Define the following terms: Maastricht Agreements

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is The Maastricht Agreements refer to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), commonly known as the Maastricht Treaty, which was signed in Maastricht, the Netherlands, on February 7, 1992. This treaty marked a significant step in the process of European integration by establishing the European Union (EU) and setting the stage for the creation of a single European currency, the euro.

Key aspects of the Maastricht Agreements include:

1. **Three Pillars of the EU**: The treaty established the EU on three pillars: the European Communities, Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), and Justice and Home Affairs (JHA). The first pillar included the European Community (EC), which dealt with economic, social, and environmental policies. The second pillar covered foreign policy and military matters, while the third pillar addressed issues of immigration, asylum, and judicial cooperation in criminal matters.

2. **Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)**: One of the most significant outcomes of the Maastricht Treaty was the creation of the EMU and the introduction of convergence criteria for member states to adopt a single currency, the euro. These criteria included limits on inflation rates, government budget deficits, and public debt levels, as well as the stability of exchange rates and long-term interest rates.

3. **EU Citizenship**: The treaty introduced the concept of EU citizenship, granting citizens of member states the right to move and reside freely within the EU, vote and stand as candidates in local and European Parliament elections in any member state, and enjoy diplomatic protection from any EU country's embassy outside the EU.

4. **Subsidiarity Principle**: The Maastricht Treaty formalized the principle of subsidiarity, which holds that decisions should be taken as closely as possible to the citizen and that the EU should only act when objectives cannot be sufficiently achieved by member states at a national, regional, or local level.

5. **Expansion of EU Competences**: The treaty expanded the competences of the European institutions in various policy areas, including education, culture, public health, and trans-European networks.

6. **Institutional Changes**: The Maastricht Treaty also brought about institutional changes, such as increasing the powers of the European Parliament through the co-decision procedure, which allowed it to legislate jointly with the Council of the European Union.

The Maastricht Treaty came into force on November 1, 1993, and has since been amended by subsequent treaties such as the Treaty of Amsterdam, the Treaty of Nice, and the Treaty of Lisbon. The Maastricht Agreements are considered a cornerstone in the evolution of the European Union, setting the foundation for its current political and economic structure.

Define the Following Terms: Maastricht Agreements