An Uneven Balance? : A Legal Analysis of Power Asymmetries Between National Parliaments in the EU / Hoai-Thu Nguyen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nguyen, Hoai-Thu, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Legislative bodies--European Union countries.

Legislative bodies.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (262 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

The Hague, The Netherlands : Eleven International Publishing, [2018]

Summary:

This book provides a comprehensive legal analysis of power asymmetries between national parliaments within the European Union (EU), particularly in the context of the financial and monetary crisis following the Treaty of Lisbon. It examines how the Treaty, often referred to as 'the Treaty of Parliaments,' strengthened the role of national parliaments and the European Parliament in EU democracy. The author evaluates the uneven impact of the Euro crisis on parliamentary powers and explores methods to mitigate its negative implications for EU democracy. The book is intended for academics and policymakers interested in the democratic structure of the EU and the evolving role of its parliaments. Generated by AI.

Contents:

Intro

Table of Contents

Abbreviations

1 Introduction

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Representative democracy

1.3 European Parliament and national parliaments as citizens' representatives

1.3.1 European Parliament

1.3.2 National parliaments

1.4 The asymmetric impact of the crisis on parliamentary powers and the resulting implications for representative democracy in the EU

1.5 Research question and methodology

2 Representative democracy

2.1 Introduction

2.2 The concept of representative democracy

2.3 Representation: Responsiveness vs. responsibility

2.3.1 Responsiveness

2.3.1.1 Principal-agent theory in democratic systems

2.3.1.2 The concept of accountability

2.3.2 Responsibility

2.4 Representative democracy in the EU

3 Parliaments in the European Union

3.1 Introduction

3.2 The European Parliament and national parliaments

3.3 The debate on the role of parliaments in the EU

3.3.1 First phase: 1950s - 1970s

3.3.1.1 ECSC and EC: An international organization

3.3.1.2 Direct elections of the European Parliament: Separating the national and European parliamentary mandates

3.3.1.3 1970s: Increasing budgetary powers for the European Parliament and the beginning of adaptation in national parliamentary chambers

3.3.2 Second phase: 1980s - 1990s

3.3.2.1 SEA: Shift towards supranational powers and a loss of national parliamentary powers

3.3.3 Third phase: Since mid-1990s

3.3.3.1 EU: A genuine political public power and the recognition of the role of national parliaments at EU level

3.4 National parliaments under the Treaty of Lisbon

3.4.1 Powers entrenched in EU primary law

3.4.1.1 Information rights

3.4.1.2 Early Warning Mechanism

3.4.1.3 Political dialogue

3.4.1.4 Ratification of Treaty amendments

3.4.1.5 Interparliamentary cooperation under Protocol No°1.

3.4.1.6 Other forms of interparliamentary cooperation

3.4.1.7 IPEX

3.4.1.8 Permanent representatives in Brussels

3.5 The European Parliament under the Treaty of Lisbon

3.5.1 Legislative powers

3.5.1.1 Ordinary legislative procedure

3.5.1.2 Right to initiative

3.5.1.3 Special legislative procedures

3.5.1.4 Other forms of parliamentary involvement in decisionmaking

3.5.1.5 The European Parliament and secondary legislation

3.5.2 Budgetary powers

3.5.3 Scrutiny powers

3.5.3.1 The European Parliament and the Commission

3.5.3.2 The European Parliament and the Council of Ministers

3.5.3.3 The European Parliament and the European Council

3.5.3.4 The European Parliament and the European Central Bank

3.5.4 Powers of the European Parliament in the EMU

3.6 Concluding remarks

4 The German Bundestag

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Conceptualizing national parliamentary control in the EU

4.2.1 Powers of national parliaments entrenched in domestic law

4.2.2 Instruments of parliamentary control

4.2.2.1 Right to information vis-à-vis the national governments and European Affairs Committees

4.2.2.2 Scrutiny reserves and mandating systems

4.3 The German Bundestag

4.3.1 The right to demand information

4.3.1.1 The right to summon the government

4.3.1.2 The right to ask questions

4.3.1.3 Major interpellations (Große Anfragen)

4.3.1.4 Minor interpellations (Kleine Anfragen)

4.3.1.5 Questions by individual MdB (Fragen einzelner Mitglieder des Bundestages)

4.3.1.5.1 Written questions (Schriftliche Einzelfragen)

4.3.1.5.2 Oral questions (Fragestunden)

4.3.1.6 Matters of topical interest (Thema von allgemeinem aktuellem Interesse)

4.3.1.6.1 Debates on matters of topical interests (Aktuelle Stunde)

4.3.1.6.2 Questions put to the government (Befragung der Bundesregierung).

4.3.1.7 Overview over number of questions asked by the Bundestag

4.3.2 The participation of the Bundestag in matters concerning the European Union (Angelegenheiten der Europäischen Union)

4.3.2.1 Right to be informed on matters concerning the European Union

4.3.2.2 Scope of 'matters concerning the European Union'

4.3.2.3 'Comprehensive'

4.3.2.3.1 Quality of the information

4.3.2.3.2 Quantity of the information

4.3.2.4 'At the earliest time possible'

4.3.2.5 Formal requirements

4.3.2.6 Limits to the right of information

4.3.2.7 The Liaison Office (Verbindungsbüro)

4.3.3 The ability of the Bundestag to process information

4.3.3.1 European Affairs Committee

4.3.3.2 The powers of the EAC

4.3.3.3 The frequency of EAC meetings

4.3.3.4 Internal staff and resources

4.3.4 The power to influence the government

4.3.4.1 Scrutiny reserve and mandating procedures

4.3.4.2 (Practical) Limits to the mandating rights of the Bundestag

4.3.4.3 Obligation of the government to obtain prior parliamentary consent in matters concerning the ESM and EFSF

4.3.4.4 Plenary debates

4.3.5 The right to sanction the government

4.4 Concluding remarks

5 Chapter: The Irish Dáil Éireann

5.1 Introduction

5.2 The Irish Dáil Éireann

5.2.1 The right to demand information

5.2.1.1 The right to summon the government

5.2.1.2 The right to ask questions

5.2.1.3 Written questions

5.2.1.4 Oral questions

5.2.2 The participation of the Dáil Éireann in European Union matters

5.2.2.1 The European Scrutiny Act 2002

5.2.2.2 The European Union Act 2009

5.2.3 The ability of the Dáil Éireann to process information

5.2.3.1 The Irish committee system

5.2.3.2 The Joint Committee on European Union Affairs

5.2.3.3 The powers of the Joint Committee.

5.2.3.4 Number of documents considered by the Joint Committee

5.2.3.5 The role of the committees in scrutinizing (European) Council meetings

5.2.3.6 Internal staff and resources

5.2.4 The power to influence the government

5.2.4.1 Scrutiny reserve and mandating procedures

5.2.4.2 Obligation of the government to obtain prior parliamentary consent in matters concerning the ESM and EFSF

5.2.4.3 Plenary debates

5.2.5 The right to sanction the government

5.3 Concluding and comparative remarks

6 The asymmetric impact of the crisis on national parliaments

6.1 Introduction

6.2 National parliaments in times of crisis

6.2.1 The asymmetric impact of the crisis

6.2.1.1 Eurozone vs. non-Eurozone

6.2.1.2 Within the Eurozone: Weak vs. strong national parliaments

6.2.1.3 Asymmetry according to institutional strength

6.2.1.3.1 Ratification of intergovernmental treaties

6.2.1.3.2 Participation in EU (crisis) affairs

6.2.1.3.3 Control over European Council meetings

6.2.1.3.4 Control over Euro summits

6.2.1.4 Asymmetry according to economic strength

6.2.1.4.1 The European Council and the asymmetricbargaining powers of Member States

6.2.1.4.2 Institutionalized asymmetric powers between 'creditor' and 'debtor' countries

6.2.2 Non-Eurozone: TSCG signatories vs. non-signatories

6.3 Consequences for EU dual strands of representation

6.4 Concluding remarks

7 Representative democracy in the EU - Which way forward?

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Representative democracy in the EU

7.2.1 Consequences for representative democracy in the EMU

7.3 Reform proposals for democracy in the EMU

7.3.1 Strengthening the position of the European Parliament in the EMU

7.3.1.1 Equalization of the European Parliament with the Council.

7.3.1.2 Stronger involvement of the European Parliament in the European Semester

7.3.1.3 Stronger scrutiny powers vis-à-vis a newly established EU Minister of Finance

7.3.1.4 Differentiated European Parliament

7.3.1.5 Shortcomings in the representativeness of the European Parliament

7.3.2 Separate parliamentary assembly for the Eurozone

7.3.3 Strengthening the national parliaments through interparliamentary cooperation

7.3.3.1 Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments

7.3.3.2 COSAC (Conference of European Affairs Committees)

7.3.3.3 Joint meetings on topics of common interest

7.3.3.4 Meetings of sectoral committees

7.3.3.5 CommonForeign Security Policy andCommonSecurity and Defence Policy Conference

7.3.3.6 Interparliamentary Conference on Economic Governance of the European Union

7.3.3.7 Establishing a new interparliamentary conference for the Eurozone

7.3.3.8 Obstacles to establishing a new interparliamentary conference

7.3.4 Interparliamentary cooperation as the way forward?

7.4 Concluding remarks

8 Conclusion

8.1 Summary of the research

8.2 Recommendations for the future: Interparliamentary cooperation as the way forward?

Bibliography.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

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ISBN:

9789462748941

9462748942

OCLC:

1124609384