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The European Union And Why It Matters To Indiana

The European Union And Why It Matters To Indiana. Teachers’ Training Workshop, 5/11/2007 Presentation by Prof. Beate Sissenich Indiana University Bloomington. Part 1: General Introduction to the EU. Please refer to The European Union: A Guide for Americans and

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The European Union And Why It Matters To Indiana

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  1. The European UnionAnd Why It Matters To Indiana Teachers’ Training Workshop, 5/11/2007 Presentation by Prof. Beate Sissenich Indiana University Bloomington

  2. Part 1: General Introduction to the EU Please refer to The European Union: A Guide for Americans and How the European Union Works

  3. Please reflect in writing on the following question: How does the European Union affect Indiana?

  4. What is the EU?See map and table on p. 4 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans • The world’s most deeply integrated system of regional inter-state cooperation • 27 European member states • Ca. 490 million people (US: 300 million) • Independent countries pooling their sovereignty in shared institutions to create common policies

  5. What the EU is NOT: • A “superstate” • A “United States of Europe” • A welfare state • A federation • An international organization such as the United Nations  the EU is unique in structure and composition

  6. Goals and Purposes • Peace and stability • Democracy • Economic growth • Social solidarity • “Unity in diversity”

  7. History 1951: European Coal and Steel Community (F, D, I, BeNeLux) 1957: Treaties of Rome: European Economic Community (EEC), European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) 1986: Single European Act to facilitate Single Market 1992: Treaty on European Union (Maastricht Treaty) 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam 2001 Treaty of Nice

  8. Governance:The 3 Pillars of the EU

  9. Gradual Enlargement: from 6 to 27 members 1957: BeNeLux, D, F, I 1973: Denmark, UK and Ireland 1981: Greece 1986: Spain and Portugal 1995: Sweden, Finland, Austria 2004: “jumbo” enlargement: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia 2007: Bulgaria, Romania Candidates: Croatia, Turkey, FYR Macedonia

  10. How is the EU run?See ch. 2 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans Unique system of governance—some key institutions: • European Commission • Council of the European Union and European Council • European Parliament • European Court of Justice and Court of Auditors • Interest representation: Economic and Social Committee and Committee of the Regions

  11. European Commissionp. 6 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans; pp. 20-24 in How the EU Works • Represents European perspective • 27 Commissioners, appointed for 5-year terms • Executive branch w/seat in Brussels (also Luxembourg) • Sole initiator of legislation • Implements EU policies and budget • Enforces EU law • Represents the EU internationally

  12. Council of the EUp. 6-7 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans; pp. 14-19 in How the EU Works • Main decision-making body • Voice of the member states • Made up of one member from each member state government • Meets in 9 issue-specific configurations: general affairs and external relations, economics & finance, agriculture, etc. • Rotating presidency (6 months) • Responsibilities: adopting laws; coordinating economic policies; concluding international agreements; approving the budget (w/ Parliament); developing Common Foreign and Security Policy; coordinating cooperation in police and judicial affairs

  13. Voting in the Councilp. 19 in How the EU Works • By unanimity in Common Foreign and Security Policy, taxation, and asylum and immigration • By qualified majority in most policy areas: majority of member states and minimum of 72.3 % of votes • Weighted voting: larger countries have more votes, but smaller countries are disproportionately represented

  14. European Parliamentp. 7 in The European Union: A Guide for Americanspp. 10-13 in How the EU Works • Directly elected since 1979 • 785 members from 27 member states, elected for 5-year terms • Organized in 8 political groups, each of which is based on national parties • Seats in Strasbourg and Brussels • Passes legislation (together with the Council) • Democratic supervision of other EU institutions • Approves/rejects the budget

  15. What does the EU do?See pp. 24-33 in The European Union: A Guide for Americans • Single market: freedom of movement for goods, services, capital and people • Common currency (13 out of 27 member states currently use the euro) • Common foreign and security policy • Police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters

  16. Activity: Please consult Key Facts and Figures about Europe and the Europeans to answer the following questions: • How wealthy are Europeans? • How much does the EU spend on research? • How much does the EU produce? • How much do EU countries trade inside the EU? How much do they trade with other countries?

  17. Spending and Government in the EU • EU budget is capped at 1.27 % of EU GNP • 2003: 1.02% of EU GDP ↔ US: 36.7 % of GDP ↔ D: 48.3 % of GDP ↔ SW: 57.3 % of GDP ↔ EI: 33.5 % of GDP • EU administration is smaller than national administrations: EU permanent staff = 30,000, of which 73 % are Commission staff ↔ US federal civilian employment = 2.73 million

  18. Trade Source: http://www.eurunion.org/profile/EUUSStats.pdf

  19. Foreign Direct Investment Source: http://www.eurunion.org/profile/EUUSStats.pdf

  20. EU-Indiana Trade Indiana’s goods exports to EU25 were USD 3.96 billion representing 24.1% of total exports in 2003.http://www.eurunion.org/partner/usstates/Indiana%20-%20IN%202003.ppt

  21. Foreign Investment in IndianaEU15 Investment in Indiana supported an estimated 84,200 jobs in 2002. EU15 was #1 foreign investor in Indiana in 2002. EU15 Investment amounted to an estimated USD 18,454 millions or 65.6% of total foreign direct Investment in Indiana in 2002.http://www.eurunion.org/partner/usstates/Indiana%20-%20IN%202003.ppt

  22. Please revisit your earlier notes on the question: How does the European Union affect Indiana? How has your assessment changed? What would you add to your earlier observations?

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