Convention on the Future of Europe

As European Convention (from the Latin conventus " meeting ") of the "Fundamental Rights Convention " (1999 /2000), the " Constitutional Convention " (2002 /2003) and the proposed Convention be called for a reform of the EMU.

2.5.1 votes on the edge of the Convention
2.5.2 The Rules of the Convention
2.5.3 Conclusion

3.1 European Convention for reform of the EMU

4.1 Constitutional Convention

5.1 Constitutional Convention

The first convent

The first European Convention which drew up "Fundamental Rights Convention " under the direction of Roman Herzog. Between December 1999 and October 2000, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

Constitutional Convention

The European Convention ( " Constitutional Convention " ) worked between 28 February 2002 and 20 July 2003, the relevant draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

The Convention was composed of government and parliamentary representatives of the Member States of the European Union, of the ten accession countries and candidates (Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey) as well as representatives of the European Parliament and the European Commission.

Prehistory

After the failure of the Conference of the European Council in Nice in 2000, the EU Heads of State and Government in December 2001 with the Laeken Declaration on the future of the European Union a " Convention on the Future of Europe" for the drafting of a constitution made up of representatives of governments, European Commission and the European Parliament and the national parliaments convened.

The Declaration emphasizes the historical importance of European integration and the peace mission of Europe in this context. The history of the EU is a success story, now needed to be reinforced in addition to the economic and political union. As a working target As well as simplifying existing EU legislation democratization, de-bureaucratization, proximity and the clarification of responsibilities within the EU is mentioned.

Approach of the Convention

The Convention as an institution itself was a big change compared to the elaboration of the existing treaties. The " Convention method" has been successful before in preparation of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights.

In the past, European Treaty changes were always between governments, usually closed to the public, negotiated to then be ratified by the national parliaments in retrospect.

Composition

The " founding fathers and mothers " in the Convention came from different organs. In addition to government representatives, parliamentarians from the European Parliament and the parliaments of the Member States in the preparation were directly involved.

Members of the Convention were 16 MEPs, each Member State both two national parliamentarians as well as a government representative ( ie a total of 30 or 15 representatives ), two representatives of the EU Commission and the Convention President with his two deputies; The 10 Eastern European candidate countries ( EU enlargement ) as well as Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria sent two representatives of their national parliaments and government representatives, and participated as observers without voting rights. The members each had a de facto equal substitute.

As a German representative in the European Convention were Elmar Brok (CDU ), Klaus Hänsch (SPD) and Sylvia -Yvonne Kaufmann ( PDS) as a representative of the European Parliament, Jürgen Meyer ( SPD) as a representative of the Bundestag, Erwin Teufel (CDU ) as representative of the Federal and Joschka Fischer ( Green B90/Die ) - before November 2002 to Peter goggle (SPD ) - as government representatives.

Structure

President of the European Convention was the former president of France Valéry Giscard d' Estaing. He put together with his Vice President Giuliano Amato and Jean -Luc Dehaene, and nine other members, including the German Klaus Hänsch as representatives of the European Parliament, the Bureau of the Convention.

Publications

The members of the Convention sought during the working of the Convention to ensure transparency and democratic ways of working in order to meet the high expectations that were placed on the Convention requirements.

Therefore, all documents Convention and the draft Constitutional Treaty to the website of the Convention can be viewed.

Chronology

According to the original schedule of the Constitutional Treaty should be adopted by the commenced on 4 October 2003 intergovernmental conference and at the same time signed with the accession of ten new Member States on 1 May 2004. After the failure of the European Council in Brussels on 12-13. December 2003 was not complied with this original schedule. The Constitution was signed on 29 October 2004.

The article about the European Constitution describes the further development.

The undemocratic Convention?

Votes on the edge of the Convention

On the edge and at the end of the convention has been criticized by several members and discussed in public, the working methods of the Convention as a whole are not transparent and have been very democratic.

So writes the British Convention member David Heathcoat -Amory: " The real debate [ within the convent ] found in the Bureau, or between the Presidency, the Secretariat and held in private conversations with individual Member States Even the working groups [ ... ] were passed regularly or. ignored their conclusions. " ( from the website of D. Heathcoat -Amory, PDF, 190 kB) Heathcoat -Amory is a British Euro - skeptics and belonged to one conducted by Danish MEP Jens -Peter Bonde minority group in the Convention.

The Luxembourg Prime Minister Juncker criticized similarly: " The Convention has been touted as the great democracy -show I have not seen a darker darkroom as the Convention.. " (from: the mirror June 16, 2003 ) You have to understand that Jean -Claude Juncker had with his predecessor and former Commission President Jacques Santer a " personal representative " in the Convention, the apparently badly about the guided him in his name informed discussions and agreements.

The Rules of the Convention

Information about the validity of this criticism here provides a closer look into the Rules of Procedure of the Convention. The Convention document CONV 9/ 02, the valid rules of the Convention is to be found. There are highlighted ( 3/02 CONV ) Here the changes from the first draft of the Bureau.

It is right that have a fairly tight control provided from above the original ideas of the convention. In the design of CONV 3/02 had only the President of the Convention, ie Giscard d' Estaing, alone to change the right to determine the dates of the convention, and thus how often this will be convened, the agenda set (Art. 2), working groups convened (art. 15) and the Rules of Procedure ( Article 16). In addition, the first draft of the Bureau foresaw fewer rights for observers and participants with observer status, alternate members did not have the right to participate in meetings.

In CONV 9/02, these structures are significantly softened. Was in the first draft Article 1 yet succinctly. , The Convention shall be convened by its chairman, then this wording changed in: The Convention shall be convened by its chairman, with the approval of the Presidium or at the written request of a significant number of members of the Convention. This formulation still leaves interpretation open space, but points to a degree of power shift to the majority of parliamentarians in the Convention.

Conclusion

The allegations are difficult to clarify the fact. Nevertheless, let the allegations, as they have done (see above) about the declared Eurosceptic Heathcoat -Amory, refute in its Sharpness partially.

European Convention after the Treaty of Lisbon

Under Article 48 of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union in accordance with the ordinary and simplified revision procedure can be changed. The ordinary method provides for the convening of a European Convention by the President of the European Council.

European Convention for the reform of the EMU

Put ordinary contract changes a convention ahead, including a Convention on the Future of the EU Treaty in matters of European Economic and Monetary Union ( EMU) is mandatory. Discussions on this, there were already at the edge of the European Council on 23 October 2011. Located in the center of the reform, the design of a fiscal union should be, which makes it possible to intervene directly in the control and budget design of euro member countries if they financial assistance of the partner receive. Such a fiscal union would combine a number of individual measures and institutional anchor, such as the Euro Plus Pact, the European Semester or the provisions of the so-called " six-pack ".

In Germany, the latest started in October 2011, the political debate on the need for a new reform of the EU treaties after Chancellor Angela Merkel had advertised in a government explanation. Here also the instrument of the European Convention were brought into play. Alliance 90/The Greens call for a public debate on the treaty changes. A European Convention to prepare the proper contract amendment process together with the social partners and civil society.

In November 2011, the German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called for a convention and argued in favor of including all EU Member States, not only the 17 euro - countries. Also in November 2011 called voices from civil society a European Convention to enforce a political union and effective consequences for violation of the contractually agreed financial and economic community standards. In addition, rules have to be found, as EU Member States may be excluded in case of permanent injury minimum democratic standards in the press and freedom of speech, independent judiciary and corruption- free administration from the EU.

President Barroso has also been proposed in September 2012 in his " State of the Union " comprehensive treaty changes that would also cause a convention.

In December 2012, the proposals for reform of contract law - and thus for a Convention was initially postponed.

February 28 Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann Jean-Luc Dehaene

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