Cunoștințele despre UE de care aveți nevoie pentru a promova.

GRATUIT

1

How the Union Was Built

From pooling coal and steel in 1950 to a Union of 27 — the milestones that built Europe.

• Peace through interdependence: the Schuman declaration and the Monnet method
• The founding treaties: Paris (1951), Rome (1957), Maastricht (1992), Lisbon (2009)
• Accession and withdrawal: Art. 49 and Art. 50 TEU

9 May 1950 Treaty of Paris 1951 6 founding members

12 min. de lectură Studiați

GRATUIT

2

The Legal Architecture of the EU

Why EU law is its own legal order — and how it interacts with national law.

• Hierarchy of norms: primary law → general principles → secondary acts
• Five secondary acts: regulation, directive, decision, recommendation, opinion
• Founding principles: direct effect and primacy of EU law

Van Gend en Loos 1963 Costa v ENEL 1964 TEU + TFEU

11 min. de lectură Studiați

GRATUIT

3

Values, Objectives and Fundamental Rights

What the EU is for — Articles 2 and 3 TEU and the Charter.

• The six values of Article 2 TEU (dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, rights)
• Article 7 TEU — the 'nuclear option' against serious breaches
• The Charter of Fundamental Rights, binding since Lisbon

Art. 2 TEU Art. 7 TEU Charter (2009)

10 min. de lectură Studiați

Deblocați

4

The European Parliament

The only EU institution citizens elect directly — now a co-legislator.

• 720 MEPs, organised by political groups, not nationality
• Three powers: legislative, budgetary and supervisory
• Can dismiss the Commission via a motion of censure

720 MEPs Strasbourg + Brussels 5-year term

13 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

5

Two Councils: European Council and Council of the EU

Two very different Councils — don't confuse them.

• European Council = heads of state/government; sets strategic direction
• Council of the EU = ministers in configurations; co-legislator
• Many decisions by qualified majority (QMV)

QMV 55% / 65% Rotating presidency (6 mo.) Art. 15 & 16 TEU

11 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

6

The European Commission

The EU executive — proposes laws, guards the treaties, runs the budget.

• 27 Commissioners (one per state); near-monopoly on legislative initiative
• Four functions: initiative, enforcement, budget, external representation
• Five-year mandate, approved by the Parliament

27 Commissioners von der Leyen II (2024–2029) Berlaymont

11 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

7

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)

The Luxembourg court that keeps EU law uniform.

• Two tiers: the Court of Justice and the General Court
• Five kinds of proceedings, incl. preliminary references and infringements
• Advocates-General deliver independent opinions

Luxembourg Preliminary ref. (Art. 267) Two courts

10 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

8

The Other EU Bodies: ECB, ECA, EESC, CoR, EIB, EEAS, Ombudsman, Euratom

Beyond the big four — the ECB, auditors, advisory and financial bodies.

• Seven formal institutions listed in Article 13 TEU
• ECB runs monetary policy; the Court of Auditors audits the budget
• Advisory (EESC, CoR), finance (EIB), diplomacy (EEAS), the Ombudsman

Art. 13 TEU ECB — Frankfurt EIB — Luxembourg

12 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

9

How EU Law Is Made

The Ordinary Legislative Procedure, step by step.

• Commission proposes; Parliament and Council co-decide as equals
• Up to three readings; trilogues are the silent default
• Special legislative procedures (often unanimity) for sensitive areas

OLP — Art. 294 TFEU Up to 3 readings Trilogues

11 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

10

The EU Budget and the MFF

How the EU raises and spends roughly €170 billion a year.

• About 1% of EU GNI; a 7-year MFF frames the annual budgets
• Funded by 'own resources' (customs, VAT-based, GNI-based)
• NextGenerationEU — the post-pandemic recovery instrument

~1% of GNI MFF 2021–2027 NextGenerationEU

12 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

11

EU Citizenship, Democracy and Languages

What EU citizenship gives you — plus democracy and 24 languages.

• Citizenship is additional to national nationality (move, vote, petition, consular protection)
• Democratic tools: European Citizens' Initiative, subsidiarity check by national parliaments
• 24 official languages; transparency and access to documents

24 official languages ECI (1M signatures) Art. 9–12 TEU

10 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

12

The Internal Market and the Four Freedoms

One area, four freedoms — goods, people, services, capital.

• An area without internal frontiers (Treaty of Rome 1957, completed 1992)
• Free movement of goods, workers (Art. 45), establishment (49), services (56), capital
• Mutual recognition and harmonisation remove barriers

Four freedoms Completed 1992 Art. 26 TFEU

12 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

13

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)

The euro, the ECB and the fiscal rules.

• A single currency and a single monetary policy run by the ECB
• Convergence criteria (Art. 140 TFEU) to join the euro
• Stability and Growth Pact, with the 2024 fiscal-rules reform

20 euro countries ECB — Frankfurt SGP: 3% / 60%

12 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

14

The Big-Ticket Policies: Cohesion, CAP, Environment & Climate

Cohesion, farming and climate — around 70% of the EU budget.

• Cohesion policy reduces regional disparities (structural & investment funds)
• The Common Agricultural Policy supports farming and rural areas
• Environment & climate: the European Green Deal and Fit for 55

~70% of budget Green Deal Fit for 55

11 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

15

The Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ)

Borders, migration, police and judicial cooperation.

• The Schengen Area: free movement inside, external-border control (Frontex)
• The Common European Asylum System (CEAS)
• Police and judicial cooperation (Europol, Eurojust)

Schengen Frontex CEAS

12 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

16

External Relations: CFSP, Trade, Development, Enlargement

The world's largest trading bloc and humanitarian donor abroad.

• CFSP/CSDP run intergovernmentally (unanimity, HR/VP, EEAS)
• Trade is the EU's most centralised external competence
• Development aid, enlargement and sanctions

HR/VP + EEAS Largest trader Unanimity (CFSP)

12 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

17

Reforms, Challenges and Who's In Charge

Where the Union is heading — enlargement, competitiveness, defence.

• Treaty change via Article 48 TEU; the Conference on the Future of Europe
• The Draghi and Letta reports drive the competitiveness agenda
• Enlargement (Ukraine, Moldova, Western Balkans) and the defence push

Art. 48 TEU Draghi Report 2024 Letta Report 2024

10 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

18

EU Agencies, Delegation and Accountability

How specialist EU agencies add expertise without becoming unchecked institutions.

• Decentralised agencies, executive agencies, supervisory authorities and joint undertakings
• Delegation is bounded by founding acts, boards, audit, discharge and judicial review
• Meroni and ESMA explain how technical power can be delegated safely

Art. 13 TEU Meroni 1958 ESMA 2014

10 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

19

Competition Law, State Aid and Merger Control

The referee system behind the internal market: cartels, dominance, state aid and mergers.

• Article 101 covers anti-competitive agreements; Article 102 covers abuse of dominance
• State aid is controlled, not automatically banned
• Merger control prevents structural harm before it happens

Art. 101 TFEU Art. 102 TFEU Reg. 139/2004

11 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

20

The Social Union: Indicators, Work, Health and Skills

The EU social layer: coordination, indicators, rights, health and skills.

• The European Semester links economic, employment and social coordination
• AROPE, the Social Scoreboard and Gini show how social progress is measured
• EU law shapes labour rights, equality, mobility, health resilience and skills

EPSR 2017 AROPE Art. 151-161 TFEU

10 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

21

Green Transition and Industrial Decarbonisation

Climate policy as industrial strategy: ETS, CBAM, energy, transport and clean tech.

• The Climate Law makes 2050 neutrality and the 2030 target legally binding
• Fit for 55 links ETS, effort sharing, renewables, efficiency, land use and transport
• CBAM and clean-industry tools connect climate goals to competitiveness

2030: -55% 2050 neutrality CBAM 2023/956

11 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

22

Digital and Competitive Europe

Digital rules, AI, cyber, chips and finance as one competitiveness agenda.

• DSA governs online intermediary risk; DMA targets gatekeeper market power
• The AI Act uses risk tiers and special rules for general-purpose AI
• Digital Decade, chips, CMU and clean tech connect regulation to scale

DSA DMA AI Act 2024

11 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

23

The EU Civil Service: Staff Regulations, EPSO and Working for Europe

The rulebook you are trying to join: how EU officials are recruited, paid, protected and disciplined.

• Function groups AD, AST and AST/SC; EPSO competitions, reserve lists and 9-month probation
• Obligations: independence, outside activities, whistleblowing (Arts. 11-26a)
• Discipline under Annex IX: IDOC, Disciplinary Board, sanctions up to removal from post

Staff Regulations 1962 EPSO since 2003 9-month probation

14 min. de lectură Deblocați

Deblocați

24

Current Affairs 2025–2026: Defence, the Next Budget and the Union's Agenda

Defence, the next trillion-euro budget and the competitiveness race — the 2025-26 files exams love.

• Readiness 2030: White Paper, ReArm Europe (~EUR 800 bn), SAFE loans (EUR 150 bn), EDIP
• MFF 2028-2034 proposal: ~EUR 2 trillion, partnership plans and a Competitiveness Fund
• Bulgaria joins the euro (2026); Pact applies June 2026; Russian gas ban phased to 2027

SAFE EUR 150 bn MFF ~EUR 2 trillion 21 euro members 2026

15 min. de lectură Deblocați