Interrogation theories of European Union provides explanations of the different stages and patters of development. The aim of the different stages and patterns of development. The aim of European Union to achieve intergovermentlism by peaceful means. Intergovermentalism decisions requires an agreement of all the parties acting together as one and are rarely enforceable and if son then only between the agreed states, not the citizens of the states. The independent nation are the states that come together but does not give up sovereignty.
Suprantionalism are the independent/autonomous bodies, and they make decisions at higher level. The decisions can override national rules and bring together member states that have seeded up sovereignty.
Functionalism theory of interrogation had a spill over effect- the spill over is the interconnection of various economic sectors or issue- areas, and the integration of one policy- are spilling over the others. Integrating one sector that focuses on individual areas of the economy encourages other sectors integration. However, Federalism is the creation of a single supranational body that would take control over the functions of the other individual member states. Moreover, it controls activities of the member states from the center such as the defense and tax policies. Adding on, negative integration eliminates the laws of the member states which is in opposition to its suctioning.
It is believed that second world war is the main reason which had set in motion the events which is known as the European Union today After the world war 2, the economic condition of Europe was extremely bad and the people of Europe were anxious to build a peaceful and stable future.
In 1946, the british prime minister Winston Churchill speaking in Zurich called for united states of Europe with the partnership between France and Germany as a first stem. In this he had two theories of interrogation. Federalists and Intergovermentalistis and can be clearly said that the original aim was to tie all the EU countries together by forming close industrial and economical cooperation. Although he stated that this was being done to bring back the joys and hopes of making life worth living.
In 1947 the Benelux countries established free trade area and a customs union among themselves. In the same year another similar theory to European co-operation was provided by the United State Sectary of State George Marshall. He has provided financial aid to European Countries on sole condition that they will work together for the relief of poverty and economic reconstruction. 16 countries had accepted this offer and in order to administer this aid, the origination of European Economic co-operation (OEEC) was set up in the year 1948.
In 1949, the National Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO was formed when ten European countries including Canada and United States signed a treaty in Washington, United States. According to this treaty all members of state were bound to protect any member States against attack and was seen as early forms of modern co0operation in Europe. Moreover, in the same year, council of Europe Organized intergovernmentalist organization. Under this Convection of European Human Rights was adopted. The council of Europe was set up under the Treaty of London in Great Britain by 10 European Countries. At the moment there are 47 European countries of Europe. Although performing very well in the area of Human Rights, the Council of Europe is said to have fell short of what many felt was needed to stabilize inter-state relationship and ensure the economic regeneration. This origination was totally different from the later European union.
In 1950, French Foreign Minister Schulman proposed integrating the coal and steel industries of Europe as means of stabilizing relationship between the two countries. An invitation to participate in this steel and coal industry was offered and this had led to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).
The treat was signed in 1951, in Paris to give effect to the ECSC between the original six countries, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, West Germany and Italy. During this period Uk was also emphasized to sign the Treaty but UK did not agree as it did not identify itself as a European Country and declared that they are well able to stand in int own two feet. This was seen as UK’s link with both Commonwealth States and United States. Moreover, the ECSC was seen as being a way of promoting Co-operation between countries and as means of collecting raw materials for was from the Member States in order to establish a common market in coal and steel and to get control in all investments in those areas.
In 1952 the European Defense Community (EDC) Treaty was signed by the original six countries. Later in 1954, France does not succeed requesting to attenuate the supernational characters of the European Defense Community (EDC) and therefore rejects the idea of European Defense community (EDC) and also EPC treaties which then leeds to the agreement of Federal Republic of Germany into NATO and the Western European Union (WEU) was formed. After the formation the UK agreed to maintain forces in Germany.
In 1955, Rene Mayer was elected as the president of ECSC high authority and int he same year the Benelux memorandum proposed a Treaty giving collaboration in fields of transport, energy, atomic energy and creation of a common market. The foreign ministers of the original six countries met in an intergovernmental conference in Mesina, to consider Benelux memorandum and to work out the Treaties and to sort out all the problems. This was practiced through the functionalist theory of integration which is six countries over one. Moreover the council of Europe adopted the blue flag with 12 gold stars as their emblem.
In 1957 the Treaty of Rome was signed, which then established the treaties of the European Economic Community (EEC) and European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) in January 1958 by the same original six countries.
Article 2 and 3 of the Treaty of European Economic Community (EEC) created the proposed common market. The market was founded on the four famous freedoms. Free movement of persons, services, goods and capital. THe institution is based on triangular balance of the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament. All three of which have been called to work together. It also created the Court of Justice to enforce the law according to the Treaty.
The second Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy community (EURATOM), was similar to ECSE, creating a common market in coal, steel and atomic energy, etc. In other words, it was intended to promote the operation in generation and distribution of nuclear energy. The treaty took a functionalist approach as well as a neo-functionalist approach by not taking any one but all six countries as one economic unit and people, services and good could move within the 6 countries.
In 1960, European Free Trade Area (EFTA) was established including UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Portugal and Switzerland. In 1961, UK applies to join the European Communities but the application was rejected by the French president. The main reason behind this was UK’s good relationship with Americans which French were not fond of. As per the theory of intergovernmentelism and system of unanimous voting, it is likely to be said that the reason for the rejection of the Treaty was due to French using veto powers.
Later in 1967, UK made a second application to join the European Community and this was again rejected by the French president.
In 1967, the merger treaty came into force for the first time which amended the Treaties of Paris and Rome. The main purpose behind this was to bring the institutions of the EEC, ECSC and EURATOM, together creating a common Council of Ministers and council which is formally known as the High Authority and the European Parliament, formally the assembly and the ECJ. (full forms of EEC, ESCS...)
After two rejection of the application to join the European community, finally after the change of the British and French presidents, UK, Ireland and Denmark joined the community in 1973. In 1981, Greece also became the member of the European Community.
After the success of EEC and ECSC many countries were interested in becoming the member of EEC. By 1986, there were 12 member states which included United Kingdom, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Spain and Portugal. Therefore reform was required and as a result the Single European Act 1986 was signed by the EU governments. Prime move to super-nationalism, after 21 years of intergovermentalism.
The aim behind this Treaty was mainly to speed up the European integration and it did bring some changes to the Merger Treaty which included; placing the European Council on formal footing, creation of court of first instance in order to assist the ECJ, providing European Parliament with greater legislative powers and political co-operation in foreign policy and security fields. However, the critics argued that the Treaty is vague and ambiguous. At the same time the supporters of the Treaty claims that the Treaty did bring renewed momentum to plans of economic integration of Europe.
The Treaty of European Union was known as the “Maastricht Treaty” of 1992, which introduced the changes to the EEC. The most important change was establishing of the European Union. It established mainly “three pillars”. The structure of the Union with European Communities and two, “intergovernmental” pillars, and renaming the EEC to European Community (EC). The treaty institutionalized cooperation in fields of foreign policy, defense, police and justice together under one, the European Union. Not only these but the the Treaty also created economic and monetary union adding more community policies such as education , culture, etc. This treaty also have also set up a new timetable for European currency and the Whole of European Union adopted Euro as their currency.
In 1997, Treaty of Amsterdam was signed by the member states and further changes came into action. The Treaty of Amsterdam increased the powers of the Union by introducing new policies such as the Community employment policy in order to transfer some of the areas to the Community which were previously subject the intergovermental cooperation in the fields of justice and the home affairs, introducing measures to bring the Union closer to the citizens and to enable close cooperation between the Member States and to renumber the articles of the Treaties. The Treaty of Amsterdam was agreed in 1997 but it did not come into force until 1999.
In February 2003 Treaty of Niece entered into force and it filled the blanks that Amsterdam Treaty had left by sorting out the institutional problems linked with the enlargement which was not resolved earlier in 1997. The changes focused on the enlargement and introduced the necessary changes which were required in order to cope with the 2004 enlargement and to prepare for the expansion of the European Union into central of Eastern Europe. Furthermore, In 2005 the Treaty Established a Constitution for the Europe in order to bring it all under one document, which was first rejected in a referendum in France and later in Netherlands.
The latest Treaty was signed in 2007 september, the Treaty was known as the Lisbon Treaty 2007. It made extensive reform. It brought a an end to the European Community, abolished the old European Union structure and made a new allocation of competencies between the European Union and the Member states. Not only this but the Treaty of Lisbon did reform several internal and external policies, in particular, it did enable the institutions to legislate and take measures in new policy areas.
The European Community is to be amended and to be re-named as “ The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union” (TFEU) and amends the Treaty of European Union and the “three pillars” to merge into one single “European Union” which will have have significant impact on the Member States sovereignty in the areas which were based on intergovernmental co-operation.
On 1st of December 2009, Treaty of Lisbon finally came into force. This treaty took Europe into the 21st century. Further more, the European Union has gone through significant changes over the last 60 years and did go way beyond the founding fathers dreams of creating a United States of Europe through the theories of integration.
