zone?

  Weaker economies struggled to recover
• What was a significant problem for Greece during the crisis?

  Inability to repay its creditors
• What did the EU and IMF coordinate for Greece?

  Bailout packages with stringent conditions
• What were some conditions of the bailout packages?

  Austerity measures like tax increases
• What was the European Central Bank's response to the crisis?

  Pledged to do whatever it takes to preserve the Euro
• What did the EU introduce after the financial crisis?

  A fiscal compact for more discipline
• What was a consequence of the Euro Zone crisis?

  High unemployment in Greece, Spain, and Italy
• What fueled the rise of populist parties after the crisis?

  Disillusionment with the EU and economic inequality
• Which party was the first successful Euroskeptic party in the UK?

  UKIP
• What was a key concern for voters during the Brexit referendum?

  National sovereignty and immigration
• How did Brexit impact the EU's global influence?

  Weakened the EU's collective weight in negotiations
• What trend did the Lisbon Treaty signify for the EU?

  Growing supranationalism and integration