Section g Test (Time limit – 45 minutes)

Task 1. Read the text and fill in the gaps with the words from the box below:

Model: 1 - d

a) subsidiarity	e) augmented	i) union	m) agreed	r) negotiation
b) monetary	f) establish	j) changes	n) covering
c) security policy	g) reform	k) strategy	o) protection
d) sets out	h) the law	l) concept	p) achieved

The Treaty of Rome ___(1) sets out ____ the Community’s objectives, which are to ____(2)____ a common internal market and closer ____(3)____ between peoples of Europe. These objectives have been confirmed and ____(4)____ by the Single European Act and the Treaty on European Union, which was ____(5)____ by the European Council at Maastricht. The Maastricht Treaty comprises ____(6)____ to the Treaty of Rome and other new commitments. The Maastricht Treaty was the result of a year’s ____(7)____ within two parallel intergovernmental conferences on political union and ____(8)____ union. The Treaty creates the European Union ____(9)____ the Community’s existing and increasing responsibilities and has several new features. The Treaty introduces the ____(10)____ of Union citizenship, provides some measures of institutional ____(11)_____, and strengthens control of the Community’s finances. The Treaty provides for the establishment of a common foreign and ____(12)____ and for greater cooperation on issues concerned with justice and ____(13)_____. The Treaty extends constrained Community competence to certain defined areas of policy relating to regional _____(14)____, consumer ____(15)____, educational and vocational training. The Treaty embodies the principle of ____(16)____, under which action is taken at Community level only if its objectives cannot be sufficiently ____(17)____ by the member states alone. The social provision chapter of the Treaty of Rome remains unchanged and continues to provide the basis of Community action in social affairs.

Task 2. Match the term in line A with their definition in line B.

A	B
18. COREPER	a) Membership on basis of size of country – is consulted by Commission and Council prior to some legislation on social or economic policy – can give opinions on own initiative or where asked for.
19. The Court of Auditors	b) Investigates complaints of maladministration.
20. The Economic and Social Committee	c) Permanent staff to support individual Ministers prior to meetings of Council.
21. The Committee of the Regions	d) An independent body to oversee European Monetary Union (EMU) – controls money supply and monitors pricing trends.
22. European Central Bank	e) Checks that EU funds are properly used – has member from each State.
23. European Investment Bank	f) Membership as for Social and Economic Committee but represents local or regional government – consulted on local or regional issues.
24. European Ombudsman	g) Invests in projects that support small businesses.

Task 3. Read the situations (25 – 37) and choose the right answer.

25. Which Treaty created the European Economic Community?

(a) The European Coal and Steel Community Treaty

(b) The Treaty of Rome

(c) The Single European Act

(d) The European Convention on Human Rights

26. How would you describe the structure of the European Union, as set up by the Treaty on European Union 1992?

(a) A structure incorporating national parliaments

(b) A two-pillar structure

(c) A three-pillar structure

(d) A structure incorporating the European Court of Human Rights

27. What is meant by “subsidiarity”?

(a) Decisions or action taken at Community level

(b) Decisions or action taken at national level

(c) The relationship between national law and Community law

(d) Where decisions or action are taken at Community level, rather than at national, regional, or local level, this must be justified

28. What is the composition of the Council?

(a) Representatives elected by the citizens of the Union

(b) Representatives elected by the European Parliament

(c) Ministers of the Member States

(d) Individuals appointed by the European Commission

29. How does qualified majority voting currently operate?

(a) Any one Member State can veto a legislative proposal

(b) Legislation cannot be adopted without the agreement of at least 80% of the Member States

(c) As a system of weighted votes

(d) Unanimity is required for all legislation save for legislation concerning the internal market

30. What is the composition of the European Commission?

(a) Representatives of Member State governments

(b) Individuals who are directly elected by the citizens of the Union

(c) Individuals who are nominated by the President of the Commission and Member States and approved by Member States and the European Parliament

(d) Individuals appointed by the European Court of Justice

31. Which of the following statements correctly describes a key feature of a directive?

(a) A directive must be implemented by Member States

(b) A directive must be implemented by the European Parliament

(c) A directive has retrospective effect

(d) A directive is binding on the governments of third countries

32. Name one of the general principles of Community law:

(a) Intergovernmentalism

(b) Primary legislation

(c) Proportionality

(d) Qualified majority voting

33. The highest form of law from the EU is:

(a) A Treaty Article

(b) A Regulation

(c) A Directive

(d) A Decision

34. A Directive can be defined as:

(a) A law that is binding in its entirety upon those to whom it is addressed.

(b) A law that is binding, as to the result to be achieved, upon each Member State to which it is addressed, but shall leave to the national authorities the choice of form and methods.

(c) A law that has general application and is binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

(d) An instruction from the European Court of Justice as to how a law must be interpreted and given effect in a judgment.

35. The European Economic Community was changed to the European Union in which treaty?

(a) The Treaty of Maastricht

(b) The Treaty of Amsterdam

(c) The Treaty of Nice

(d) The Lisbon Treaty

36. Which of the following was NOT one of the aims of the original EC Treaty?

(a) The development of a customs union.

(b) The removal of domestic taxation.

(c) The establishment of a common market.

(d) The development of an effective competition policy.

37. Citizenship of the EU, developed through the Treaty of Maastricht, provided rights of citizens in the Union. However, which of the following is NOT such a right?

(a) Equal rights for people throughout the EU.

(b) Civil rights.

(c) A right to participate in the political affairs of the EU.

(d) The unquestionable right to freely reside in any Member State without contributing to society.

Task 4. Fill in the gaps choosing the correct word. Only one word is correct.

38. The idea of European unity ______ on a very noble principle.

A was based

B are based

C based

39. The EU ________ in 1992 by the Treaty on European Union.

A is created

B created

C was created

40. _________ is on a simple majority basis.

A Voting

B Vote

C Being voted

41. If the meeting is focused upon environmental law, the environmental minister from each member state ________ attend it.

A would

B will

C would have

42. The President ______ be approved as part of the whole Commission by Parliament.

A can

B may

C must

43. The general principles of law ______ as binding on the institutions, the Member States, and indeed individual citizens.

A has been recognized

B have been recognized

C have recognized

44. Article 39 EC. “Freedom of movement for workers shall _______ within the Community.

A be secured

B secured

C securing

45. The “bodies” of the EU are other organs _______ decisions are not generally binding.

A whose

B which

C that

46. If a proposal can be agreed upon by COREPER before the Council meeting then it _______ without need for lengthy discussion.

A would be accepted

B will accept

C will be accepted

47. From the outset the aim was to develop the EC _______ political union.

A at

B into

C to

48. Initially, the EU consisted of just six countries: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, _______ Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

A the

B -

C a

49. European Union accounts for 27,5% of world production, which is _________ more than the USA.

A a little

B few

C a few

50. The Treaty creates the EU _______ the Community’s existing and increasing responsibility and has several new features.

A to cover

B covering

C cover