scholarly journals The European Citizens’ initiative: too much democracy for EU polity?

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Longo
Keyword(s):  
European Convention ◽  
Democratic Deficit ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Governance ◽  
Political Unity ◽  
European Institutions ◽  
Eu Policies ◽  
Eu Commission ◽  
The Eu

AbstractThis Article analyzes the state of democracy in the EU through the study of the European Citizens’ Initiative. The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) represents one of the main ways the European institutions chose during the making of the European Convention, and then reproduced in the Lisbon Treaty, to beat populism by bringing decision-making closer to the citizens and promoting a new legitimization of Europe’s political unity. This Article starts by arguing that if one wants to understand European versions of populism it is necessary to pay attention to the reason why “democratic deficit” and “Euroscepticism” are predominant problems that the European Union is facing. It then analyzes the implementation of the ECI and the main issues of this instrument of democratization pointing at three flaws: a) the problem of e-democracy; b) the difficulty of stimulating large participation of civil society and people for the purposes of the ECIs; c) the cumbersome role of the EU Commission and the difficulties to ensure a real participatory instrument for the European citizens. From the analysis of the ECI this Article first advocates for a more robust public sphere in Europe as indispensable ground for a supranational democracy; second, it supports the revision of the ECI procedural aspects to transform it into a viable channel for amending EU policies in a more democratic way; third, this Article participates in the debate over the brand of democracy most suited to EU governance and polity.

Notes on the ECHR and the Disunited Kingdom ‘After’ Brexit – In memoriam Scott Crosby

2020 ◽  
pp. 203228442097693
Author(s):  
Gavin Robinson
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
European Convention ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Time Record ◽  
Eu Referendum ◽  
In Memoriam ◽  
European Criminal Law ◽  
The Eu

When the idea of this special edition occurred to the team behind the New Journal of European Criminal Law, my first thought was to go back through all of Scott Crosby’s contributions in print as editor-in-chief and see whether a mini-retrospective on the themes and views therein would be worthy of inclusion here – by Scott’s own standards. These notes focus on what gradually became the single biggest concern expressed in Scott’s editorials: the perilous position of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in a post-Brexit UK – in concreto, the prospect of what he labelled ‘Brexit plus’: a British exit from the ECHR system. I begin with Scott’s views on the European Union (EU) Referendum and the Brexit process. Next comes the great uncertainty currently surrounding the future of Convention rights in the United Kingdom, set against the emphasis placed by the editorials on the instrumental role of the ECHR in fostering peace across the whole of Europe, within and beyond the territory of the EU. In the event that Brexit plus should materialise, writing in the wake of polls showing all-time record support in Scotland for secession from the United Kingdom I close by asking whether Scotland might be able to ‘leave a light on for Strasbourg’.

What Role – if any – for a Chief Scientist in the European Union System for Scientific Advice?

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 286-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Alemanno
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Burden Of Proof ◽  
Scientific Advice ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Science And Policy ◽  
Civil Society Organisations ◽  
Point Of Departure ◽  
Eu Commission ◽  
The Eu

At a time of increasing recognition worldwide of the role of Chief Science Advisers as of critical importance in improving dialogue between science and policy, the European Union, notably the European Commission, is currently considering – under the pressure of civil society organisations – whether to maintain or scrap this recently–created position. After contextualizing this debate within the broader efforts undertaken by the Barroso Commission to strengthen science in EU policymaking, this article discusses what role, if any, a Chief Scientist may play within the EU systemof scientific advice. After denouncing the lack of a public debate about the merits of this post at the time of its creation, the article takes as a point of departure the criticisms made against this position and assesses them in the light of the mandate entrusted to the Chief Scientist Advisor. It argues that the major point of disagreement on this post revolves around the question of whether the Chief Scientist Advisor, as it currently stands, helps or hinders the EU incorporating the ‘best science’ into policy. After identifying the flaws of the actual mandate and the challenges faced by the first holder of the position, it argues that the burden of proof rests with the EU Commission to prove the merits, and more specifically, the rationale for having yet another source of scientific advice in the EU.

scholarly journals Debating real integrated territorial cooperation approaches to post-2020 EU policies: the challenges arising from COVID-19 from the perspective of the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR).

Europa XXI ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 ◽  
pp. 119-137
Author(s):  
Martin Guillermo Ramirez
Keyword(s):  
The European Union ◽  
Territorial Development ◽  
Border Regions ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
European Institutions ◽  
Demographic Challenges ◽  
Global Player ◽  
Eu Policies ◽  
Cross Border Cooperation ◽  
The Eu

The European Union (EU) territorial development and cohesion have been supported by European institutions for decades, but they currently face a critical moment: the COVID-19 pandemic and European coordination gaps have to be added to previously-existing difficulties, such as the growing climate-related and demographic challenges, and the wave of Euroscepticism, nationalism and populism. Viruses do not recognise borders, but the EU is still divided between those thinking that the economy should prevail over politics and those thinking otherwise. European citizens living in border areas know very well that we need a common approach (and a stronger commitment) to the preservation of our values and rights, as well as to the definitive positioning of the EU as a global player. Integration starts at the bottom and moves across borders. The legacy of cohesion and territorial stability that the EU leaves for future generations will depend on how it protects and strengthens cross-border cooperation at this stage.

scholarly journals Coalition of states for influence in the European Council. Brexit - a step towards decisional balance in the European Council?

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-130
Author(s):  
Gavrilov Doina
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
European Union ◽  
Decisional Balance ◽  
European Council ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Policies ◽  
Over Time ◽  
The Eu

AbstractThe EU decision-making process is one that has changed over time with the Treaties, with the extension, modification of EU policies and the areas where the EU is acting. In addition to the above, in 2016 we have one more reason to add to the changing of the decisional process “-Brexit”- a political turnaround that stimulates new changes at the decision-making level and raises questions about the future of the European Union. Federalists claim that these events will lead to a strengthening of the Union, and euro-skeptics claim that this is a step towards breaking the Union. Two years after the Brexit started, the European Union continues to remain a prominent actor in the international arena, but another question is being raised: “Will EU institutions act on the same principles? Or will there be changes in the decision-making process?”. In this article, we will analyse the state coalitions in the decision-making process, and the role of Brexit in forming coalitions for establishing a decisional balance in the European Council. Following the analysis of the power rapport in the European Council, we refer to small and medium-sized states that work together closely to counterbalance the decisions of the big states, and the new coalitions to achieve their goals in the new political context.

E-Government and E-Democracy in the Supranational Arena

2017 ◽  
pp. 101-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenio Salvati
Keyword(s):  
Political Institutions ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Actual State ◽  
Main Task ◽  
Democratic Deficit ◽  
The European Union ◽  
European Public ◽  
Core Elements ◽  
The Eu

Several scholars have argued about the nature of the democratic (and legitimacy) deficit that affects the European Union (EU) and its political institutions. The creation of a European public sphere and the enhancement of a European “we feeling” among citizens has been considered a fundamental feature to implement the democratic functioning of the EU. In this context of democratic deficit, it is interesting to understand and analyse the role of the e-government in the EU, in order to understand if new technologies could be useful to implement transparency and accountability within the supranational arena and reduce the gap between citizens and institutions. This gap is one of the core elements that are feeding the democratic and legitimacy deficit of the EU. The main task of the chapter is to analyse the actual state of e-government and e-democracy in the EU, and reflect if these tools are reducing the democratic deficit that is effecting EU institutions.

EU institutions and ICT: a new challenge in transparency and dialogue with citizens

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Costa Leite
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
European Institutions ◽  
Level Of Use ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Eu

Purpose This paper starts by presenting a theoretical framework based on the evolution of this problem through the EU treaties and a literature review. The focus is then turned to the role of some European institutions, namely, the European Parliament, through the Committee on Petitions, and the European Ombudsman for their close relationship: the information and communications technology (ICT)channels that introduced new mechanisms of communication and information; and what level of use this system of dialogue assures citizens’ rights to petition and to complain. Design/methodology/approach The first decades of the history of the European Union did not consider the link with citizens as a central priority in the evolution of the European integration process. The idea of Europe, built step by step, was much more dependent on the states’ political elites and bureaucratic European institutions. The democratic deficit, however, changed the perspectives of the different actors involved in the institutional framework. New initiatives were introduced alongside treaties to make the integration process more transparent and closer to European citizens. Findings Those results can be confirmed through the statistics and reports presented annually by those institutions. Originality/value Due to innovation in the use of ICT, transparency and dialogue with citizens became much more effective.

scholarly journals The European Union’s voice in the debate of the global governance of the internet

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-128
Author(s):  
Alicja Jaskiernia
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Internet Governance ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Current Position ◽  
Internet Regulation ◽  
European Institutions ◽  
Governance Process ◽  
The Eu

This paper examines the European Union’s policy regarding internet regulation. EU policy is examined regarding its role in the debate about internet governance at internal and global levels primarily. Based on the document currently accepted by European institutions, the paper first analyses the position of the European Union on key problems connected with the global debate on internet governance, such as the globalization of IANA and ICANN and increasing the role of other participants in the governance process. The paper attempts to reconstruct the current position of the European Union on internet governance and the vision and rules that the EU intends to promote on different platforms of the global discussion on the future of the internet.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF POLITICIZATION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION ON THE FUNCTIONING OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

2019 ◽  
pp. 58-66
Author(s):  
M.V. Buromenskiy ◽  
P.V. Otenko
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
International Law ◽  
Maastricht Treaty ◽  
Democratic Deficit ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Eu Commission ◽  
The Eu

Complex and comparative analysis of the election and nomination procedure of Commissioners and the President of the EU Commission has been made from the date of creation of the High Authority within the European Coal and Steal Community until the establishment of the modern EU Commission in accordance with the last amendments that have been made by the Lisbon Treaty. It is proved that due to the entering into force of the Maastricht Treaty, sharpening of the «democratic deficit» problem and because of other political processes at the beginning of 1990’s within the European Communities, European Parliament obtained ample powers and leverage on the functioning, election and nomination procedure of Сommissioners and the President of the EU Commission. It is emphasized that election and nomination procedure of Commissioners and the President of the EU Commission is sufficiently politicized and bureaucratized at the contemporary stage of the existence of the European Union. The definition of the phenomenon «politicization of the EU Commission» has been specified. It is outlined that the phenomenon of politicization of the EU Commission has both positive and negative consequences on the EU Commission and the EU as a whole. It is established that «politicization» of the EU Commission may cause disruption of the cornerstone principles on which the EU has been created, first of all those principles that are related to the theory of functionalism in International Law.

9. Democracy and Legitimacy in the European Union

2019 ◽  
pp. 127-140
Author(s):  
Stijn Smismans
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Democratic Deficit ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Constitutional Treaty ◽  
National Parliaments ◽  
Economic Migration ◽  
Modes Of Governance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Eu

This chapter discusses the extent to which decision-making in the European Union can be considered democratic and legitimate. The chapter clarifies the concepts ‘democracy’ and ‘legitimacy’, and describes how, although initially the legitimacy of the European polity was not perceived as a problem, it became more problematic as the EU gained more competences. The European democratic deficit became an important issue of debate only during the 1990s after the Maastricht Treaty had transferred considerable powers to the EU. The main solution to the democratic deficit has been inspired by the parliamentary model of democracy and involves strengthening the European Parliament (EP), while also paying attention to the role of national parliaments and regional and local authorities. The chapter also shows how the governance debate at the start of the twenty-first century broadened the conceptual understanding of democracy in the EU by addressing the complexity of European governance (see also Chapter 7). By looking at different stages of policy-making and different modes of governance, while dealing with issues such as transparency and the role of civil society, the chapter discusses a wider range of issues associated with the democracy and legitimacy of the Union. It assesses the impact on EU democracy of the Constitutional Treaty and the Lisbon Treaty. The chapter concludes by warning that three main crises, namely the economic, migration, and security crises, have revived nationalist and populist movements exacerbating the challenges to the EU’s legitimacy.

Bariery w przepływie pracowników na rynku wewnętrznym – stary problem w nowych odsłonach

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (4 (1)) ◽  
pp. 39-54
Author(s):  
Robert Grzeszczak
Keyword(s):  
Equal Treatment ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Labour Law ◽  
Member States ◽  
Political Criticism ◽  
Eu Policies ◽  
The Will ◽  
Free Movement Of Persons ◽  
The Eu

The issue of re-nationalization (disintegration and fragmentation) of integration process is manifested by the will of some of the Member States to verify their relations with the European Union. In the age of an economic crisis of the EU and in relation to the large migration of the population, there has emerged strong social and political criticism, on the European level, of the integration process, with some Member States even consideringtheir withdrawal from the EU. In those States, demands forextending the Member States’ competences in the field of some EU policies are becoming more and more popular. The legal effects of the above-mentioned processes are visible in the free movements of the internal market, mainly within the free movement of persons. Therefore, there are problems, such as increased social dumping process, the need to retain the output of the European labour law, the issue of the so-called social tourism, erosion of the meaning of the EU citizenship and the principle of equal treatment.

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