Deck 15: The Political Economy of the European Union

Question 1

The European Economic and Social Committee is an advisory body whose members represent employees, employers, farmers, trades, and other interests.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

In terms of remedies, the European Commission is limited to imposing fines and supervising conduct.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The Council of Ministers consists of two ministers from each state and the nations have equal voting weight.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The EU's consultation procedure is used for decisions pertaining to the admission of new member states, international agreements, and the structure of the European Central Bank.

Question 5

The antitrust policy is the centerpiece of competition policy, and this section addresses EU antitrust law and its administration.

Question 6

The European Union requires works councils or a consultative process between management and workers, or "social partners" in the terminology of European Union.

Question 7

The policies of the European Union and the United States are very similar on matters pertaining to the protection of personally identifiable information.

Question 8

Before the enactment of the SEA, Council decisions were governed by a unanimity rule.

Question 9

The European Union was established because Europeans recognized the need to fortify country borders and strengthen military bases after World War II.

Question 10

Decisions made by the European Union are legally binding but pertain only to the parties identified in the decision.

Question 11

Merger review by the European Commission is based solely on the extent of inflation.

Question 12

The ordinary legislative procedure of the EU is said to be unicameral, since it only requires the approval of the Council of Ministers.

Question 13

The European Parliament (EP) does not have the power of "democratic supervision."

Question 14

In a corporatist structure, unions and businesses have peak organizations that advise the government and negotiate on policy.

Question 15

The European Union uses the precautionary regulation more readily than the United States.

Question 16

Directives issued by the European Union are legally binding with respect to the result sought, but national governments are responsible for how the result is achieved.

Question 17

In situation where national laws have been harmonized with EU law, EU law takes precedence when a conflict arises.

Question 18

The EU's Common Agricultural Policy provides a vision for the free circulation of labor and the rights to fair wages, improvement of living and working conditions; social security and equal treatment for men and women.

Question 19

State aids are subsidies paid by the European Union to their member states.

Question 20

The biggest advantage of the euro system was that the ECSB could control monetary policy, while the member states controlled their own fiscal policies.

Question 21

Regulations of the European Union are legally binding on the member states and are enforced by the ________.

A) European Commission
B) European Parliament
C) Council of Ministers
D) Court of Justice

Question 22

Council decisions involving foreign and security policy require ________.

A) qualified majority
B) double majority
C) unanimity
D) partial consensus

Question 23

The ________ is the executive and administrative body of the European Union.

A) European Commission
B) European Parliament
C) EU Court of Justice
D) Council of Ministers

Question 24

Before the Council of Ministers considers proposals, the ________ appoints an ad hoc working party composed of government officials from the member states.

A) European Commission
B) Committee of Permanent Representatives
C) Council of Financial Affairs
D) Court of First Instance

Question 25

The EU operates under the principle of ________, which is the intention to accomplish as much as possible at the level of the member states.

A) mutual recognition
B) subsidiarity
C) comitology
D) harmonization

Question 26

The Single European Act increased the political power of the governments of the member states relative to the power of the EU institutions.

Question 27

The European Union took two approaches-harmonization and mutual recognition-to remove internal barriers to trade. Harmonization refers to the ________.

A) formation of a single executive body to maintain the markets of member states
B) development of a single centralized administration
C) development of a common set of policies for all member states
D) synchronization of markets in Eurasia

Question 28

Lobbying is the principal nonmarket strategy for influencing the EU institutions.

Question 29

Under the principle of subsidiarity, the member states are responsible for health care and can institute their own price controls.

Question 30

The ________ applies the law established by the Court of Justice, and its decisions may be appealed to the higher court.

A) Committee of Permanent Representatives
B) European Council
C) Council of Ministers
D) General Court

Question 31

Which of the following is true about the antitrust law of the European Union?

A) The EU law allows defenses, such as economic consequences, not explicitly provided for under United States law.
B) Article 101 of the TFEU deals with unilateral actions.
C) Article 102 of the TFEU refers to group activities that may limit competition or constitute a barrier to trade among member states.
D) The basic antitrust law of the European Union is found in Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act.

Question 32

The adoption of the ________ made human and civil rights enforceable by the European Union.

A) Charter for Fundamental Rights
B) Common Agricultural Policy
C) State Aid Directive
D) Maastricht Treaty

Question 33

The Single European Act mandated the realization of a single market which involved the removal of three types of barriers: physical, technical, and fiscal. The removal of physical barriers pertained to ________.

A) restricting the entry of people
B) eliminating customs and other goods inspections
C) prohibiting individuals from working in any member state
D) deposing dictatorial governments

Question 34

The ________ is an advisory body whose members represent employees, employers, farmers, trades, and other interests.

A) Committee of Permanent Representatives
B) European Economic and Social Committee
C) European Chamber of Commerce
D) Advisory Committee on Restrictive Practices

Question 35

The European Commission is responsible for ________.

A) trade negotiations and managing the EU budget
B) negotiating informal agreements between member states prior to council deliberations
C) appointing ad hoc working parties composed of government officials from the member states
D) hearing cases related to the various treaties of the European Union

Question 36

With the rise in the powers of the EU institutions, the governments of the member
states have ceased to be the focus of nonmarket activity.

Question 37

The ________ is the principal legislative institution of the European Union.

A) European Commission
B) Court of Justice
C) Council of Ministers
D) European Parliament

Question 38

The Single European Act represented a major step toward ________ within the Union.

A) political segregation
B) cultural assimilation
C) ethnic compartmentalization
D) economic integration

Question 39

The ________ has the authority to overturn decisions that conflict with the EU treaties.

A) European Commission
B) Court of Justice
C) Council of Ministers
D) European Parliament

Question 40

The European Commission initiates legislation in the form of drafts that are circulated for comments before the legislative process begins.

Question 41

What do the antitrust laws of the US and EU have in common?

A) Both laws have per se offenses.
B) Both rely frequently upon voluntary approaches to regulation.
C) Neither allows defenses such as economic consequences.
D) Both aim at promoting competition.

Question 42

Describe the EU legislative process. What changes did the Single European Act make to it?

Question 43

Which of the following is true with regard to peak associations?

A) The use peak organizations for political and other nonmarket actions is not customary in Europe.
B) Peak associations play a number of roles, including the monitoring of government activities, the funneling of information and expertise from their members to the government, and lobbying.
C) The role of peak organizations is insignificant at the EU level.
D) Peak organizations do not participate in lobbying.

Question 44

Discuss the Directive on Data Protection at the EU level.

Question 45

In 1995 most EU member states signed the ________, which eliminated border checks so as to allow the free flow of people within the signatory states.

A) Maastricht Treaty
B) Treaty of Lisbon
C) Schengen Agreement
D) Treaty of Rome

Question 46

________ is the principal political activity for implementing both representation and informational strategies in the European Union.

A) Canvassing
B) Lobbying
C) Petitioning
D) Tax resistance

Question 47

Which of the following is true with regard to the EU's Common Agriculture Policy (CAP)?

A) It provided a vision for the free circulation of labor and the rights to fair wages, improvement of living and working conditions.
B) It provided subsidies to farmers totaling €41 billion in 2009.
C) It substantially reduced farming subsidies in 2009 leading to widespread protests.
D) It aimed at limiting competition by proposing internal barriers to trade.

Question 48

Which of the following EU institutions is responsible for reviewing large mergers?

A) the Advisory Committee on Restrictive Practices and Monopolies
B) the European Chamber of Commerce
C) the European Parliament
D) the European Commission

Question 49

Write a short note on the Social Charter and European Labor Markets.

Question 50

Discuss lobbying as a nonmarket strategy in the European Union.

Question 51

The United States more frequently relies on the ________ approach to regulation, as in the case of Internet privacy.

A) command-and-rule
B) voluntary
C) preemptive
D) incentive-based

Question 52

The ________ are a locus of expertise and play important roles in how a member state votes in the Council of Ministers.

A) regional trade associations
B) lobby unions
C) national ministries
D) petition committees

Question 53

The Maastricht Treaty ________.

A) formally recognized the Charter for Fundamental Rights
B) established an independent European Central Bank
C) made human and civil rights enforceable by the European Union
D) addressed several impediments to trade and provided measures to facilitate access to national markets

Question 54

Write a short note on the tasks of the European Commission and the Council of Ministers.

Question 55

To provide a voice to groups that would otherwise be underrepresented, the EU provides funding for ________ to participate in political and policy-making processes.

A) trade unions
B) work councils
C) lobby committees
D) NGOs