[extropy-chat] EU constitution collapses

[Dirk Bruere]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Giu1i0 Pri5c0" <gpmap at runbox.com>
To: "ExI chat list" <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2003 7:40 AM
Subject: RE: [extropy-chat] EU constitution collapses


> >From the Washington Post
> (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62011-2003Dec13.html):
...
> My comments:
> [In other words: an agreement was not reached because European nation
states
> still resist ideas of real devolution of power from a national to a
European
> level. This has always been the main problem of Europe as an autonomous
> political entity: member states insist on making the important decision
> independently and accept the idea of European decision making, for
important
> things such as taxation and defense, only if they can retain a national
veto
> power. More European integration is only accepted for "less important
> things" such as common R&D.

It's not that simple.
The EU as it exists is, IMO, fundamentally flawed in its institutions.
The directly elected Parliament is almost powerless.
The true power lies with the Council of Ministers whose members are
appointed by national govts, and the Commission which is a highly
politiciised civil service.

The position needs to be reversed, with the Parliament wielding most of the
power and the Council acting as a second house.
The Commission should be utterly de-politicised.

> At the same time it is clear that the direction of History is that of more
> and more integration and double devolution of power from nation states to
> more autonomous regions below, and to a stronger Europe above. It will
just
> have to take the time it takes, for example the introduction of the Euro
as
> common currency took ten years and is not complete yet.]

I would say that the direction of history is away from Empire and towards
loose confederations with strictly limited mandates.

Dirk

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