Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-11-29-Speech-4-183"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20011129.2.4-183"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
In order to issue its opinion on the preparation of the next Intergovernmental Conference, the European Parliament has recently adopted a very strange resolution. It does not even bother to mention the four themes which, according to the Nice Council, are to serve as a basis for our future debates (division of competences, simplification, the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the role of the national parliaments). Instead, it gives a long list of the traditional federalist demands in all areas. To cap it all, it demands a Constitution for the European Union – a phrase that was not used in the Nice conclusions but which, nonetheless, the resolution says should be the IGC’s ‘objective’.
The European Parliament would have done better to closely examine the analysis of Declaration 23 of the Nice European Council, which includes as an objective not a European Constitution but the improvement of the ‘democratic legitimacy and transparency of the Union’, which, in our view, seems very different, even the opposite. The Constitution would involve establishing a higher supra-national power, on fundamental issues as well, which would further distance Europe from its people, and would further weaken its democratic legitimacy.
Was the Nice Council not aiming for a different objective when it mentioned ‘the role of national parliaments in the European system’ as one of the four themes to be included on the agenda of the next IGC? The ‘in’ shows that the current priority should be to involve the national parliaments in the European decision-making processes, so that it can reforge links with the citizens.
However, the European Parliament is still a long way off this crucial debate, as there is no mention of it in its resolution. Admittedly, the Laeken Council can always, if it wishes, head off towards the federalist clouds, but if it wants to address Europe’s real problems we would advise it to take the new direction carved out by the Nice Council."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples