European Union

• intergovernmentalism?


  states are free to choose whether to cooperate on issues of common interest, so there is no loss of national sovereignty
• supernationalism?


  nations delegate some decision making power to a higher body, agree to their decisions, and thus lose some national sovereignty
• federalism?

  Division of power between central/ national and regional tiers of gov - both sovereign in their domain
• Tariffs?

  taxes placed on imported goods, help make domestic goods more competitive on price
• Quotas?


  Limits on how much a good can be imported and sold
• 1972 Act of Parliament that led UK to join EU Economic Community, made all UK law ‘subject to’ directly applicable EU law

  EU Communities Act
• Treaty on European Union?

  Maastricht Treaty signed in 1992
• Schengen agreement 


  treaty signed in 1985 by 5 EEC members, agreed to abolish border checks at common borders
• Double majority rule?

  requires 55% of member states, representing at least 65% of EU population
• Qualified majority vote?


  A voting system where decisions require support from more than 50% of members, and votes of larger countries might be worth more
• European Council?

  intergovernmental body consisting of heads of state/ gov from all EU member states
• European Parliament?

  Directly elected supranational European body, consists 751 MEPs serving 5 year terms.
• European Commission?

  The supranational executive branch of the European Union.