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EUROPA QUEST

Council of the European Union

General Secretariat

Directorate-General for Communication and Information

Advanced version

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Europa Quest

HISTORY

GEOGRAPHY

INSTITUTIONS

COUNCIL of the EU

EUROPEAN COUNCIL

CITIZENS

DECISION-MAKING

?

EU COUNTRIES

ENLARGEMENT

PRESIDENCY

LANGUAGES

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A

2012

B

1957

History 100

The European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in:

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C

The Lisbon Treaty came into force, changing the way the EU works

A

10 new countries joined the EU, taking the number of member states to 25

B

The euro entered circulation

D

For the first time in European elections, several candidates ('spitzenkandidaten’) competed for the post of President of the European Commission

History 200

Which EU milestone was reached in 2002?

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C

1993

A

1957

B

1989

D

2009

History 300

When did the first permanent President of the European Council enter office?

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In 1987, one non-European country applied for EU membership. Which country was that?

History 400

Morocco

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A

Pyrenees

B

Apeninnes

Geography 100

Which mountain range separates France and Spain, stretching approximately 430 km?

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C

2

A

0

B

1

D

3

Geography 200

How many EU countries have no land border with another EU country?

Malta, Cyprus & Ireland

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C

4

A

0

B

1

D

12

Geography 300

How many non-EU countries are members of the Schengen area?

Iceland, Norway, Switzerland & Lichtenstein

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The capital of which EU country lies furthest east?

Geography 400

Cyprus (Nicosia)

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A

European Commission

B

European Parliament

Institutions 100

Which is the institution with right of (legislative) initiative?

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C

Confederation of Regions and Cities in Europe

A

European Cities Forum

B

European Committee of the Regions

D

European Economic and Social Committee

Institutions 200

Which institution represents the interests of local authorities?

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C

The Committee on Foreign Affairs is one of the European Parliament committees

A

The President of the European Parliament is elected for four years

B

The biggest political group in the European Parliament is the German one

D

The European Parliament has 751 members

Institutions 300

Which of the following is true?

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What are the ‘two hats’ worn by the head of the European External Action Service (EEAS)?

Institutions 400

High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy & Vice-President of the European Commission

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A

one configuration

B

10 configurations

Council of the EU 100

The Council of the EU has:

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The Council meets in 10 configurations:

Agriculture and fisheries

Competitiveness

Economic and financial affairs

Environment

Employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs

Education, youth, culture and sport

Foreign affairs

General affairs

Justice and home affairs

Transport, telecommunications and energy

Council of the EU 100

Information

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C

Court of Auditors

A

Coreper

B

working parties

D

rotating presidency

Council of the EU 200

Which of the following terms is not related to the Council?

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C

Adopt the EU budget, together with the European Parliament

A

Manage EU funds

B

Adopt EU law

D

Coordinate member states’ policies

Council of the EU 300

Which of the following is not a role of the Council?

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Managing EU funds is not a role of the Council.

The Commission, the Council and the Parliament all have a role in determining the size of the budget and how it is allocated.

However, the Commission is responsible for managing the budget.

Council of the EU 300

Information

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What is the main voting system in the Council?

Council of the EU 400

Qualified majority voting is used in most cases:

For a qualified majority to be reached, these conditions must be met:

65%

55%

of countries�in favour

of the EU population�represented

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A

True

B

False

European Council 100

The term of office of the President of the European Council is one year

2.5 years, renewable once

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C

The European Council meets once per month

A

The European Council defines the overall political direction and priorities of the EU

B

The European Council exercises no legislative functions

D

The European Council consists of the 27 heads of state or government, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission

European Council 200

Which of the following is not true?

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C

Reports to the European Parliament after each European Council meeting

A

Chairs European Council meetings

B

Has the deciding vote when an agreement can't be reached

D

Represents the EU in its external relations

European Council 300

Which of the following is not true for the President of the European Council?

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What is the difference between the European Council and the Council of Europe?

European Council 400

The Council of Europe is a separate intergovernmental organisation with 46 members, based in Strasbourg, dealing with human rights.

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A

True

B

False

Citizens 100

All citizens of an EU country are automatically citizens of the EU.

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C

EU citizens can travel within the EU with just their national ID card

A

EU citizens living in another EU country have diplomatic immunity

B

EU citizens can travel to any country in the world without a visa

D

EU citizens have a right to free higher education in every EU country

Citizens 200

Which of the following is true?

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C

As an EU citizen, you can work in any EU country

A

As an EU citizen, you can live in any EU country

B

As an EU citizen, you can stand for election in national elections in any EU country

D

As an EU citizen, you can stand for election in local elections in any EU country

Citizens 300

Which of the following is not true?

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What is the European Citizens’ Initiative?

Citizens 400

  • Launched in 2012
  • EU citizens get involved in EU policy-making
  • Initiated by at least seven EU citizens resident in seven different EU countries
  • Supported by 1 million signatures

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A

Court of Justice of the European Union

B

European Economic and Social Committee

Decision making 100

Which of the following is not an EU institution but an advisory body?

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The European Economic and Social Committee is an EU advisory body comprising representatives of workers' and employers' organisations and other interest groups.

It issues opinions on EU matters to the European Commission, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament.

Decision making 100

Information

The Court of Justice of the European Union ensures that the law is followed in the interpretation and application of the treaties.

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C

Council of Europe

A

Council of the European Union

B

European Commission

D

European Parliament

Decision making 200

Which of the following institutions does not have a role in the EU decision-making process?

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While the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the European Commission each play a pivotal role in the EU decision-making process, the Council of Europe is not related to the European Union.

The Council of Europe is a separate intergovernmental organisation, mainly focused on human rights, and comprises 46 member states, including all 27 EU countries.

Decision making 200

Information

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C

their constituency

A

their political party/group

B

their country

D

the European Union

Decision making 300

The EU Commissioners represent the interests of:

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What is Coreper?

Decision making 400

  • Coreper stands for 'Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States’. Its main tasks are to:
  • coordinate and prepare the work of the various Council configurations
  • ensure consistency in the EU's policies
  • work out agreements and compromises which are then submitted for adoption by the Council

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A

goods, services, people and capital

B

goods, services, people and animals

? 100

The four freedoms of movement in the EU are:

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C

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

A

Giuseppe Verdi

B

Johan Sebastian Bach

D

Antonio Vivaldi

? 200

Which Italian composer is best known for his work ‘The Four Seasons’ and is considered one of the greatest Baroque composers?

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C

2

A

0

B

1

D

3

? 300

How many EU countries have black in their flags?

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What is subsidiarity?

? 400

The principle of subsidiarity is defined in Article 5(3) of the Treaty on European Union. It aims to ensure that decisions are taken at the closest possible level to citizens, with checks being conducted to verify that action at EU level is justified in light of the possibilities available at national, regional or local level.

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A

Red Sea

B

Black Sea

EU countries 100

Bulgaria has a coastline on which sea?

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C

Denmark

A

Luxembourg

B

France

D

Cyprus

EU countries 200

The Schengen agreement is named after a town in which country?

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C

Finland

A

Lithuania

B

Estonia

D

Latvia

EU countries 300

The capital of which country is not a coastal city?

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Which EU country is the only one that is a permanent member of the UN Security Council?

? 400

France

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A

2

B

3

Enlargement 100

How many countries joined the EU in the 1990s?

Austria, Finland & Sweden

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C

EU enlargement committee

A

European Parliament

B

Council of the EU

D

European Commission

Enlargement 200

Which EU institution handles membership negotiations, monitors candidate countries’ progress and reports to the other institutions?

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C

Functioning market economy and capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU

A

Commitment to work with the other member states for improvement of the EU legislation

B

Stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and protection of minorities

D

Ability to take on and effectively implement the obligations of membership

Enlargement 300

Which of the following is not a criterion for joining the EU?

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Name at least six candidate countries

Enlargement 400

Serbia

Montenegro

Türkiye

North Macedonia

Albania

Moldova

Ukraine

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Georgia

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A

between each meeting

B

every six months

Presidency 100

The presidency of the Council of the EU rotates:

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C

appoint the President of the European Commission

A

chair the meetings of the various Council configurations

B

organise various formal and informal meetings in Brussels and in the country of the rotating presidency

D

represent the Council in relations with the other EU institutions

Presidency 200

Which of the following is not a task of the rotating Council presidency?

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C

Spain

A

Germany

B

Luxembourg

D

Denmark

Presidency 300

Which country never held the Council presidency before the 1980s?

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Which Council configuration is not chaired by the country holding the rotating presidency?

Presidency 400

Foreign affairs

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Meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) are chaired by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

However, when the FAC discusses trade policy issues, it is chaired by the representative of the EU member state holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.

Presidency 400

Information

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A

24

B

27

Languages 100

How many official EU languages are there?

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C

From the Venetian phrase s-ciào vostro, literally meaning ‘I am your slave’

A

From Caius - a traditional Latin name

B

This is how Venetian gondoliers shouted to each other in the fog to avoid collisions

D

There is no clear theory on its etymology

Languages 200

What is the origin of the word ciao?

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C

Cheers!

A

I love you

B

Nice to meet you

D

This is not in an Estonian word.

Languages 300

What does the Estonian word terviseks mean?

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Which two EU countries did not request that one of their official languages (nationwide) be made an official EU language.

Languages 400

Luxembourg & Cyprus