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Edexcel Unit 4A EU political issues(6GP04) A2 exam Wed 17th June.

Hi Guys

Anyone doing the Unit 4 exam for the EU?

Thought I'd start a thread as I don't see many of us out there. Discuss what you need, share essays and predict if you want!

All I can say is, good luck!

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Reply 1

Riken09

Very few people do this unit :/

I'd say theres going to be something on the UK staying in or out. So make a case for and against UK member of the EU :P

Reply 2

The Marshall

Original post by Riken09

Very few people do this unit :/

I'd say theres going to be something on the UK staying in or out. So make a case for and against UK member of the EU :P

Wow, we're actually a small miniorty? Its such a shame, with what has happened over the 2015 elections, Nigel Farage's wins in the 2014 european elections.

Well, no wonder the EU is not the most popular subject.

Still, I'll post a couple of essays I've written, and everyone else can share their ideas and so and so forth.

How significant is the Council of the EU?

The Council of the EU is a principal legislative body that passes EU law jointly with the European Parliament. For example in 2008 it made the final decision when the European Parliament voted on a law in equal pay. In respect the European Parliament powers were restricted during this final stage of decision making process, which allowed the Council to make the final call on the law, and the EP was determined to an advisory function, but could also have its say as well, though in limited terms. Therefore the Council was significant as it was able to pass the decision after reviewing both sides from the Commission and the European Parliament.

The Council of the EU has become especially significant with the Latvian Presidency taking over in 2015 over the Italian Presidency. For example, the Latvian Presidency is planning talks about the Multi-annual plan to preserve Baltic/Cod stocks relating to the Common Fisheries policy. It will ensure that management of these stocks will be achieved to meet the targets of the CFP. The consequence of this allowed the Council to present it plans to other EU institutions, and has garnered the support of all member states who seek to reform the CFP in one way or the other. It effectively managed to make all member states come to a consensus which is a difficult thing to do in European politics when it comes to tricky areas such as the CFP or the CAP. Therefore the Latvian Presidency which represents the Council outside, is now in charge of the making of internal/external fisheries policy of the EU council, and makes it very significant as it is able to deal in a policy which is very difficult to reform.

The Council of the EU become significant as they approved the budget with ECOFIN and the EP in terms of economic matters. For example, this year the Commission’s proposed 315 bn euro investment is to be invested in infrastructure and development. The spending was significantly less compared to previous budgets, coming to 141.2bn. It also approved measures to prevent tax fraud and tax avoidance. Member states would for tax fraud, have to extend mandatory exchange for information for a longer period.These extra powers heightened the Council’s powers, enabled it to move forward in terms of economic matters, and significantly established the institution to become expectantly reliable on approving budget matters. Therefore where other institutions are unable to exert their power on such as the EU budget, The Council is able to do with the help of ECOFIN, a primary sub-group within the Council that enables it to become very significant as it deals with the economic matters of the EU, especially after damaging effects of the eurozone crisis.

Reply 3

The Marshall

The European Court of Justice is far too powerful, discuss.
The European Court of Justice interprets EU law to make sure it is applied in all EU member states. There have been accusations by eurosceptics who argue that this is too federal, and tries to impede on national sovereignty of member states. However, it settles disputes between EU government and EU institutions, and companies and businesses bring their cases to the court if it feels being infringed by EU institutions.
The European Court of Justice is powerful as it is able to force countries who fail to abide by European law and obligation. The Commission can start procedures if it believes member states are not fulfilling obligations under EU law. For example, it declared in 2006/12 that public liability companies in Italy under gambling licenses, were not exempt from EU law, and concluded that it was incompatible with EU law. This had two consequences, that Italy changed its laws to make sure it was compatible with EU law, and that it enforced the ECJ’s powers of being able to step in if a member state is found to be at fault, or if the country refuses to oblige by EU law, it can impose fines on them. This is an something that Eurosceptics oppose too, accusing it of being too federal, and overriding over national sovereignty in the case of fines.
The European Court of Justice is accused of being too powerful from Eurosceptics and national supreme courts around the EU. For example, many heads of the UK Supreme Court have insisted it is too dominating, over-riding national sovereignty and forcing member states to bow down to the pressure of the EU. Eurosceptics like Nigel Farage cling onto this argument who also stated that ‘75% of our laws’ are made in Brussels. There was a case in which the ECJ denied the Spanish Supreme Court to make laws over its interest/tax rates in 2014. By denying national supreme courts to make their own laws that do not comply with EU law, it is effectively enforcing that EU law should be implemented first. Another interpretation can be made that the ECJ is simply a high court that is meant to replace all other national supreme courts and becoming more federalist. Therefore the argument that the ECJ is too powerful can be considered, and the criticism behind it are also valid in some respects.
The European Court of Justice is powerful as it is higher than the House of Lords/Supreme Court in the UK. It is has effectively rendered Parliamentary Sovereignty meaningless. The majority of laws would be then made in Brussels rather than London, as it has to abide by EU law which overwrites national law. For example, in a court ruling in December 2014, depending on Migrants being denied the right to take their relatives to the UK without having a visa, it denied Cameron’s Government to impose this restriction. Effectively it had denied the UK to prevent measures on families entering the UK without a visa. This was a humiliating bow to the Cameron who had wanted stricter EU migration control, and the ECJ splattered his so called ‘shake up’ plan of the migration system with the ruling of this case. Therefore the ECJ made Parliamentary Sovereignty oblivious and was able to impose its own ruling depending on the migration case.

Reply 4

The Marshall

Any predictions on this exam?

Reply 5

Riken09

"Nigel Farage wins in the European Election" Meh :/ he got 27% of the vote with 34% turnout :P thats about 9% that voted for him in the UK, not really a win

Reply 6

The Marshall

Original post by Riken09

"Nigel Farage wins in the European Election" Meh :/ he got 27% of the vote with 34% turnout :P thats about 9% that voted for him in the UK, not really a win

The significance was not the winning factor, it gave him unprecedented coverage following up to the UK general election. This was the breakthrough that allowed UKIP to rise in popularity, otherwise it wasn't considered for much except for wanting a referendum on the EU.

Reply 7

Riken09

Ah ok fair enough

:/ This paper is gonna go badly for me...

Reply 8

hellolollol

I'm sitting this exam!
Can someone explain to me the different social models please. I only know the anglo-saxon model and I don't seem to have ANY notes on any of the models

Reply 9

Riken09

Original post by hellolollol

I'm sitting this exam!
Can someone explain to me the different social models please. I only know the anglo-saxon model and I don't seem to have ANY notes on any of the models

There you go :P

The Social Models and Policy.docx16.4KB

Reply 10

hellolollol

oh my god you gem thank you hope u get full marks <33

Original post by Riken09

There you go :P

Reply 11

Riken09

Original post by hellolollol

oh my god you gem thank you hope u get full marks <33

I hope so as well

Have fun learning it, although I doubt it'll come up too much

Reply 12

hellolollol

Original post by Riken09

I hope so as well

Have fun learning it, although I doubt it'll come up too much

would you say the CAP is likely to come up?

Reply 13

NaomiA

Does anyone have a copy of the 2014 paper or know what the questions were?

Reply 14

studentcgm

Original post by NaomiA

Does anyone have a copy of the 2014 paper or know what the questions were?

mark scheme and question paper :smile:

http://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/Government%20and%20Politics/2013/Exam%20materials/Mark-scheme-Unit-4A-(6GP04)-June-2014.pdf
http://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/Government%20and%20Politics/2013/Exam%20materials/Question-paper-Unit-4A-(6GP04)-June-2014.pdf

Reply 15

doxxo

What is everyone predicting????? i really struggle with this unit as our 2 teachers frankly don't care as they are both retiring so we had to teach ourselves and its been tough!

Reply 16

studentcgm

Hi does anyone have any essays notes anything at all that could be of help? I'm especially worried for integration questions and supranational, federalism and all of that topic, I don't really know what its on about...
A little late to start complaining about teachers but yeah I'd say we've written a grand total of two essays the whole year

good luck to everyone :smile:

Reply 17

doxxo

Original post by studentcgm

OMG SAME! my teachers did not give a crap! they just sent us work to do online. Ill send you the powerpoint on integration that we were given and hopefully that will help. What are your predictions for this exam?

Reply 18

doxxo

Original post by studentcgm

this is it, its a bit poop but its all we were given

final revision session on integration.pptx341.6KB

Reply 19

studentcgm

Original post by doxxo

this is it, its a bit poop but its all we were given

nope its great!! thank you so much, this is more than anything we've ever looked at in class sadly enough :P
I honestly can't say but i don't think a common fisheries 45mrks has come up yet so I'd definitely have a look at domestic policy and plan a few of those, also because domestic policy didn't come up as a 45mrks last year