Question/Answer

SUPRANATIONALISM

A supranational union is a type of multi-national organization where negotiated power is delegated to an authority by governments of member states. The concept of supranational union is sometimes used to describe the European Union (EU), as a new type of political entity. The EU is the only entity which provides for international popular elections, going beyond the level of political integration normally afforded by international treaty. The term "supranational" is sometimes used in a loose, undefined sense in other contexts, sometimes as a substitute for international.

A supranational union, because it is an agreement between sovereign states, is based on international treaties. The European treaties in general are different from classical treaties as they are constitutionalizing treaties that is, they provide the basis for a European level of democracy and European rule of law. They have something in the nature of a constitution and like the British constitution, not necessarily a single document. They are based on treaties between its member governments but have normally to undergo a closer democratic scrutiny than other treaties because they are more far-ranging, affecting many areas of citizens' lives and livelihoods. This is why citizens often demand referendums.

Decision-making is partly intergovernmental and partly supranational within the Community areas. The latter provides a higher degree of institutional scrutiny both via the Parliament and through the Consultative Committees. Intergovernmentalism provides for less democratic oversight, especially where the institution such as the Council of Ministers or the European Council takes place behind closed doors, rather than in a parliamentary chamber

A supranational authority can have some independence from member state governments in specific areas, although not as much independence as with a federal government. Supranational institutions, like federal governments, imply the possibility of pursuing agendas in ways that the

delegating states did not initially envision. Democratic supranational Communities, however, are defined by treaty and by law. Their activity is controlled by a Court, democratic institutions and the rule of law.

The union has legal supremacy over its member states (only) to the extent that its member state governments have conferred competences on the union. It is up to the individual governments to assure that they have full democratic backing in each of the member states. The citizens of the member states, though retaining their nationality and national citizenship, additionally become citizens of the union.

The European Union, the only clear example of a supranational union, has a parliament with legislative oversight, elected by its citizens. To this extent, a supranational union like the European Union has characteristics that are not entirely dissimilar to the characteristics of a federal state like the United States of America. However, the differences in scale become apparent if one compares the United States federal budget with the budget of the European Union (which amounts only to about one percent of combined GDP) or the size of the federal civil service of the United States with the Civil Service of the European Union.

What is the European Union?

The European Union is a politico-economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The EU operates through a system of supranational institutions and intergovernmental negotiated decisions by the member states. The institutions are: the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Central Bank, the European Court of Auditors, and the European Parliament. The European Parliament is elected every five years by EU citizens.

The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community, formed by the Inner Six countries in 1951 and 1958 respectively. In the intervening years, the community and its successors have grown in size by the accession of new

member states and by the addition of policy areas. The Maastricht Treaty established the European Union under its current name in 1993 and introduced European Citizenship. The latest major amendments to the constitutional basis of the EU, the Treaty of Lisbon, came into force in 2009.

The EU includes 7.3% of the world’s population, and in 2016 generated a nominal GDP of over 18 trillion dollars, constituting approximately 24% of the global economy. Additionally, 26 out of the 28 EU countries have a very high Human Development Index.

The EU maintains permanent diplomatic missions throughout the world and represents itself at the UN, the WTO, the G*, and the G-20. Because of its global influence, the EU has been described as a current or as a potential superpower. In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

What is BREXIT?

For decades, the United Kingdom has had an ambivalent and sometimes contentious relationship with the European Union. London has keep its distance from Brussels’ authority by negotiating opt-outs from some of the EU’s central policies, including the common euro currency. Even still, the EU’s faltering response to recent crisis has fueled a renewed Euroscepticism. Advocates for a British exit, or Brexit, from the union argues that by reclaiming its national sovereignty, the UK would be able to manage immigration, free itself from onerous regulations, and spark more dynamic growth.

In June 2016 the Leave campaign was successful and won 51.9% of the vote for the UK to leave the EU, therefore setting in motion the steps to be taken for withdrawal from the European Union. With financial markets in tumult and the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron, the UK now faces the possibility of losing preferential access to its leading trading partner. The UK’s situation is unprecedented: no full member of the EU has ever left. Under Article 50 of the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, the UK and Prime Minister Theresa May, have begun negotiating withdrawal, a process that could take two years.

Once negotiations begin, they are extremely complex. The UK will need to determine numerous transitional procedures for disentangling itself from EU regulations, settling the status of the millions of UK citizens residing in the EU, and deciding the future UK-EU security cooperation. The final withdrawal must be approved by a supermajority of EU countries, as well by the European Parliament.

What is the Eurozone?

The Eurozone is a monetary union of 19 of the 28 European Union member states which have adopted the euro as their common currency and sole legal tender. The Eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.

Since the financial crisis of 2007-08, the Eurozone has established and used provisions for granting emergency loans to member states in return for the enactment of economic reforms, The Eurozone has also enacted some limited fiscal integration, for example in peer review of each other’s national budgets.

What is the African Union?

The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of all 55 countries on the African continent. It was established on May 26, 2001 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and launched on July 9, 2002 in South Africa, with the aim of replacing the Organization of African Unity. The most important decisions of the AU are made by the assembly of the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of the heads of state and government of its member states. The AU’s secretariat, the African Union Commission, is based in Addis Ababa.

The African Union is made up of both political and administrative bodies. The highest decision-making organ is the Assembly of the African Union, made up of all heads of state and government of the member states of the AU.

The AU also has a representative body, the Pan Africa Parliament, which consists of 265 members elected by the national legislatures of the AU member states.

The main objectives of the AU are:

1. To achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and Africans.

2. To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of it member states.

3. To accelerate the political and social-economic integration of the continent.

4. To encourage international cooperation, taking due account of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

5. To promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples.

6. To promote peace, security, and stability on the continent. 7. To promote democratic principles and institutions, popular participation

and good governance. 8. To promote and protect human and people’s rights. 9. To establish the necessary conditions which enable the continent to play

its rightful role in the global economy and in international negotiations. 10. To promote sustainable development at the economic, social and cultural

levels as well as the integration of African economies. 11. To promote the co-operation in all fields of human activity to raise the

living standards of African peoples. 12. To coordinate and harmonize the policies between existing and future

Regional Economic Communities form the gradual attainment of the objectives of the Union.

13. To advance the development of the continent by promoting research in all fields, in particular in science and technology.

14. To work with relevant international partners in the eradication of preventable diseases and promotion of good health on the continent.