EU Council Reform discussion

2005-04-07 Articel in Newspaper "Die Zeit"

There is a decision pending at the Bundesverfassungsgericht (the highest german Court). Keystone of the action is that in Brussel laws are made by the excecutive.

DE Zeit: Gleiches Unrecht für alle?

Arebenti Proposal: 2004-12-22 Senate of the Council

= upper house of EU-Parliament permanent Committee of elected delegates from the national parliaments or a COSAC++

part of the Council but also upper house of EU-Parliament
for petitions to the council
for handling of procedure
give up council presidency, senate president will host council sessions.
as a replacement for the governmental diplomats at the council.
senators can ask questions to national governments
senators: principle of governmental independence

Idea: Senat to take over council power from national administrations on the long run.

Institutional problem today

division of powers circumvented
- national governments become EU lawmakers
- national and EU parliament`s control is weak

2004-12-22 Henrion Benjamin proposal

It would be nice to have legal advice on the reasons why A-items are not listed and published on the provionnal agenda of the Council.

The publication at the last moment of the A-points is inadmissible. I cannot find in the Rules of Procedure a difference of treatment between A-items and B-items.

This practice make us prone to fear and stress to see this horrible item on the agenda.

It seems that the Council Public Info is relunctant to point the special differences of treatment that exists between those items in the CRP.

This behaviour is inacceptable from the most powerful body of the EU, and should be challenged.

Informal rules overshadow the rules of procedure