By: Nosemonkey / Europhobia » Migraine ctd.

Nosemonkey / Europhobia » Migraine ctd. — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 17:03:36 +0000

[...] Finally, further afield, and more big words – this time German ones – courtesy of European Democracy’s look at the lessons the EU can learn from Germany’s experiences of federalism. [...]

By: Jon Worth

Jon Worth — Wed, 14 Sep 2005 13:51:46 +0000

Excellent article, and very thought provoking. At the theoretical level I agree – both Germany and the EU are caught in some trap where the needs of the component parts and the needs of the whole are not in line with each other. However that is where the similarity ends in my opinion. There is at least some sort of consensus in Germany about what needs to be done but progress is blocked by party political concerns.

In the EU, there is no consensus on what the best way forward is. Tony Blair (partially backed by Barroso and the Commission) thinks he has an answer, but is far from being able to gather a consensus behind that.

Further, while the Bundesrat is undoubtedly a problem in Germany, the Bundestag remains notionally the prime legislative chamber. In the EU, the Council (i.e. the intergovernmental body / Senate) has the prime role, and Member States maintain vetoes in key areas.

Last but not least, the debate is at least in terms of political parties and some semblance of left-right ideology in Germany, but it remains a battle of national interests at the EU level.

I suppose the European Convention should have been some kind of EU level parallel of the F�deralismusreform, but that looks very dead and buried for the moment…

Comments on: Towards a new federalism?

By: Nosemonkey / Europhobia » Migraine ctd.

By: Jon Worth