It's a long and dull document written by "The Spinelli Group", a group of MEP's. The group was founded by Guy Verhofstadt, head of the liberal Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group in the Parliament. It's backed by the EU architecture, Commission and money. It makes a fair point. Essentially if you want the EU to work well it must be Federalised. Fully United and run. I think this is true but want no part of it. I do not want to be governed by an EU wide parliament and bureaucracy. But what is coming down the track is "hidden" in plain site in this document. A summary by them is below:
"The unity of Europe is vital if challenges are to be met and European values and interests promoted. But how should the new polity of the European Union be governed?
The present constitutional architecture is hardly fit for the purpose. Executive authority is dispersed and democratic accountability weak. Expedient measures needed to address the financial and economic crisis have stretched the present EU treaties close to their limits.
The Union’s system of governance must be reformed if it is to deliver much needed public goods at home and decisive leadership abroad. In the face of hostile public opinion, the national governments of its Member States fear to give the EU the powers and resources it needs. National parties and parliaments fail to embrace the European dimension of politics.
So the European Union needs to assert itself. European challenges can be met only in a European way.
This proposal for a Fundamental Law of the European Union is a comprehensive revision of the Treaty of Lisbon (2007). Replacing the existing treaties, it takes a major step towards a federal union. It turns the European Commission into a demo- cratic constitutional government, keeping to the method built by Jean Monnet in which the Commission drafts laws which are then enacted jointly by the Council, representing the states, and the European Parliament, representing the citizens. All the reforms proposed are aimed at strengthening the capacity of the EU to act.
The Union reformed along the lines established in the Fundamental Law will be more efficient and effective, more transparent and accountable. The Spinelli Group of MEPs recommends the Fundamental Law for consideration by the Convention which will soon be called upon to amend the EU treaties."
The Spinelli Group is an initiative founded with a view to reinvigorate the strive for federalisation of the European Union (EU), by creating a network of citizens, think tanks, NGOs, academics, writers and politicians who support the idea of a federal and united Europe. Among other goals, the Group aims to "find a federal majority [among members of the European Parliament] on important subjects." Founded on 15 September 2010 in the European Parliament (EP) in Brussels, the group is named after Altiero Spinelli (1907–1986), founder of the Union of European Federalists (UEF) and a founding father of the European integration.
No comments:
Post a Comment