scholarly journals European Citizens’ Consultations: Consultation begins at home

European View ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Butcher ◽  
Simona Pronckutė
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Election Campaign ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
Member States ◽  
Local Actors ◽  
National Governments ◽  
At Home

In 2018 the European Citizens’ Consultations took place throughout Europe. These events were organised by national governments and local actors, and thus represented a significantly increased role for the member states in communicating about Europe, a task which had previously been carried out chiefly by EU bodies. Thus, the Citizens’ Consultations hold great potential for the application of the principle of subsidiarity to citizens’ engagement and inclusion in decision-making. However, for the consultations to be successful, political leaders need to ensure that the results are reflected in the European Parliament election campaign and the agenda of the new leadership, demonstrating that citizens’ voices are being heard in Brussels. This article will give background information about the European Citizens’ Consultations, evaluate their potential and provide recommendations on how policymakers can ensure this new tool is used effectively.

Political Parties in the European Union

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Magnus Johansson ◽  
Tapio Raunio
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
European Union ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The European Union ◽  
European Level ◽  
Member States ◽  
People's Party ◽  
Commission President ◽  
National Governments

Media often portrays European Union (EU) decision-making as a battleground for national governments that defend the interests of their member states. Yet even the most powerful individuals, such as the German chancellor, the French president, or the Commission president, are party politicians. At the same time the consistent empowerment of the European Parliament (EP) means that the party groups of European-level “Europarties”—political parties at European level—are in a key position to shape EU legislation. The Parliament has also become more directly involved in the appointment of the Commission, with the results of EP elections thus influencing the composition of the Commission. Examining the “partyness” of European integration, this article argues that scholarly understanding of the role of parties in the EU political system has taken great strides forward since the turn of the millennium. This applies especially to the EP party groups, with research focusing particularly on voting patterns in the plenary. This body of work has become considerably more sophisticated and detailed over the years; it shows that the main EP groups do achieve even surprisingly high levels of cohesion and that the left–right dimension is the primary axis of contestation in the chamber. It nonetheless also emphasizes the continuing relevance of national parties that control candidate selection in EP elections. Considering that most votes in the Parliament are based on cooperation between the two largest groups, the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) and the center-left Party of the European Socialists (PES), future research should analyze in more detail how these groups build compromises. Actual Europarties, however, remain relatively unexplored. Case studies of treaty reforms or particular policy sectors reveal how individual Europarties have often wielded decisive influence on key integration decisions or key appointments to EU institutions. The Europarty meetings held in conjunction with European Council summits are particularly important in this respect. The regular, day-to-day activities of Europarties deserve more attention, both regarding decision-making and vertical links between national parties and their Europarties. Overall, it is probably more accurate to characterize Europarties as networks of like-minded national parties or as loose federations of member parties, especially when compared with the often centralized and strongly disciplined parties found in the member states.

The European Parliament

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kieran Bradley
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
European Union ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
International Agreements ◽  
Legal Capacity ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Right Of Access ◽  
Access To Documents

The European Parliament is the first of the Union institutions listed in Article 13(1) TEU. As an ‘institution’, it enjoys a certain number of rights, prerogatives, and privileges, and is subject to a certain number of obligations. Thus, for example, in its decision-making, Parliament must ‘promote the Union’s values, advance its objectives, serve its interests and those of its citizens and … Member States’; it must also ‘ensure constant respect for the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality’, ‘act within the limits of the powers conferred on it in the Treaties’, and comply with any international agreements concluded by the Union. It must maintain a dialogue with civil society, conduct its work as openly as possible, grant citizens a right of access to documents it holds, and protect the personal data of individuals in its procession. Parliament may participate as of right in most types of proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and enjoys legal capacity in the Member States in respect of matters concerning its own functioning. It is also subject to the auditing authority of the Court of Auditors and the jurisdiction of the European Ombudsman as regards allegations or investigations of maladministration. More

6. The European Parliament: The power of democratic ideas

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Shackleton
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
European Union ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
Lisbon Treaty ◽  
Democratic Deficit ◽  
Historical Evolution ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Direct Elections ◽  
National Governments ◽  
The Eu

This chapter examines how the power of the democratic idea drives change in the European Parliament’s (EP) powers. The EP, the only directly elected institution of the European Union, derives its authority from national electorates rather than national governments and is therefore a transnational institution. Since the first direct elections in 1979, the EP’s powers and status have grown dramatically, culminating in the changes agreed under the 2007 Lisbon Treaty. Nevertheless, the EU is perceived to be suffering from a ‘democratic deficit’. This chapter first traces the historical evolution of the EP before discussing its decision-making. It then considers how the EP aggregates interests, what influence it exercises, and what kind of body it is becoming. It concludes by assessing various perspectives about the EU’s democratic deficit. The chapter stresses the importance of consensus mechanisms within the EP as well as those that link it to other EU institutions.

scholarly journals The Lisbon Treaty and Changes in the Legal Rules on the Common Commercial Policy

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-17
Author(s):  
Martin Janků
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Security Policy ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
Development Aid ◽  
Lisbon Treaty ◽  
Commercial Policy ◽  
Member States ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Eu

Abstract The EU Lisbon Treaty 2007 (LT) brings some changes for the common commercial policy (CCP) and the decision-making processes related to it. CCP is newly included in the one area with all the external activities of the EU, with foreign and security policy, international environmental policy, development aid and economic, financial and technical cooperation with third countries. The fundamental areas of the CCP have been expanded to include foreign direct investment, services and trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights. The EU’s exclusive competence for external negotiation of agreements in areas of exclusive competence and internal CCP regarding their implementation were confirmed. The changes affect the role of the European Parliament and also the functioning of the European Council, the Council, and competences of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European External Action Service. Together with these changes, there will be also changes in procedures within the European Union. A number of aspects of the decision-making process are not yet entirely clarified, and only the practice of the participation of the EU Member States and the European Parliament in the formation of the common commercial policy will bring more meaningful conclusions. The changes brought by the LT will affect not only the extent of the influence of EU Member States on the common commercial policy, but they can also affect the position of the EU in the context of international trade, particularly in the area of negotiating commitments and rules of multilateral and bilateral trade and investment agreements.

scholarly journals Steven Blockmans and Sophia Russack (eds.): Representative Democracy in the EU: Recovering Legitimacy.

2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-137
Author(s):  
Vanessa Horler
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
National Level ◽  
Representative Democracy ◽  
Parliamentary Democracy ◽  
National Parliaments ◽  
Member States ◽  
The World ◽  
National Governments ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Eu

Representative democracy is beset by a crisis of legitimacy across the world, but in Europe this crisis is compounded by the inadequacy of national governments to address citizens’ frustrations and to achieve transnational unity on common issues. How representative are national parliaments in their decision-making on EU matters? This volume investigates the relationship between the democratic institutions of the member states and those of the EU. With a focus on polity rather than policy, it looks at voting and decision-shaping mechanisms in selected member states, in particular the ‘Europeanisation’ of representative democracy at national level. It also assesses the state of parliamentary democracy at the EU level. Expert analysts share their insights into the changing nature of our political eco-systems and the (dis)connections within and between them.

scholarly journals Community mapping and data gathering for city planning in the Philippines

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 501-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deanna Ayson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
City Planning ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Land Use Management ◽  
Community Mapping ◽  
Local Actors

This paper describes the community-driven mapping and data gathering in informal settlements in cities in the Philippines and the valuable basis this provides to inhabitants for working with local governments, contributing to city planning and decision making. This process, supported by the Homeless People’s Federation of the Philippines, also provides communities with opportunities to think through their priorities. Background information on the federation and other key national and local actors is followed by a description of the mapping and data gathering process in Muntinlupa City and its contribution to the creation of plans and proposals, and to the networks and partnerships that are key to their implementation. The paper then outlines the federation’s experience with mapping and data gathering in informal settlements in Valenzuela City, Intramuros in Manila, Davao City and Iloilo City. It discusses the challenges and possibilities for supporting this process on a larger scale, including developing the capacity to change cities’ shelter policies and land-use management.

National Parliaments and Subsidiarity: Think Twice

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-72
Author(s):  
Jit Peters
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
The European Union ◽  
National Parliaments ◽  
Member States ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
European Citizenship ◽  
European Parties ◽  
National Governments

It is a popular misunderstanding that European citizens' lack of interest in the European Union has to do with the powers of the European Parliament. These powers have been constantly strengthened over the years, but that did not enhance voters' interest in European affairs. Even with the granting of European citizenship and the introduction of the euro, voters did not get interested, as the low turnout at the elections of members of the European Parliament on June 2004 (less than 45 %) attests. These elections even saw the rise of anti-European parties in several Member States, like the Independence Party (UKIP) in the United Kingdom. These elections, however, dealt more with national issues and the confidence in national governments than with European issues.

Challenges, Concerns, and Perspectives for Poland's Energy Transition during Global COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-173
Author(s):  
Andrzej Lorkowski ◽  
Robert Jeszke
Keyword(s):  
Internal Energy ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy Transformation ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Current Discussion ◽  
The Face ◽  
National Governments ◽  
The Eu ◽  
At Home

The whole world is currently struggling with one of the most disastrous pandemics to hit in modern times – Covid-19. Individual national governments, the WHO and worldwide media organisations are appealing for humanity to universally stay at home, to limit contact and to stay safe in the ongoing fight against this unseen threat. Economists are concerned about the devastating effect this will have on the markets and possible outcomes. One of the countries suffering from potential destruction of this situation is Poland. In this article we will explain how difficult internal energy transformation is, considering the long-term crisis associated with the extraction and usage of coal, the European Green Deal and current discussion on increasing the EU 2030 climate ambitions. In the face of an ongoing pandemic, the situation becomes even more challenging with each passing day.

Book Review: A Guide to Decision Making in Student Affairs: A Case Study Approach

NASPA Journal ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy Davis
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Student Affairs ◽  
Student Affairs Professionals ◽  
Expert Advice ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Case Study Approach ◽  
New Professionals ◽  
Study Approach

Stanley Levy and Charles Kozoll capture much of the complexity of decisionmaking and offer an important contribution to our understanding of this perplexing topic. The publication of A Guide to Decision Making in Student Affairs: A Case Study Approach, furthermore, is timely due to what Stage (1993) recognizes as an increasing expectation that "new professionals, even at the lowest levels, have the ability to work independently and solve complex issues knowledgeably and with skill and integrity" (p. iii). The case study approach combined with the expert advice of 15 seasoned student affairs deans (called informants) provides a valuable resource for learning about a central task in our profession. The book offers students as well as experienced professionals background information critical to decisionmaking in higher education, exploration of fundamental issues that influence the process, carefully constructed and relevant case studies, and a reservoir of advice from some of the most well respected senior-level practitioners in our field. This book is particularly valuable to faculty members facilitating learning with new professionals, but it is a resource most student affairs professionals would find well worth owning.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document