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The EU - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Comparable with the Middle East as the fall of such regimes had been far more violent and unstable.
  - - - Economies of member countries remain highly disparate.
        
        2019, GDP per capita of Germany was over 5x more than that of Bulgaria.
        
        EU states were severely impacted by the 2008 financial crisis, namely Greece and Italy.
        
        This found themselves in need of bailouts by the EU and IMF, forced to slash public spending and introduce austerity measures.
        
        Some argued this was the fault of the eurozone in the first place when their economies were not convergent of those of wealthier nations.
        
        EU had allowed countries to run up large budget deficits suggesting a lack of budget regulatory discipline which had in part led to the sovereign debt crisis.
      - Wealth inequalities have risen substantially. The EU could be seen to have done very little to enable a fairer distribution of wealth.
        
        More unequal than the income distribution of the average developed country, but notably less than the US.
        
        This is not the exclusive responsibility of the EU however as domestic governemnts still play a larger role in economic policy (namely taxation)
      - Smaller businesses have found EU regulations complex and expensive. The need of a single market to have uniform standards for instance product safety can be complex and costly.
  - - - This stoked tensions in countries sssuch as the UK seeing high levels of immigration, especially from Eastern Europe.
        
        Influx of economic migrants, and refugees creates major problems.
        
        Problems of holding them until asylum applications have been completed relies heavily on Greece and Italy.
        
        Willingness to share this has been mixed:
        
        Germany offered asylum to over 1 million
        
        Hungary temporarily closed its border with Croatia.
        
        Many argue that the EU has done little to manage this.
        
        Some argue that this calls for more power to be given to Brussels to override wishes and poltical priorities of individuals states.
        
        Others argue it reveals why countries sneed to retain some control over their own bordered and asylum policies.
    - - Enhanced protection of workers (Working Time Derivative 2003)
  - - - Adoption of a flag and anthem, creation of a European Council president, and a common passport format all suggest growing unity.
    - - Many poorer countries feel dictated to by EU Institutions while richer countries balked at the ide Alf taking on a ny debt if nations, lacking adequate fiscal discipline.
    - - Lack of coordinated response saw temporary reimposition of internal border controls, different approaches to lockdowns and disputes over the sales of PPE.
      - Poor public image of European unity and cohesion.
      - European countries rejected EU officials’ attempts to lift controls on the export of protective medical gear.
        
        Italy complained of less badly affected nations denying help and supplies.
      - However, there was unprecedented intervention by the European Central Bank and a coordinated response from EU leaders. Finance ministers agreed a 500 billion euro rescue package.
        
        Later, the president of the European Commission called for members to back a 750 billion euro recovery plan.
- - - - The President is nominated by the European Council but must be approved by European Parliament.
      - Individual commissioners are nominated by national governments and voted on by the European Parliament.
    - - It proposes new laws- the only EU body which can do this.
      - It manages EU policies and allocates EU funding.
        
        2020 announced a 9% reduction in funding for the Common Agricultural Policy.
      - It enforces EU law and ensures member states comply, alongside the EUCoJ.
      - Represents the EU internationally, including in the negotiation of agreements.
  - - - Effectively membership is decided by national governments.
    - - Comprises 10 sectional councils dealing with a specific policy area (Agriculture and Fisheries).
        
        Negotiates trade deals with non-EU states such as Japan 2019
      - Shares legislative power with the European Parliament and coordinates economic policy across the states.
        
        Negotiates and approves laws proposed by the European Commission regarding policy and directives.
        
        Most decision are agreed through the QMV (qualified majority vote), but in taxation and foreign policy, unanimity is required.
  - - - Oversaw Brexit negotiations, as well as formulating as response to unrest in Ukraine.
  - - - They do not sit as national delegations but in pan-European poltiical groupings such as the Group of Progressife Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.
    - - Cannot propose its own legislation.
    - - Commissioner nominations are occasionally vetoes as happened in 2019 to Romanian nominee, Rovana Plumb, by the parliament’s oversight committee.
      - This concerned irregularities in her wealth declaration form.
  - - - The CoJ deals with requests for preliminary rulings from national courts.
      - The General Court rules on ocassions for annulment. Mainly competition law, state aid, trade, agriculture, and trademarks.
      - Each judge is appointed for a renewable 6 year term by national governments. Judges select a president who serves a renewable 3 year term.
    - - Uphold EU laws, ensuring fair implementation. Many cases are brought to the caught where this has believed to be infringed.
      - Ultimate source of legal authority- decisions cannot be overruled by another EU body or national government.
      - Example: 2020 The General Couirt overturned the Commission’s decision to block the merger of O2 and Three.
- - - - Repeal of the ‘Tampon Tax’ (VAT on women’s sanitary products) floundered due to the EU rules on varying VAT rates.
      - Limits on parliamentary sovereignty were self-imposed following the passing of the European COmmunities Act 1972, then consequently removed by the repeal during Brexit.
    - - Although no crisi in 1975, Brexit vote saw a clear mismatch of opinion. Remain within MPs and a Leave majority in the population.
  - - - The Bank of England would no longer have been able to set its own interest rates.
      - The impact of the Eu on policy is limited in areas outside its direct competences including health and education.