[ILUG] EU constitution

[Colm Buckley]

On 10 Mar 2005, at 08:41, Daniel Goldsmith wrote:

> Secondly, what, precisely, is wrong with each country having their own
> laws? The enactment of laws is a solemn duty carried out by
> parliaments, based upon the wishes of the electorate. It is not the
> right of some crowd of has-been politicos sitting in closed session
> out of the public gaze.

I take issue with this.  One of the major developments of the proposed 
Constitution is to increase the role and scope of the European 
Parliament, particularly in contrast with the roles of the Council and 
the Commission.  The EP is far from a "closed session" group - in fact, 
it is one of the most transparent and accountable bodies I'm aware of.

The "democratic deficit" of the EU is almost entirely due to the fact 
that national governments have been historically unwilling to give 
authority to the EP (which they don't control, as it's directly 
elected), preferring that EU authority remain vested in the Commission 
and Council (which they *do* control, as Commissioners are appointed by 
national governments and Councillors are *members* of national 
governments).  The proposed Constitution is a major step in the right 
direction, in that it increases the role of the (elected) Parliament, 
and reduces those of the (appointed) Council and Commission.

Europhobes who whinge endlessly about the "democratic deficit" of the 
EU would do well to remember that the deficit remains in place largely 
because of them.

	Colm

-- 
Colm Buckley / colm at tuatha.org / +353 87 2469146 / www.colm.buckley.name