EUWatch

In the light of the financial crisis, EUWatch has dedicated this issue to in-depth analyses of its causes and consequences, not least on the European Union. Will the crisis strengthen or weaken the EU as a political body on the world stage? Which are the impacts of the financial crisis on the global real economy and which are the real solutions? Furthermore, ahead of the European elections in 2009, several contributions focus on the experiences gained from previous referenda on the euro, the Constitution/Lisbon Treaty and previous European elections. What are the lessons to be learned? Is euroscepticism on the rise? What is the stand of the voters, especially among the younger generations?

In addition to these main focuses, the ECJ judgement in the Kadi/Al Barkaat case and its impact on human rights is given a closer look. As usual, EUWatch closes with 'EU in numbers' providing a useful overview of 'Financialisation and the financial bubble'.

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After the Irish referendum, the questions on the future shape of

the European Union are more pertinent then ever. EUWatch has

therefore dedicated this issue to the consequences of the Irish ‘no’

for the future of the Union, to possible alternative new EU policy

orientations and to other forms of cooperation within or outside

the EU framework.

To be able to assess these questions, the current and, given the

possibility that the Treaty of Lisbon should nevertheless enter into

force (e.g. by re-running a second Irish referendum on it), the potential

“after-Lisbon” character of the supranational EU-entity is

carefully analysed.

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As the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty comes closer, some Irish citizens might be asking about the Treaty’s impact on the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP). This issue tries to give an answer to such questions. In particular it analyses the Lisbon Treaty’s respective provisions and their possible impact on the ESDP highlighting the sensitive positions of the non-aligned Member States. Current problems of the ESDP and its relations to other defence alliances are critically analysed, outlining possible solutions for the establishment of a genuine European defence alliance.

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The Treaty of Lisbon inserts a new Article 6 into the Treaty on European Union (TEU) which stipulates that the Union “recognises the rights, freedoms and principles set out in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union” and that this Charter “shall have the same legal value as the Treaties.” Contributors from the Czech Republic, Ireland, France and Germany address the issue from different points of views. Other articles focus on the “unsettled” referendum debate in Austria and on Hungary’s “precipitous” ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.

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The twentieth EU-Russia Summit which took place in Mafra on 26 October

2007 was supposedly “a friendly and open meeting during which the leaders

welcomed the ongoing work on the practical implementation of the Road Maps

for the Four Common Spaces and discussed future perspectives for (EU-Russia) relations." Yet in the light of this year’s tension between Russia and the EU and in the absence of a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, this summit press release appears to be somewhat euphemistic.

The contributors to this edition describe the background to recent tensions, while suggesting potential solutions for improvement.

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On the occasion of the European Council meeting in Lisbon in October 2007, the European leaders will agree upon the new “Reform Treaty”, the Treaty amending the two basic European treaties, the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty Establishing the European Community.

This new “Renamed Constitution” will have a fundamental impact on the future structure, competence and legal order of the “Union”. In the light of these developments, EUWatch decided to publish a special edition on the revised constitution, the so-called “Reform Treaty”, with in-depth analyses and comparisons with the rejected Constitution.

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On 10 January 2007, the European Commission proposed a far-reaching package of measures to establish a new EU energy policy. Is this the birth of a genuine European energy policy? Are these objectives realistic and, above all, sufficient? What are the next concrete steps of the EU and the Member States, and how can national sovereignties be respected? These and other questions are addressed in interviews and other contributions to this issue. This edition also contains an analysis of the reasons why national politicians tend to be so Europhile, a comment on the irony of the EU’s constitutional efforts, as well as a contribution questioning the existence of a ‘European Public’.

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In this 6th issue of EUwatch with the title "The Next Treaty: Who Should Decide?" you will find an in-depth analysis on some of the most interesting questions around the "Next Treaty".

What is the most democratic way to give the peoples of Europe a voice in this matter? Is a referendum necessary, feasible, and legally available in all European countries? Which would be the impact at European level?

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This February 2007 edition reviews the principle of subsidiarity, its origins and implications from 16th century Calvinist political theory and late 19th century Catholic social philosophy up to its insertion into the European Union framework. Several articles analyse the de facto impact of the subsidiarity principle and propose various possible amendments both to substantive law and to procedural and institutional regulations. The second focus of this edition relates to the most recent enlargement of the EU to Romania. The section Europe in numbers analyses the views of European citizens on the European institutions and their readiness to participate in elections and decision-making at European level.

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This December 2006 edition focuses on immigration and EU enlargement. Malta, Teneriffe and Lampedusa, countries and islands of the EU, are no

longer merely associated with culture and tourism: reports of boats verloaded with refugees, of tragically large numbers of people being drowned and of inhuman conditions in refugee camps have cast these traditionally picturesque places in a different light.

Is it desirable, let alone possible, to attempt to conduct a sensible common immigration policy in a broader Europe? Which are the limits and the difficulties?

An interview with the Members of the European Parliament, Nigel Farage and Johannes Blokland, shows their respective positions on immigration. This issue includes an analysis on the cooperation in criminal matters and a consideration of the impact of immigration on the EU population. It concludes with a country report on the Czech Republic following the June 2006 elections.

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This edition of EUWatch focuses on the euro, featuring an interview with Professor Paul De Grauwe, from the Faculty of Economics and Applied Economics at the University of Leuven, and adviser to Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

Also in this issues:

• an overview of the history of the monetary union and the euro

• the experiences of the euro in the old member states and the perceptions in the new ones

• some theoretical background of monetary unions

• highlights of eurobarometer polls on the euro

As well as some thoughts on:

• subsidiarity

• freedom and security

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The July edition of EUWatch deals with EU enlargement and a follow-up of the “period of reflection”, which was the focus of the last edition. Has EU enlargement contributed to “peace, security, stability, democracy, the rule of law, as well as growth and prosperity in the European Union as a whole,” as the recent EU Summit meeting reasserted?

What has been achieved by the EU Commission’s communications policy “Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate”? What did the Luxembourg and Austrian presidencies achieve? Has Europe proved its “added value” to the citizens?

This issue also includes an analysis of the ECJ Sept. 2005 judgement on criminal penalties for environmental offences, as well as contributions on the relevance of the Committee of the Regions.

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The June EUWatch edition is focused on the Future of Europe.

Content:

Political integration (BY ANTHONY COUGHLAN); Analysing the so called period of reflection (BY PETER HENSELER); Reflecting or ratifying? (BY KLAUS HEEGER); The constitution and Europe’s future economic model (BY KAROLY LORANT); From cooperation to centralisation (BY KEVIN ELLUL_BONICI); Bringing the state back in (BY JOLANA MUNGENGOVA); EU Constitution ratification in delay (BY KAROLY LORANT); Pushing a dead horse (BY IGOR GRAZIN); La France, un un après le non (BY CHRISTOPHE BEAUDOUIN); Europa Quo-vadis? (BY PETER HENSELER); A Constitution that constitutes many violations (BY GEORGIOS KARATZAFERIS); What they have said. ANTHONY COUGHLAN). Europe by numbers (BY KAROLY LORANT).

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