Who Has the Power in the EU Rutgers University谁在欧盟罗格斯大学的权力.pptVIP

Who Has the Power in the EU? Jason M. Barr Department of Economics Rutgers University, Newark March 15, 2004 Outline of Talk EU Government structure EU member and acceding countries Theory of Voting Power Measuring power in the EU EU 15 EU 27 ‘Post-nice’ EU 27 ‘Giscard’ Why Spain and Poland oppose Giscard’s Proposal The EU Government European Parliament MEPs Directly Elected by citizens Legislative Branch EU Council Ministers from member governments Legislative Branch EU Commission Appointed commissioners Agenda Setter EU Council EU’s main decision making body Represents member governments Members are one minister from each member’s national government Rotating presidency every 6 months Most issues passed by qualified majority EU Commission Represents EU as a whole Proposes legislation (sets legislative agenda) and enforces EU laws Currently 20 members, after May 1, 1 one commissioner per country. EU Meetings Highlights Nice Summit, Dec. 2000 Treaty of Nice: voting weights for Council for EU 27 Laeken Summit, Dec. 2001 Launched Constitutional convention for needed institutional reforms Constitutional Convention, July 2003 Created draft for ratification by nations Chaired by Valery Giscard d’Estaing ICG in Brussels, Dec. 2003 Failed to research Constitutional agreement EU Nations Austria Belgium Denmark France Finland Germany Greece Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Portugal Spain Sweden United Kingdom Bulgaria (2007) Cyprus (5/1/04) Czech Rep. (5/1/04) Estonia (5/1/04) Hungary (5/1/04) Latvia (5/1/04) Lithuania (5/1/04) Malta (5/1/04) Poland (5/1/04) Romania (2007) Slovakia (5/1/04) Slovenia (5/1/04) Turkey (na) Research Question How do number of votes per country majority threshold levels preferences affect power of countries within the Council? Theory of Voting Power Views countries as ‘players’ in a cooperative game. Views legislature as a type of abstract system: players form coalitions to pass a bill. Power is a function of a co