CAST FGIV – June 2022

1. What is the difference between A-points and B-points in the Council?

A points = No discussion / B-points = discussion

Council negotiates, adopts, adapts EU legislation and coordinates policies. In most

cases, Council decides together with EP through OLP/codecision (= policy areas with
exclusive/shared competence (~85)). Most EU legal acts in this procedure are adopted
at 1st reading (max. 3 readings.

At each reading the proposal passes through 3 levels at the Council:

− Working party: “preparatory bodies”
− COREPER
− Council configuration

If COREPER can finalise discussions on a proposal, the proposal becomes an 'A' item
on the Council agenda, meaning that the agreement is accepted without debate (2/3 of
the items on the agenda). On the other hand, 'B' section of the Council agenda
includes points:
− Left over from previous Council meetings
− No agreement reached in Coreper/ at working party level
− Too politically sensitive to be settled at a lower level

2. After whom is the Freedom of Thought Prize named?

Sakharov

3. Since when the Sakharov Prize is awarded

1988

4. When was the Freedom of Thought Prize by the EP awarded the first time?
1988

5. How many people lived in the EU on 1 January 2019?

510, UK left officially 31 January 2020.

6. Which countries participate in the Civil Protection Mechanism?

EU 27MS + Iceland, Norway, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, & Turkey (no
Israel)

7. What is ESPAS?
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System

8. Which organization was founded first in the second half of 20th century?
OAU Organisation of African Unity 1963
ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations 1967
 GCC Gulf Cooperation Council 1981
Mercosur 1991
African Union 1999

9. What is true about EU Fundamental Rights?

All MS need to establish an organization (or similar) that checks for discriminations,
conducts surveys and independent reports.

10. Which treaty introduced the principle of subsidiarity?

Treaty of Maastricht

11. What was the target of the 2018 Renewable Energy Directive?
At least 32% renewable energy consumption until 2030

12. How many members does the Eurozone have in 2019?

19

13. What is NOT a right of EU citizens according to … ?

To stand as a candidate for national elections in another MS.

14. Which countries are part of G5 Sahel?

Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad

15. Who leads the Operation Atalanta (formally European Union Naval Force Somalia)?
It is led by the EU, NOT by NATO.

16. What is the objective of the Union?

Art 2(1) TEU: "The Union's aim is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its
peoples."

17. Who was NOT a president of the EP?

Jacques Delors

18. 2020 Eurobarometer polls about climate change

93% climate change is a serious problem; 94% environmental protection is important;
83% EU legislation is necessary to protect the environment.

19. What was the budgetary split of CAP (common agricultural policy) in 2019?
€41m to income support; €14m to rural development; €2.37m to market measure
(enough to remember the relative proportions of the chapters)

20. Which countries are members of MERCOSUR?

Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay. Venezuela, which officially joined 2012, was
suspended from membership in 2017. Associate countries (not members per se):
Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Suriname. New Zealand and
Mexico are observers.
21. Which was not an element of the Juncker plan?
Quantitative easing (QE) is an advanced monetary policy of central banks to
stimulate growth in a stagnant economy by large scale buying of government bonds
and other assets.

22. How many countries participated in the 2002 Euro when the banknotes and coins
changeover took place?
12 EU countries

23. Early Warning System

The Early Warning System (EWS) is an internal information tool that helps the
European Commission and its executive agencies to identify third parties that pose
financial and/or other risks. Part of this tool, a Central Exclusion Database is
accessible by all public authorities that implement EU funds. The database includes all
entities — companies, organisations or natural persons — which have been excluded
from EU funding because they are insolvent, have been convicted of serious
professional misconduct or criminal offence against the EU’s financial interests. Such
a blacklist allows authorities to identify risky entities and take the appropriate
precautionary measures, such as not entering into a contract with a particular service
provider. This helps to ensure the sound financial management of European Union
funds and to prevent fraud.

24. What happens if EP does not consent to an international agreement?

The agreement cannot be adopted.

25. According to Article 5 TEU, what are the key guiding principles of Union
competences? Subsidiarity, conferral and proportionality principles

26. Which one of the following is not among the EU budget principles?
Rebates.
The EU budget obeys the nine general rules of unity, budgetary accuracy, annuality,
equilibrium, unit of account (the euro), universality, specification (each appropriation is
allocated to a particular kind of expenditure), sound financial management and
transparency, pursuant to Articles 6 to 38 of the Regulation on the financial rules
applicable to the general budget of the EU.

27. What is the EU Blue Card?

The EU Blue Card gives highly qualified workers from outside the EU the right to live
and work in an EU country, provided they have higher professional qualifications, such
as a university degree, and an employment contract or a binding job offer with a high
salary compared to the average in the EU country where the job is.

28. What is the New Development Bank?

Multilateral development bank of the BRICS countries.
29. What does JCPoA stand for?
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action aka the Iran Nuclear Deal

30. What is the maximum/minimum number of MEPs per country according to the
Treaties?
96/6

31. What is the Bretton Woods system?

“A multilateral agreement on international cooperation on monetary policy”
The Bretton Woods system of monetary management established the rules for
commercial and financial relations among the United States, Canada, Western
European countries, Australia, and Japan after the 1944 Bretton Woods Agreement.
The Bretton Woods system was the first example of a fully negotiated monetary order
intended to govern monetary relations among independent states. The Bretton Woods
system required countries to guarantee convertibility of their currencies into U.S.
dollars to within 1% of fixed parity rates, with the dollar convertible to gold bullion for
foreign governments and central banks at US$35 per troy ounce of fine gold (or
0.88867 gram fine gold per dollar). It also envisioned greater cooperation among
countries in order to prevent future competitive devaluations, and thus established
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to monitor exchange rates and lend reserve
currencies to nations with balance of payments deficits.[1]

32. In what areas of the Common Commercial Policy (article 207 TFEU) does the EU have
exclusive competence?
Trade in goods and services, and the commercial aspects of intellectual property,
foreign direct investment

33. Who adopts the country-specific recommendations of the European Semester?

The Council

34. What is correct about UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea?
It was signed in 1982 in Montego Bay (Jamaica).

35. If not otherwise established in the Treaties, the European Council decides by?
Unanimity

36. What is true about the Monroe Doctrine of 1823?

The Monroe Doctrine was a United States foreign policy position that opposed
European colonialism in the Western Hemisphere. It held that any intervention in the
political affairs of the Americas by foreign powers was a potentially hostile act against
the U.S.[1 The doctrine was central to U.S. foreign policy for much of the 19th and early
20th centuries.[2]
It aimed to prevent European powers from extending their influence in the Western
hemisphere.
37. Which EU agency responsible for border management received more funding after
2015?
FRONTEX

38. What is true about citizen initiative?

The initiative should be signed by at least 1 mln citizens from at least one quarter of
the MS.

39. What happens after 1 mln citizens from at least ¼ of MS submitted their initiative?
It is submitted to the Commission who should review it within 3 months.

40. Which state does not belong to BRICS?

Indonesia

41. Which of the following organisations deals with the questions of regional development
in Asia?
SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
SADC South African Development Community

42. What is true about Cotonou Agreement?

It covers 79 countries with 48 being in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Cotonou Agreement is a treaty between the European Union and the African,
Caribbean and Pacific Group of States ("ACP countries"). It was signed in June 2000
in Cotonou, Benin's largest city, by 78 ACP countries[1] (Cuba did not sign) and the
then fifteen Member States of the European Union. It entered into force in 2003 and
was subsequently revised in 2005 and 2010.

43. What type of agreement is Cotonou?

The Cotonou Agreement is a close partnership based on a series of principles: The
partners to the agreement are equal. The ACP countries determine their own
development policies. Cooperation is not only among governments: parliaments, local
authorities, civil society, the private sector, economic and social partners play a role as
well. The Cotonou Agreement is the most comprehensive Partnership Agreement
between developing countries and the EU.

44. Which organisation supports individuals and businesses to claim rights?

Solvit – Solutions to problem with your EU rights

45. What is WRONG about CAP?

− It was reformed after 1992 to better reflect environmental concerns and as
well a shift from market support to producer support
− it was set out in the Treaty of Rome (1957) (!!! not established in the treaty of
Rome.)
− It requires that only those farmers who adhere to at least basic environmental
requirements (cross-implementation or smth like that) receive direct payments
and those adhering to higher environmental requirements receive green direct
payments
 − Agriculture is directly dealt with by the EU unlike transport and
education (I think this one is wrong)

46. What is true about farmers in the EU?

About 11 million farms, 22 mln farmers with income 40% less than in non-agricultural
sector

47. What is true about legislation in the EU?

Directive – binding only in terms of the result to be achieved

48. As of January 2019, how many countries form the Eurozone?

19

49. What parliamentary majority do you need to adopt a motion of censure?

2/3 of votes cast, representing the absolute majority of seats.

50. What is the G20?

A forum of industrialised countries.
The G20 or Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries
and the European Union (EU). It works to address major issues related to the global
economy, such as international financial stability,climate change mitigation, an
sustainable development.[3]
The G20 is composed of most of the world's largest economies, including both
industrialized and developing nations, and accounts for around 90% of gross world
product (GWP),[4] 75–80% of international trade,[b] two-thirds of the global population,[2]
and roughly half the world's land area.

51. How many judges sit in the Court of Justice (EUCJ)?

At least one from each of the Member States

52. What does the Rotterdam Convention regulate?

The Rotterdam Convention is a multilateral treaty to promote shared responsibilities in
relation to importation of hazardous chemical. (signature 1998, into force 2004)

53. In the 2018 Eurobarometer, in which area did citizens demand further
harmonization?
Wages

54. What EU institutions are mainly in charge of the legislative procedure?

European Commission, European Parliament, Council

55. Which treaty established the EU’s legal personality?

Treaty of Lisbon

56. What is ENISA?

European Network and Information Security Agency
57. What is the objective of COSME?
COSME- Europe’s programme for small and medium-sized enterprises. Aims to boost
SME’s competitiveness.

58. Who was NOT president of the European Parliament?

Jacques Delors

59. What is true about UN Security Council non-permanent members?

Elected by the General Assembly, for a 2-year non-renewable term, presidency rotates
in alphabetic order; also tricky, in the other options one of these elements was in turn
modified (e.g. “elected by UNSC permanent members following proposal by the GA”,
or “for a 2-year term with possibility of immediate re-election”).

60. What is true about the voting system in the Council of the EU?
The Council takes its decisions by simple majority, qualified majority or unanimity; I
was not sure about another option that read: “The Council can vote on a legislative act
12 weeks after the draft has been sent to national parliaments”, but in fact it’s 8 weeks.
The other two options were easy to rule out.

61. According to Article 3 TFEU, in what areas does the EU have exclusive
competence? - (a) customs union
(b) the establishing of the competition rules necessary for the functioning of the
internal market
(c) monetary policy for the Member States whose currency is the euro
(d) the conservation of marine biological resources under the common fisheries
policy (e) common commercial policy.
+ trade policy

62. When and by who was the term “United Nations” coined?
In 1942, by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Careful, it was NOT coined at the San Francisco
Conference.

63. When did EP direct election enter into force?

Under pressure from the European Parliament, the Copenhagen Summit of April 1978
set the date of the first European direct elections for 7-10 June 1979.

64. What are Tlatelolco, Rarotonga, Bangkok and Pelindaba agreements?

The agreements set up Nuclear-weapon-free zone in respectively Latin America
(1967), South Pacific (1985), South Asia (1995) and Africa (1996)

65. Who can bring EC in front of ECJ in case of breach of subsidiarity?

In case of a breach of subsidiarity, the Committee of the Regions or the MS may
refer an act directly to CJEU.
Three preconditions for intervention by EU institutions in accordance with subsidiarity
principle:
 (a) area concerned no exclusive EU competence (non-exclusivity)
(b) objectives cannot be sufficiently achieved by MS (necessity)
(c) action can be implemented more successfully by the Union (added value).

66. What is not part of the Barcelona objective?

Barcelona objectives: the development of childcare facilities for young children in
Europe with a view to sustainable and inclusive growth
“Gender equality via measures to help women in the labour market, avoid
discrimination.”

67. Who are the main institutions involved in OLP ordinary legislative procedure?
Proposition by the EC. Reading by EP to approve or amend. Reading by Council
to approve EP position or amend the EC proposition.

68. Definition of referendum

Direct vote by the entire electorate on a particular proposal.

69. What is not needed for the vote of the EC president?

Unanimity for European Council as it votes with QMV. The European Council
proposes a candidate (taking into consideration the results of the EP election). Once
proposed, the parliament votes on the candidate by a majority of its members. (Article
17(7) TEU)

70. What are the votes needed for MFF?

Article 312 TFEU:

1- Proposal for regulation laying down MFF submitted by EC & Council.
2- EP must approve via absolute majority (majority of MEPs) – consent from the EP
3- Council adopts it unanimously

71. Anniversary of the Shuman declaration in 2015?

65

72. What is a twinning?

A European Union instrument for institutional cooperation between Public
Administrations of EU Member States and of beneficiary or partner countries.

73. Which of the following are not tasks of the European Labour Authority (ELA)?
The right answer should be the one related to definition/regulation of labor rights.

74. Which description is right concerning the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities
of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other
Celestial Bodies (Outer Space Treaty)?
Adopted 1967, no property claims

75. Who does not take part in the budget proposal and adoption?
 EU Court of Auditors

76. Spratly Island and Paracel Island?

Islands located in the South Chinese Sea

77. In which document is the “In-depth analysis of macroeconomic problems of Member

States” included?
The alert mechanism report (AMR) is the starting point of the annual cycle of the
macroeconomic imbalance procedure (MIP). On this basis, the AMR identifies
countries that need an in-depth review (IDR) by the Commission to assess how
macroeconomic risks in the are evolving, and to determine the presence of
imbalances or excessive imbalances. The AMR is presented during the European
Semester

78. First time EU pronounced itself on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict?

1980 Venice declaration

79. What did Luxembourg compromise in 1966 solve?

The Luxembourg Compromise (or "Luxembourg Accord") was an agreement
reached in January 1966 to resolve the "Empty Chair Crisis". The Luxembourg
Compromise is viewed as a turning of the tide in the history of European
integration. It safeguarded the intergovernmental nature of the EC, therefore
preserving state sovereignty. It also prevented the EC from further consolidating
power and therefore becoming more supranational, or taking power out of the
hands of the states.

80. Which one of the following is not part of EU exclusive competences?

Environment

81. Who said the “Iron Curtain”?

Winston Churchill.

82. In 2018, how many citizens considered Climate Change a man-made issue?
93%

83. Who was the first EP President?

Simone Veil.

84. Independence of South Sudan?

2011

85. Juncker used to be President of the Eurogroup.

86. What is the Basel convention?

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal, usually known as the Basel Convention, is an international
 treaty that was designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between
nations, and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less
developed countries (LDCs).

87. Who can propose revision of the treaties?

Any national government, EP or EC

88. What are the Copenhagen criteria?

− political criteria: stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law,
human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;
− economic criteria: a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with
competition and market forces;
− administrative and institutional capacity to effectively implement the
acquisSearch for available translations of the preceding linkEN•••* and ability to
take on the obligations of membership.
For EU accession negotiations to be launched, a country must satisfy the first criterion.

89. What is the Durand line?

Afghanistan-Pakistan border

90. What is true about the Arctic Council?

The leading Intergovernmental organization promoting cooperation, coordination etc.
among 8 Arctic countries: (USA, Russia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway,
Sweden.

91. Original NATO members since its founding in 1949

12 countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States

92. What is the Esquipulas Peace Agreement

The Esquipulas Nicaraguan Peace Agreement, also known as the Central
American Peace Accords, was a peace initiative in the mid-1980s to settle the
military conflicts that had plagued Central America for many years. The
agreement was named for Esquipulas, Guatemala, where the initial meetings
took place. Signature on 15 February 1987.

93. Who founded the New Development Bank?

BRICS

94. What can the EP not do?

The EP cannot dismiss the Ombudsman. The EP can only suggest it.

95. Which court does not take complaints from individuals?

The International Criminal Court

96. Minamata Convention on Mercury

 10 October 2013 – The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty
designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions
and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.

97. What is the European Recovery Programme?

The Marshall Plan (officially the European Recovery Program, ERP) was an American
initiative enacted in 1948 to provide foreign aid to Western Europe. The United States
transferred over $13 billion (equivalent of about $115 billion in 2021) in economic
recovery programs to Western European economies after the end of World War II.

98. Several statements about voting procedures in the Council, which one is correct?
(Both here are correct)
A member of the Council can act on the behalf of one other absent member as long as
the majority of the Council’s members are present.
The Council can vote on a legislative act 8 weeks after the draft act has been sent to
national parliaments for their examination.

99. Question on the rights of the national parliaments under the subsidiarity control
mechanism

EC shall forward its draft legislative acts and amended drafts to national Parliaments
at the same time as to the Union legislators. National parliaments enforce subsidiarity
in face of EC legislative proposal. They have the opportunity to send a reasoned
opinion in 8 weeks.

Yellow card procedure: If 1/3 of national parliaments (1/4 for freedom, security and
justice) submit a reasoned opinion stating it violates subsidiarity, EC must decide
whether to maintain, change or withdraw it and give reason. Used 3 times so far.

Orange card procedure: If reasoned opinion represents majority of votes, EC must

review and decide whether to maintain, change or withdraw the proposal. The EC will
have to demonstrate in front of EP and Council why it complies with the principle of
subsidiarity. Never used so far.

100. Question on the infringement procedure

The Commission identifies possible infringements of EU law on the basis of its own
investigations or following complaints from citizens, businesses or other stakeholders.
That action may also be brought by another MS, although rare.
If MS concerned fails to communicate measures that fully transpose the provisions of
directives or does not rectify the suspected violation to the EU law, the EC may launch
a formal infringement procedure. The infringement procedure should be approved by
2/3 majority of the MEP. The length of the infringement procedure is on average 35,
maximum 48.

101. 4 statements about EU legislative acts, which one is true?

 − Non-legislative, binding acts that supplement/ amend non-essential elements
of a legislative act.
− Legislative act must define objectives, scope, content & duration of the
delegation of power
− EP (simple majority) & Council (QM) can object/remove the delegation
EC prepares and adopts delegated acts after consulting expert groups
(representatives from each MS)

102. Which political group received most votes in the 2019 EP elections?
EPP

103. What is the Montréal Protocol?

The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone
layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are
responsible for ozone depletion.

104. Aim of the stability and growth pact (SGP)?

Coordination of fiscal policies to ensure sound fiscal policies/public finances and
correct excessive budgets or debt

105. Committee of the Regions (CoR)

It has 399 members representing local and regional entities of EU MS. It meets 5/6
times a year.

106. Who sits in the ECB executive board?

107. What does Article 20 TFEU say (For this question they usually add wrong words in the
middle of the paragraphs which seem correct)
 Citizenship of the Union is hereby established. Every person holding the nationality of
a Member State shall be a citizen of the Union. Citizenship of the Union shall be
additional to and not replace national citizenship.

Citizens of the Union shall enjoy the rights and be subject to the duties provided for in
the Treaties. They shall have, inter alia:
− (a) the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member
States;
− (b) the right to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European
Parliament and in municipal elections in their Member State of residence,
under the same conditions as nationals of that State;
− (c) the right to enjoy, in the territory of a third country in which the Member
State of which they are nationals is not represented, the protection of the
diplomatic and consular authorities of any Member State on the same
conditions as the nationals of that State;
− (d) the right to petition the European Parliament, to apply to the European
Ombudsman, and to address the institutions and advisory bodies of the Union
in any of the Treaty languages and to obtain a reply in the same language.

These rights shall be exercised in accordance with the conditions and limits defined by
the Treaties and by the measures adopted thereunder.

108. What is the role of the JRC?

Provide independent scientific advice to the institutions and support to the EU policy.

109. Where does the EP meet?

Strasbourg and Brussels

110. Where is located the AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment bank)?

In Beijing

111. In 2019, which countries had a stabilisation and association agreement with the EU?
Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, the Republic of North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and
Herzegovina and Kosovo

112. Question on the accession dates of some EU countries

113. Which role does the HRVP not fill?

Chair of the GAC (the other options are head of EEAS, VP and chair of FAC)

114. Who is member of the OECD?

Options: the MS, some MS, all the MS and the EU, some MS and the EU, no
member state and not the EU, no member state but the EU (not sure about the
answer)
115. When did the UN establish the special secretariat to face the threat of climate
change?
The secretariat was established in 1992 when countries adopted the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (the other options were the
Paris Agreement, Kyoto Protocol and one of the Treaties)

116. What is the Annual Growth Survey?

The Annual Growth Survey is the Commission's main tool for setting out the
general economic and social priorities for the EU for the following year.