Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T19:58:02.941Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Democracy Concept of the European Union: Coherent Constitutional Principle or Prosaic Declaration of Intent?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2019

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

“Our Constitution … is called democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the greatest number.” This statement by Thukydides preceded the preamble of the draft constitutional treaty elaborated by the European Convention. Although not adopted by the intergovernmental conference, the proposed introduction illustrates that the Convention intended to attribute a central role to the concept of democracy – at least symbolically.

Type
Part I: General Questions
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 by German Law Journal GbR 

References

1 Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, adopted by consensus by the European Convention on 13 June and 10 July 2003, submitted to the President of the European Council in Rome on 18 July 2003.Google Scholar

2 Mestmäcker, E.-J., On the Legitimacy of European Law, 58 Rabels Zeitschrift für ausländisches und internationales Privatrecht 615, 631 (1994).Google Scholar

3 Treaty of Amsterdam Amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties Establishing the European Communities and Certain Related Acts, Oct. 2, 1997, 1997 O.J. (C 340) 1.Google Scholar

4 Consolidated Version of the Treaty on European Union Art. 6(1), 1997 O.J. (C 340) 145 [hereinafter TEU].Google Scholar

5 Treaty Establishing the European Constitution, Dec. 16, 2004, 2004 O.J. (C 310) 1 [hereinafter CT].Google Scholar

6 CT art. I-46.Google Scholar

7 CT art. I-47.Google Scholar

8 See e.g. Menéndez, A.J., Between Laeken and the Deep Blue Sea: An Assessment of the Draft Constitutional Treaty from a Deliberative-Democratic Standpoint, 11 Eur. Pub. L. 105, 121 (2005); J.H.H. Weiler, European Democracy and Its Critics: Polity and System, in The Constitution of Europe 264 (J.H.H. Weiler ed., 1999); G. Lübbe-Wolff, Europäisches und nationales Verfassungsrecht, 60 Veröffentlichungen der Vereinigung Deutscher Staatsrechtslehrer 246, 255 (2001); H. Steinberger, Der Verfassungsstaat als Glied einer europäischen Gemeinschaft, 50 Veröffentlichungen der Vereinigung Deutscher Staatsrechtslehrer 9, 39 (1991); C. Gusy, Demokratiedefizite postnationaler Gemeinschaften unter Berücksichtigung der EU, 45 Zeitschrift für Politik 267, 271 (1998); F. Müller, Demokratie zwischen Staatsrecht und Weltrecht 127 (2003).Google Scholar

9 Bogdandy, A. v., Globalization and Europe: How to Square Democracy, Globalisation and International Law, 15 Eur. J. Int'l L. 885, 890 (2004).Google Scholar

10 Grimm, Exemplary D., Does Europe Need a Constitution?, 1 Eur. L. J. 282, 296 (1995).Google Scholar

11 See Archibugi, Daniele, Cosmopolitical Democracy, in Debating Cosmopolitics 1, 8 (Daniele Archibugi ed., 2003).Google Scholar

12 Isensee, J., Die alte Frage nach der Rechtfertigung des Staates, 54 Juristenzeitung 265, 274 (1999).Google Scholar

13 Id.; M. Kaufmann, Europäische Integration und Demokratieprinzip 262 (1997); Grimm, supra note 10, at 296.Google Scholar

14 Dworkin, R., Liberal Community, 77 Cal. L. Rev. 479, 498 (1989).Google Scholar

15 See Kadelbach, S., Union Citizenship, in Principles of European Constitutional Law (A. v. Bogandy & J. Bast eds. forthcoming 2005); see also J.H.H. Weiler, Does Europe need a Constitution? Demos, Telos and the German Maastricht Decision, 1 Eur. L. J. 219, 240 (1995).Google Scholar

16 See Haltern, U., Integration als Mythos, 45 Jahrbuch des öffentlichen Rechts 31, 52 (1997); H. Abromeit & T. Schmidt, Grenzprobleme der Demokratie: Konzeptionelle Überlegungen, in Regieren in entgrenzten Räumen 293, 306 (B. Kohler-Koch ed., 1998).Google Scholar

17 Mahlmann, M., Constitutional Identity and the Politics of Homogenity, 6 German L. J. 307, 316 (2005).Google Scholar

18 Dellavalle, S., Für einen normativen Begriff von Europa: Nationalstaat und europäische Einigung im Lichte der politischen Theorie, in Die europäische Option 237, 257 (A. v. Bogdandy ed., 1993).Google Scholar

19 However, the capability of consent is sufficient, actual consent not necessary.Google Scholar

20 Bogdandy, A. v., Constitutional Pinciples, in Principles of European Constitutional Law (A. v. Bogandy & Bast eds. forthcoming 2005).Google Scholar

21 Immanuel Kant, Metaphysics of Morals 30 (M. Gregor trans., 1996).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

22 See, e.g. J. Nida- Rumelin, Uber Menschliche Freiheit (2005)Google Scholar

23 See Peters, A., European Democracy after the 2003 Convention, 41 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 37, 43 (2004).Google Scholar

24 Actually, CT art. 45 seems at first glance not to be a very effective right, as it (only) guarantees the reception of “equal attention from [the Union's] institutions.” However the provision has to be read in its context. In the first half sentence the Union is obligated to observe the “principle of equality of its citizens.” Furthermore, the norm is superscribed with the title “Principle of Democratic Equality.” Therefore the headline has to be taken literally and the right of equality is to be interpreted broadly.Google Scholar

25 Bogdandy, , supra note 20.Google Scholar

26 See Böckenförde, E.-W., Demokratie als Verfassungsprinzip, in Handbuch des Staatsrechts, Vol. II, para. 24, no. 16 (3d ed., J. Isensee & P. Kirchhof eds., 2004).Google Scholar

27 See Bogdandy, A.V., Das Leitbild der dualistischen Legitimation für die europäische Verfassungsentwicklung, 83 Kritische Vierteljahrsschrift 284 (2000) (on the strategy of double legitimisation).Google Scholar

28 See Greven, M.T., Grenzen und politischer Raum, in Regieren in Entgrenzten Räumen 249, 255 (Kohler-Koch ed., 1998).Google Scholar

29 Scharpf, F.W., Demokratietheorie zwischen Utopie und Anpassung 25 (1970).Google Scholar

30 Held, D., Democracy and the New International Order, in Cosmopolitan Democracy: An Agenda for a New World Order 96, 99 (D. Held & D. Archibugi eds., 1995); Peters, supra note 23, at 40.Google Scholar

31 Petersen, N., Book Review, 64 Heidelberg J. of Int'l L. 851, 853 (2004).Google Scholar

32 Majone, G., Independence versus Accountability? Non-Majoritarian Institutions and Democratic Governance in Europe, in The European Yearbook of Comparative Government and Public Administration 117, 133 (J.J. Hesse & T. Toonen eds., 1994); W.H. Riker, Implications from the Disequilibrium of Majority Rule for the Study of Institutions, 74 Am. Pol. Sci. Rev. 432, 433 (1980).Google Scholar

33 See Dehousse, R., Beyond representative democracy: constitutionalism in a polycentric polity, in European Constitutionalism Beyond the State 135, 155 (J.H.H. Weiler & Marlene Wind eds., 2003).Google Scholar

34 Offe, Claus, Politische Legitimation durch Mehrheitsentscheidung?, in An den Grenzen der Mehrheitsdemokratie 150, 163 (B. Guggenberger & Claus Offe eds., 1984).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

35 See F.W. Scharpf, Governing in Europe: Effective and Democratic? (1999); M. Jachtenfuchs, Theoretical Perspectives on European Governance, 1 Eur. L. J. 115, 129 (1995).Google Scholar

36 Petersen, N., Europäische Verfassung und europäische Legitimität, 64 Heidelberg J. Int'l L. 429, 456 (2004); see also M. Nettesheim, Decision-Making in the EU: Identity, Efficiency, and Democratic Legitimacy, 16 Eur. Rev. Pub. L. 197, 215 (2004).Google Scholar

37 See A. Downs, An Economic Theory of Democracy 4 (1965).Google Scholar

38 Petersen, , supra note 36, at 461.Google Scholar

39 See, Aaken, A. v., Rational Choice, in der Rechtwissenchaft 300 (2003).Google Scholar

40 Majone, G., Redistributive und sozialregulative Politik, in Europäische Integration 225, 242 (Markus Jachtenfuchs & Beate Kohler-Koch eds., 1996); W. Hoffmann-Riem, Gesetz und Gesetzesvorbehalt im Umbruch: Zur Qualitäts-Gewährleistung durch Normen, 130 Archiv des öffentlichen Rechts 5, 31 (2005).Google Scholar

41 Majone, , supra note 32, at 118.Google Scholar

42 Petersen, , supra note 36, at 462.Google Scholar

43 See Tohidipur, in this volume.Google Scholar

44 CT art. 30(3).Google Scholar

45 Menéndez, A.J., Between Laeken and the Deep Blue Sea: An Assessment of the Draft Constitutional Treaty from a Deliberative-Democratic Standpoint, 11 Eur. Pub. L. 105, 130 (2005) (there are still important fields remaining in which the Parliament is not equally involved in the legislative process).Google Scholar

46 Kadelbach, S., Bedingungen einer demokratischen Europäischen Union, 32 Europäische Grundrechte Zeitschrift (forthcoming 2005).Google Scholar

47 The Treaty of Nice Amending the Treaty of the European Union, the Treaties Establishing the European Communities and Certain Related Acts, Mar. 10, 2001, 2001 O.J. (C 80) 1, 49 (the protocol on the englargement of the EU).Google Scholar

48 Lübbe-Wolff, G., Europäisches und nationales Verfassungsrecht, 60 Veröffentlichungen der Vereinigung Deutscher Staatsrechtslehrer 246, 248 (2001); C. Gusy, Demokratiedefizite postnationaler Gemeinschaften unter Berücksichtigung der EU, 45 Zeitschrift für Politik 267, 271 (1998); F. Müller, Demokratie zwischen Staatsrecht und Weltrecht 127, 269 (2003); J. Sack, Die Staatswerdung Europas – kaum eine Spur von Stern und Stunde, 44 Der Staat 67, 89 (2005).Google Scholar

50 See Part B I 2 of this piece.Google Scholar

51 Arndt, F., Distribution of Seats at the European Parliament: Democratic Political Equality, Protection of Diversity and the Enlargement Process, in The Emerging Constitutional Law of the European Union – German and Polish Perspectives 93, 102 (A. Bodnar, M. Kowlaski, K. Raible, & F. Schorkopf eds., 2003).Google Scholar

52 See Part C II 2 of this piece.Google Scholar

53 See Dann, P., European Parliament and Executive Federalism: Approaching a Parliament in a Semi-Parliamentary Democracy, 9 Eur. L. J. 549, 571 (2003) (on the latter point); see also A. Peters, European Democracy after the 2003 Convention, 41 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 37, 46 (2004).Google Scholar

54 See Möllers, C., Pouvoir Constituant – Constitution – Constitutionalisation, in Principles of European Constitutional Law (A. v. Bogandy & Bast eds., forthcoming 2005); Sack, supra note 48, at 87 et seq.; M. Rau, Overcoming the Democratic Deficit in the European Union – the Neglected Role of Political Parties, in The Emerging Constitutional Law of the European Union – German and Polish Perspectives 133, 148 (A. Bodnar, M. Kowlaski, K. Raible, & F. Schorkopf eds., 2003).Google Scholar

55 See Menéndez, A.J., Between Laeken and the Deep Blue Sea: An Assessment of the Draft Constitutional Treaty from a Deliberative-Democratic Standpoint, 11 Eur. Pub. L. 105, 126 (2005) (the critique of Menéndez).Google Scholar

56 See Part B I 1 of this piece.Google Scholar

57 Peters, A., European Democracy after the 2003 Convention, 41 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 37, 54 (2004).Google Scholar

59 Buchanan, J.M. & Tullock, G., The Calculus of Consent 235 (1962).CrossRefGoogle Scholar

60 U.S. Const. art. I, § 3, cl. 1.Google Scholar

61 Held, D., Democracy and the New International Order, in Cosmopolitan Democracy: An Agenda for a New World Order 96, 99 (D. Held & D. Archibugi eds., 1995).Google Scholar

62 Kirchner, C., The Principle of Subsidiarity in the Treaty on European Union: A Critique from a Perspective of Constitutional Economics, 6 Tul. J. Int'l & Comp. L. 291, 303 (1998).Google Scholar

63 M.G. Schmidt, Demokratietheorien 435 (3rd ed., 2000).Google Scholar

64 Follesdal, A., Subsidiarity and democratic deliberation, in Democracy in the European Union. Integration through deliberation? 85, 104 (E.O. Eriksen & J.E. Fossum eds., 2000).Google Scholar

65 Raworth, P., A Timid Step Forwards: Maastricht and the Democratisation of the European Community, 19 Eur. L. Rev. 16, 26 (1994).Google Scholar

66 See Part B I 2 of this piece.Google Scholar

67 Dann, P., Parlamente im Exekutivföderalismus 21 (2004); P. Dann, The Political Institutions, in Principles of European Constitutional Law (A. v. Bogandy & J. Bast eds. forthcoming 2005).Google Scholar

68 S. Kadelbach, Allegmeines Verwaltungscrecht unter Europäischem Einfluß 131 (1999).Google Scholar

69 Bitter, S., Zwangsmittel im Recht der Europäischen Union: Geteilte Rechtsmacht in Europa, in Europa als Raum der Freiheit, der Sicherheit und des Rechts (Hofmann & Kadelbach eds., forthcoming 2005).Google Scholar

70 Dann, P., The Political Institutions, in Principles of European Constitutional Law (A. v. Bogandy & J. Bast eds. forthcoming 2005).Google Scholar

71 Cananea, G. della, Procedures in the New (Draft) Constitution of the European Union, 16 European Rev. Pub. L. 221, 228 (2004); A.J. Menéndez, Between Laeken and the Deep Blue Sea: An Assessment of the Draft Constitutional Treaty from a Deliberative-Democratic Standpoint, 11 Eur. Pub. L. 105, 130 (2005);Google Scholar

72 See Weiler, J.H.H., Haltern, U., & Mayer, F.C., European Democracy and Its Critique, 18 West Eur. Pol. 4, 29 (1995).Google Scholar

73 See Bast, J., The Constitutional Treaty as a Reflexive Constitution, in this volume.Google Scholar

74 Weiler, , supra note 72, at 29.Google Scholar

75 Trüe, in this volume; compare Bast, supra note 73 (in favour of an involvement of the EP in cases where unanimity in the Council is required – it is paradoxical to exclude the Parliament as main representative organ from the decisions having the highest political importance).Google Scholar

76 See CT art. 26(2).Google Scholar

77 CT art. 36(1).Google Scholar

78 See Bryde, B.-O., Demokratisches Europa und Europäische Demokratie, in Europa und seine Verfassung, Festschrift Manfred Zuleeg 131, 138 (C. Gaitandes, S. Kadelbach, & G.C. Rodrigeuz Iglesias eds., 2005); see also B. Stråth, Methodological and Substantive Remarks on Myth, Memory and History in the Construction of a European Community, 6 German L. J. 255, 268 (2005); see also J.-L. Dewost, La Commission ou comment s'en débarrasser?, in L'Europe et le droit. Melanges en homage a Jean Boulouis 181, 190 (Charles Debbasch & Jean-Claude Venezia eds., 1991).Google Scholar

79 CT art. 340, para. 2.Google Scholar

80 See Menon, A. & Weatherill, S., Legitimacy, Accountability and Delegation in the European Union, in Accountability and Legitimacy in the European Union 113, 117 (A. Arnull & D. Wincott eds., 2002); see also A. Dashwood & A. Johnston, The Institutions of the Enlarged EU under the Regime of the Constitutional Treaty, 41 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 1481, 1486 (2004).Google Scholar

81 See Part B II 2 of this piece.Google Scholar

82 E.g. CT art. 313 (3), para. 3; CT art. 322 (1); CT arts. 325, 329, 420 (2), para. 2.Google Scholar

83 CT art. 187 (3) lit. b, (4) lit. b.Google Scholar

84 CT art. 264, lit. b.Google Scholar

85 CT arts. 330 (1), 333, 357.Google Scholar

86 See Craig, P.P., Democracy and Rule-making Within the EC: An Empirical and Normative Assessment, 3 Eur. L. J. 105, 118 (1997).Google Scholar

87 Majone, G., Regulatory Legitimacy, in Regulating Europe 284, 287 (G. Majone ed., 1996).Google Scholar

88 A. Verhoeven, The European Union in Search of a Democratic and Constitutional Theory 238 (2002).Google Scholar

89 See Lenaerts, K. & Verhoeven, A., Institutional Balance as a Guarantee for Democracy in EU Governance, in Good Governance in Europe's Integrated Market 35, 75 (C. Joerges & R. Dehousse eds., 2002).Google Scholar

90 Vos, E., The Rise of Committees, 3 Eur. L. J. 210, 228 (1997).Google Scholar

91 Dehousse, R., Beyond representative democracy: constitutionalism in a polycentric polity, in European Constitutionalism Beyond the State 135, 152 (J.H.H. Weiler & Marlene Wind eds., 2003).Google Scholar

92 Joerges, C. & Neyer, J., From Intergovernmental Bargaining to Deliberative Political Processes: The Constitutionalisation of Comitology, 3 European L. J. 273, 282 (1997).Google Scholar

93 See Council Framework Comitology Decision 1999/468, 1999 O.J. (L 184) 23.Google Scholar

94 Dehousse, , supra note 91.Google Scholar

95 Vos, , supra note 90, at 218.Google Scholar

96 See Cananea, G. della, Procedures in the New (Draft) Constitution of the European Union, 16 Eur. Rev. Pub. L. 221, 234 (2004).Google Scholar

97 See Part C III of this piece.Google Scholar

98 On the relationship between first and third part of the constitution, see J. Bast, supra note 73.Google Scholar