European Union History and Policies Quiz

Acquis Communautaire

• The body of EU laws and obligations that member and candidate states must adopt and implement.
• It encompasses policies, rights, and legislative acts binding all EU members, ensuring unity and cooperation.

Anschluss

• The annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938.
• This violated the Treaty of Versailles and heightened international tensions.
• A significant step in the lead-up to World War II.

Balance of Power

• A strategy in international relations aiming to prevent any single nation from dominating.
• Involves alliances and policies designed to maintain equilibrium among states.

Berlin Blockade

• A Soviet blockade of West Berlin (1948-1949).
• Counteracted by the Allied Berlin Airlift.
• Marked a major Cold War confrontation, highlighting East-West divisions.

Berlin Wall

• A Cold War-era barrier separating East and West Berlin.
• Symbolized ideological separation.
• Its fall in 1989 was a pivotal moment in the end of communist rule in Eastern Europe.

Charter of Fundamental Rights

• A document guaranteeing rights like dignity, equality, and justice within the EU.
• Serves as a cornerstone for protecting human rights across all member states.

Citizens' Initiative

• An EU tool allowing citizens to propose legislation with signatures from one million citizens.
• It strengthens participatory democracy by giving individuals a direct voice in policymaking.

Co-decision

• An EU legislative process requiring joint agreement between Parliament and the Council.
• Ensures balanced decision-making and collaboration among key EU institutions.

Cohesion Policy

• EU funding aimed at reducing regional disparities and fostering development.
• Supports economic growth and social integration in less developed areas.

Cold War

• A geopolitical rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union (1947-1991), with global implications.
• Shaped international relations and led to numerous proxy conflicts.

Colonialism

• The control and exploitation of territories by powerful nations, often causing long-term inequalities.
• Left a legacy of economic dependence and cultural disruption in many colonized regions.

Comecon

• A Soviet-led economic alliance for integrating communist bloc economies (1949-1991).
• Established as a counterbalance to the Western economic organizations.

Common Foreign and Security Policy

• An EU framework for coordinating member states' foreign and security actions.
• Aims to present a unified stance in international affairs, respecting national sovereignty.

Copenhagen Criteria

• Conditions requiring democracy, a market economy, and EU law adoption for membership.
• Ensure new members uphold the values and standards of the EU.

CoRePer

• A group of national ambassadors in the EU that prepare and influence decisions made by the Council.
• Helps negotiate and finalize agreements before the ministers meet.

Customs Union

• An agreement removing tariffs within a group and establishing a shared external tariff.
• Facilitates seamless trade among members while maintaining uniformity in external trade policies.

Democratic Deficit

• A critique of limited citizen influence and accountability within EU institutions.
• Highlights concerns over transparency and the gap between decision-makers and the electorate.

Deterrence Diplomacy

• A strategy used to avoid conflict by demonstrating the ability to strike back if attacked.
• Works by convincing potential attackers that any aggression would have serious consequences.

Euroscepticism

• A political view that disagrees with certain EU policies.
• From resisting closer unity to wanting to leave the EU entirely.
• Concerns often involve losing national control, economic independence, or cultural traditions.

Eurozone

• EU countries that use the euro as their common currency.
• Represents a significant step in European economic integration and monetary policy coordination.

Federalism

• A governance system dividing power between central and regional authorities.
• Debated in the EU context.
• Balances local autonomy with centralized decision-making for collective goals.

German Reunification

• The 1990 unification of East and West Germany after the Cold War.
• Symbolized the end of European division and sparked challenges in merging two distinct systems.

Great Depression

• A global economic crisis (1929) leading to mass unemployment and political instability.
• Reshaped financial systems and spurred significant social and political changes.

High Representative for Foreign Affairs

• The EU diplomat coordinating foreign and security policies internationally.
• Strengthens the EU's ability to act cohesively on the global stage.

Intergovernmentalism

• A belief that national governments should have more control in EU decisions instead of EU-wide institutions.
• Focuses on protecting each country's independence while allowing for cooperation.

Iron Curtain

• A term for the Cold War divide between Eastern communism and Western democracy.
• Symbolized the ideological and physical barriers separating two world orders.

Justice and Home Affairs

• EU policy on justice, policing, asylum, and immigration for collective security.
• Seeks to harmonize member states' efforts to address cross-border challenges.

Lisbon Strategy

• An EU plan (2000) to make Europe a leading knowledge economy by 2010, later replaced by Europe 2020.
• Aimed at fostering innovation, sustainability, and economic growth.

Monroe Doctrine

• A US policy opposing European interference in the Americas.
• Shaped transatlantic relations.
• Became a cornerstone of US foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere.

Motion of Censure

• A European Parliament process to dismiss the European Commission with a two-thirds vote.
• A critical tool for ensuring accountability and institutional oversight.

National Sovereignty

• The principle of self-governance without external influence.
• Often clashes with efforts to centralize authority at the supranational level.

Neighbourhood Policy

• An EU initiative fostering stability and development in neighboring regions.
• Promotes partnerships in areas like trade, security, and governance.

Neutral State

• A country avoiding military alliances and conflicts.
• Like Switzerland.
• Focuses on diplomacy and often hosts international negotiations.

New Deal

• US economic reforms during the Great Depression.
• Influenced European welfare policies.
• Introduced measures to combat unemployment and stabilize the economy.

Non-Aligned Movement

• Countries remaining neutral during the Cold War.
• Impacted global diplomacy.
• Sought to resist superpower pressures and promote independent policies.

Ombudsman

• An EU office that looks into complaints about poor administration or unfair practices within EU institutions.
• Helps citizens resolve issues and ensures accountability in EU operations.

Opt-out

• A mechanism allowing EU states to exclude themselves from specific policies or agreements to ensure flexibility.

Plebiscite

• A direct vote on major issues like sovereignty or territorial changes.
• Allows citizens to participate directly in critical decisions shaping their nation.

Qualified Majority Voting

• An EU voting system where the influence of each country depends on its population size.
• Ensures that decisions consider both the number of countries and their populations.

Ratification

• Formal national approval required for treaties, like those in the EU.
• Ensures democratic endorsement and legal validity of international agreements.

Risorgimento

• Italy's 19th-century movement to unify its fragmented states into a single nation.
• Driven by nationalism and efforts to create a cohesive identity.

Self-determination

• The right of peoples to choose their governance and political status.
• This principle underpins struggles for independence and autonomy worldwide.

Separation of Powers

• Dividing governance among legislative, executive, and judicial branches to prevent abuse.
• Ensures checks and balances within a democratic system.

Social Contract

• The philosophical idea of governance based on mutual agreement for protection and order.
• Underlines modern concepts of democracy and the rule of law.

Structural Funds

• EU funds supporting development in less-advantaged regions to reduce disparities.
• Focus on areas like infrastructure, employment, and innovation.

Subsidiarity

• An EU principle advocating decision-making at the most local effective level.
• Aims to bring governance closer to citizens while maintaining efficiency.

Supranationalism

• Giving some powers to an organization above individual countries.
• Important for EU integration.
• Helps countries work together but can cause worries about losing national independence.

Truman Doctrine

• A US policy to contain communism, influencing Cold War geopolitics.
• Marked a shift toward active US involvement in global affairs.

Warsaw Pact

• A Cold War-era military alliance of communist states opposing NATO (1955-1991).
• Coordinated defense among Soviet bloc nations during the ideological divide.

Zollverein

• A 19th-century German customs union that paved the way for economic integration.
• Eliminated internal tariffs and set a foundation for unifying Germany.