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Milestones in the construction of the EU. Treaty of Rome: 25th March 1957 Gave birth to the EEC (European Economic Community) Brussels Act: 20th Sept 1976 Established the election of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage Single European Act: 01st July 1987
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Milestones in the construction of the EU • Treaty of Rome: 25th March 1957 • Gave birth to the EEC (European Economic Community) • Brussels Act:20th Sept 1976 • Established the election of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage • Single European Act:01st July 1987 • Strengthened the competences and powers of the European Institutions • Maastricht Treaty (also known as EU treaty):01st Nov 1993 • Lead to the establishment of the European Union (EU) • Introduced the „European citizenship“ (freedom of movement, right of residency, active and passive voting right, right of petition, diplomatic & consulatar protection)
Milestones in the construction of the EU • Amsterdam Treaty:16-17th June 1997 • Integration of the SCHENGEN agreement • EP powers (simplified & generalised co-decision process) with 12 mandatory sessions in Strasbourg • Nice Treaty:11th Dec 2000 • Adaptation of the size and functioning of the Commission • Reform of the voting procedures in the Council of Ministers • Lisbon Treaty:13th Dec 2007 • Came after the rejection of the Constitutional Treaty.To be ratified by January 2009
The Lisbon Treaty • General content of the LT • Extension of Qualified Majority Voting (QVM) • Extension of Co-decision process • Increased role of National Parliaments • Simplification of the voting process • QMV for Justice and Home Affairs • Legal personality for the EU • Federal concept abandoned • Fiscal issues still under unanimity voting • Employment issues still under unanimity voting • Opt-outs and opt-ins still possible • omplex system
The Lisbon Treaty • Specific institutional changes • Commission • One Commissionner /member State for 2009-2014 • From 1st Nov 2014, 2/3 of Member States (18 for EU27) • European Council • Becomes an institution with a Permanent President (elected for a 2.5 year mandate, renewable once) • Council of Ministers • From 1st Nov 2014, the qualified majority voting becomes 55% of Council members representing 65% of the Union‘s population • Meets in public „when it deliberates & votes on a draft legislative act“ • European Parliament • Elects the Commission president by majority vote upon proposal from the Council voting by qualified majority (till now it can only approve). • 751 members from 2009-2014 (785 to date) • Co-decision becomes the „ordinary legislative procedure“ • Decision-making instruments are simplified