Chapter 3 Towards European Union

1
Chapter 3 Towards European Union

• Cini (ed.) European Union Politics, 2nd edition
• OUP Online Teaching Resources

2
Structure of the Lecture

• The European Union as a European Union
• Reviewing the Union 1996 IGC and the Treaty of
  Amsterdam
• Preparing for Enlargement the 2000 IGC and the
  Treaty of Nice
• Beyond Nice and the Future of the Union
• Evolution of the European Union

3
The European Union as a European Union

• The Single European Act (SEA)
• Extending the decision making role of the EP
  through introduction of the cooperation procedure
• Extending the use of QMV in the Council
• The Treaty on European Union
• Mix of supranational integration and
  intergovernmental cooperation
• Introduction of three pillars
• Introducing opt-outs from certain policy areas

4
Reviewing the Union 1996 IGC and the Treaty of
Amsterdam

• The Treaty of Amsterdam
• Opening the way for dialogue between the EU and
  its citizens by safeguarding fundamental rights
• The establishment of an area of freedom
  incorporating the Schengen agreement into the
  legal system of the EU (Ireland the UK)
• New principles responsibilities in the field of
  Common Foreign and Security Policy

5
Reviewing the Union 1996 IGC and the Treaty of
Amsterdam

• Introducing a High Representative for EU foreign
  policy
• Increasing the EUs responsibilities for
  peacekeeping humanitarian work
• The reform of the institutions

6
Preparing for Enlargement the 2000 IGC and the
Treaty of Nice

• Enlargement moves centre-stage
• Key objective of the 1996 IGC preparing the EU
  institutionally for enlargement ? failed ? agreed
  to hold an IGC 2000
• The 2000 IGC
• Focusing on Amsterdam leftovers
• The Treaty of Nice
• Paving the way for the enlargement of the EU by
  introducing the institutional reforms

7
Beyond Nice and the Future of the Union

• History of the draft Constitution
• A date set in Nice agreed on the revision of the
  Treaty
• The Laeken Declaration (15 Dec. 2001) adopting
  the declaration on the future of the European
  Union

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Beyond Nice and the Future of the Union

• The Convention formulating a draft Treaty
  establishing a Constitution for Europe (chaired
  by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing)
• The IGC unanimously adopted the text of the
  Constitution at the Brussels European Council of
  17 and 18 June 2004