Flashcards on Empowerment of the European Parliament
Empowerment of the European Parliament: A Deep Dive
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European Parliament Institutional Development
65 cards
Card 1
Question: Why did some member states and the European Parliament argue for giving more legislative powers to the EP after the shift from unanimity to QMV?
Answer: Because the shift transferred power from domestic parliaments to national executives, creating a loss of parliamentary legitimacy that should be compe
Card 2
Question: What compromise regarding EP powers was reached in the Single European Act (SEA)?
Answer: The EP gained the right to introduce amendments to the Commission’s proposals but did not receive full veto powers; the cooperation procedure was intr
Card 3
Question: What formal name and new assent-related power did the SEA grant the Parliament?
Answer: The SEA made the name 'European Parliament' official and gave the EP the assent procedure—the right to veto accession of new member states and ratific
Card 4
Question: How did some MEPs try to expand the EP's use of the SEA reforms beyond what treaties provided?
Answer: British Conservative Sir Christopher Prout rewrote the Rules of Procedure so Parliament could exploit and magnify the SEA reforms.
Card 5
Question: Why were national governments and the Commission reluctant to adopt the EP’s post-SEA treaty reform proposals?
Answer: They had little interest in modifying the treaties so soon after implementing the SEA.
Card 6
Question: How did the planned Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on EMU and political union provide an opportunity for the EP?
Answer: The EP used the IGC to raise issues for further political integration and reforms to strengthen the EC’s democratic character, leveraging the debate t
Card 7
Question: What were the main proposals of the Martin Reports prepared by the EP?
Answer: They sought to increase EP powers through a new co-decision procedure, involvement in appointing the Commission, wider EC competences, and extension o
Card 8
Question: How did the EP influence the outcomes of the IGC despite not participating directly?
Answer: It set the agenda and gained support from national parliaments, including organizing a Conference of Parliaments (‘Assizes’) in Rome that declared sup
Card 9
Question: What was the outcome of the EP’s demands at the Rome 'Assizes' in November 1990?
Answer: The declaration from the Conference of Parliaments supported the EP’s main demands, many of which were incorporated into the Treaty of Maastricht.
Card 10
Question: What major change to the European Parliament’s legislative powers was introduced by the Treaty of Maastricht (entered into force 1993)?
Answer: It introduced the first version of the co-decision procedure, giving Parliament the chance to reject legislative proposals and nearly full veto power