Convention institutions EN

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QUESTION 2 : WHICH INSTITUTIONS FOR A DEMOCRATIC EUROPE ?

During the Attac convention meeting in Brussels (17-18 December 2005), 4 different basic approaches/models were identified. It was not possible, at this stage, to clearly identify a global preference of one model compared to another. Nevertheless, discussions focused mainly on model 2 and 3 for which a list of 7 concrete common propositions was initiated. This list is detailed here after.

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A. Different models for the European institutions

Title of the proposition Comments and discussions
1 Model n°1 : first create democracy, then think about institutions
  • Society as it is organised today does not permit democracy : no time to involve in public affairs.
  • The competition principle has more power than any institutions.
  • We should first think of a new democracy model.
Low convergence. On the contrary, there is convergence that ATTAC should work on an alternative for the institutions.

There is convergence about the lack of democracy but this approach is better taken into account in the third part of the report (« What Europe do we want? », and is a more long-term debate.

2 Model n°2 : Reforming the decision making between the European Parliament and the Council
  • Various concrete improvements have to be proposed, but the basic model of EU decision making shall remain as it is :
  • The Council representing national governments;
  • The Parliament directly elected by citizens.
Model 2 and model 3 agree on a list of concrete proposals that are presented hereunder.

For example, the fact that when the Council is acting as a legislative body, its deliberations and decisions must be public.

3 Model n°3 : Moving towards a fully democratic European Parliament and a European Government, abolishing the role of the Council
  • The EP shall become a fully democratic parliament.
  • Each member of parliament representing around the same number of citizens.
  • Getting full decision making power.
  • Voters can vote for candidates in other countries.
  • A second chamber will represent the countries. It will be directly elected by the citizens (in each country) and ensure strong representation for the smaller countries. It has a co-decision role in legislation and is set as a guardian of the subsidiarity principle (what's EU level or not).
  • The Council shall disappear in the legislative process.
  • The Commission will become a full European government.
Model 2 and model 3 agree on a list of concrete proposals that are presented hereunder.
4 Model n°4 : Pan-European intergovernmental model of European co-operation (UN-type), including all European countries
  • Re-evaluation of the existing institutional structure, with the purpose of creating alternative, democratic solutions.
  • Of today’s structure, the European Parliament should be kept, but its powers limited to areas such as social distribution, protection of civic and social rights and environmental protection.
  • Also an administrative secretariat and a judicial authority for solving disputes in similar areas as the parliament.
  • The Commision, Council and Court of the EU model would be abolished, and other democratic initiatives considered instead. Europe –structurally seen as part of the world, e.g the UN.
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B. Common propositions (model n°1 and n°2)

Title of the proposition Comments and discussions
1 European central bank :
  • The ECB will have 2 simultaneous objectives : maintain price stability and promote full employement in the countries where the currency is the euro.
  • The interest rate and foreign exchange rate policices of the ECB will be controlled by the Eurogroup of Ministers of finance. The ECB will submit quarterly reports of its activities to the European parliament.
Convergence.
2 Legislative proposals : European laws will be adopted on the basis of proposals from
  • the Commission
  • the European parliament
  • any individual MEP
  • any national parliament
  • 1 million citizens from a significant number of EU member states.
Convergence.
3 Power of the European Parliament  :
  • In all areas of EU competences, the EP will have codecision powers with the Council.
  • A special procedure has to be defined for common foreign and security policy,
  • The EP will elect : the president of the Commission and each individual commissioner, and also the judges of the Court of Justice of the EU.
Convergence on codecision power. Other points need further discussion.
4 Tax policies : Tax policies will be adopted on the basis of qualified majority voting procedures.
5 Involvement of national parliaments : National parliaments will be involved in the decision making process of the EU, through one of the following methods :

if a quarter of member states national parliaments reject a draft legislature proposal, the proposal will have to be re-writen. all national parliaments will make known their assesment of draft legislative proposal before they are submitted to the EU decision making process. A second chamber comprised of delegates of national parliaments will be set-up and the council will be accountable to it.

Involvement of national parliaments will not solve all democratic problems. The relation between national parliaments and citizens must also be improved. More citizen participation can be a clue (see next proposition).
6 Citizens participation :
  • One million citizen from a significant number of membre states will be able to make legislative proposals.

5 or 10 million citizens from a significant number of membre states will be able to demand a European referendum on a proposal.

  • Citizens will have the right to be fully informed at all stages of the legislative process of European law.

Participatory democracy as objective in the re-evaluation of representative democracy.

7 Economic democracy :
  • Equality in the economy (of income and ownership). Basic equality with flexibility in addition.
  • Create a democratic institution to ensure the economical equality.
  • Economic democracy is considered as the missing issue of EU / constitution of today.
(This is maybe more a topic for the third question : « What Europe do we want? »)
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Other propositions which came from the session « What Europe do we want? »

Title of the proposition Comments and discussions
8 What could be an ideal democracy:

Having discussions about what an ideal democracy would mean (relation of institutions and policies)

(Cf. model 1 of question 2)

Link between economic organisation (capitalism) and real level of democracy : - people don't really have time to involve in public affairs - capitalism creates too much corporate power, against which political institutions become powerless

9 The creation of a real European public space (political parties, public opinion and trade unions)
10 Tackle the lobby problem. In one group strong convergence and top priority
11 Possibility to withdraw your vote : more control on elected people. If you are disappointed by somebody you elected, you cant take him back his mandate. (E.g.: new Venezuelan constitution) Point to clarify in the future, a new idea; needs further discussion and elaboration. Low strategic importance.

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