*** PAUL MAGNETTE: Contrôler l'Europe. Pouvoirs et responsabilité dans l'Union européenne. University of Brussels publications (26 av. Paul Héger, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 6503799 - fax: 6503794 - E-mail: editions@admin.ulb.ac.be - Internet: http: //http://www.editions-universite-bruxelles.be ). "Etudes européennes" series. 2003, 175 pp, 16 euros. ISBN 2-8004-1306-9.
Where does the legitimacy of a political system lie? With what subtle mixtures do citizens express their confidence in or defiance of political power? These questions are as old as politics itself but are today being rekindled by what's happening in Europe. As the author points out in his introduction, massive transnational surveys have demonstrated that the erosion of citizens' confidence in the State is linked to "the sentiment of a lack of power on the part of the public authorities in face of global change", globalisation and European construction tending in this context, to be thrown in the same bag. This explains the tendency of some leaders to think that it is right to focus on the content of the politics - as a way of solving problems felt by citizens citizens rather than their way of being put together. Lecturer in political science and director of the Institute of European Studies at the Free University of Brussels (he also teaches at the Institute of Political Studies in Paris), Paul Magnette refuses this "new commonplace". Firstly, because a system that claims to be based on action alone is condemned to precariousness: "a political system that is not considered legitimate in itself, and only because of the benefits it provides, is exposed to a complete rejection as soon as it is incapable of responding to the expectations of its citizens". Then there is the objection of principle, the Union does not only seek legitimacy, but also wants to be "democratic". Therefore the author does not see why the Union could become democratically legitimate without procedures that would enable the citizen to check whether it is acting on his or her behalf, while the institutional crises that left a stain at the end of the 1990s demonstrate that it "suffers not only from a lack of effectiveness but also in a way that is becoming more visible, a crisis of responsibility".
After recalling the crises that on 15 March 1999 brought down the Commission presided by Jacques Santer and the explanations that were provided by the European Parliament's investigation, including those of the "independent experts' committee", Paul Magnette focuses the main sweep of his book on verifying whether the crisis was "a one- off" or a structural crisis. He also shows how the obstacles with which the formation of a doctrine clashed with the parliamentary responsibility adapted to the Union and how it varies according to the inspection bodies, their structure and the ideology that underpins them. Therefore, incapable of choosing between the two profiles of the Commission (perceived by some as "a neutral body, immune from political influence, which appears to have no need to be controlled, at the behest of an administration, due to the procedural criteria it contains, or by others as a "potential government" to which "mechanism of responsibility should be applied that are typical of parliamentarianism"), MEPs permanently oscillate between the two strategies of control that in practice sit very uneasily together. The same goes for the European Central Bank. Some consider that monetary policy is not a "political question" and are happy to settle for regular exchanges with Wim Duisenberg and his acolytes, while others believe the contrary, that it is up to the Frankfurt institution to contribute to general economic and social objectives and subsequently, to the arena of political dialogue that surrounds its decisions. The author believes that these contrary interpretations have not so far successfully developed a "culture of responsibility that is clearly identifiable, comparable to the activities of the Federal Reserve in the USA". In the last instance, the character that is both Community and intergovernmental of the Council of Ministers has created rivalry in relations or mutual ignorance between national MPs and MEPs "which prevent them from setting up a parliamentary network that corresponds to a network of executives and which leaves vast swathes of Union activities outside their control".
In the second part of the book, Paul Magnette concentrates on the vertical dimension of responsibility, examining in turn the relations that citizens nurture between the Court of Justice and the Ombudsman, as well as the right of petition, which is officially acknowledged. The book is punctuated by cautious conclusions, with the author asking whether a "European Federal Republic" could see the light of day (which he admits, "is no longer just about current theoretical forecasts - even if there is a clear majority involved in a number of initiatives by MEPs and legal or political reflections"), the experience for the Union would then have "shown by the absurd, that the settling of scores is incomplete, or inconceivable, when it is unable to in the final instance produce an electoral sanction".
Michel Theys
*** Annales d'études européennes de l'Université catholique de Louvain. La Déclaration de Laeken… Et après? Etablissements Bruylant (67 rue de la Régence, B-1000 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 5129845 - fax: 5117202 - E-mail: info@bruylant.be - Internet: http: //http://www.bruylant.be ). 2002, No. 6, 272 p., 58 euros. ISBN 2-8027-1645-X.
Just like the previous book, this one tackle developments in European governance but with an approach that is very different. Therefore, David Aubin and Frédéric Varone deal with the matter of integrated management of water and reach the conclusion that "recipes" for good governance contained in the Commission "White Paper" go in the right direction, but are insufficient, given the scale of challenges facing the Union, which is demanding new kind of governance "more adapted to the polycentric character if public policies in Europe. Alexia Autenne and Isabelle Ferreras study the application of the subsidiary principle in a social Europe, focusing particularly on increasing flexibility at work. These aspects are looked at in the much larger context of the debate opened by the Declaration of Laeken. In the perspective of institutional reform, Professor Christian Franck is thus interested in the issue of the president of the Union and outlines how the Councils and Commission could be presided and transformed into a limited Ministerial college that would not be a product of the Parliament but which could not dissolve it either. This "supranational collegial residence" would be, according to Franck, able to overcome the divisions between the Community and intergovernmental methods. Professor Françoise Massart-Pierard goes even further, examining the issue of national Parliaments in the European context and suggests that the cooperation links between them and the European Parliament is institutionalise in the framework of Cosac, which would produce a kind of "renationalisation" of the political control exercised by the European Executive. In his reflection on fundamental rights, Jean-Paul Keppenne considers that accession of the Community to the Convention for the safeguarding of human rights and fundamental freedoms would be the logical outcome of the "constitutionalisation" of the Charter, while Olivier de Schutter suggests that this become "the instrument of choice for dialogue between the Member States and the institutions of the Union in view of advancing in respect of fundamental rights that this produces". Other contributions focus on the significance of the place of agriculture in relations with the Mediterranean world and the WTO, as well as the European identity.
(MT)
*** PIERRE LEQUILLER: Réformer le mode de scrutin européen pour rapprocher l'Europe des citoyens. Délégation pour l'Union européenne de l'Assemblée nationale (Kiosque de l'Assemblée nationale, 4 rue Aristide Briand, F-75007 Paris. Internet: http: //http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr ). "Les documents d'information de l'Assemblée nationale" series, No. 597. 2003, 30 pp., 3.50 euros. ISBN 2-11-116464-X.
While reform of the European electoral process still haunts the corridors of the French National Assembly, the President of the Delegation in charge of European affairs has submitted an information report that is as clear as it is pertinent. It focuses on the way in which French representatives are elected to the European Parliament and what has led the elector to desert the voting booths and abstain from European current affairs the very moment "Europe is becoming more present in the daily life of the French people". Criticism of this electoral process includes the imperfect nature of representation, accompanied by a worrying level of abstentionism, the frittering away of French representation in the Parliament, the deconnection of the electoral process in relation to the development of the Strasbourg institution. The author therefore draws up a list of proposals aiming to mitigate the imperfections of this "sea snake of political life" and retie the knot between the citizen, Europe and more broadly, public affairs.
(AD)
*** Eipascope. European Institute of Public Administration (P.O. Box 1229, N-6201 BE Maastricht. Tel: (31-43) 3296222 - fax: 3296296 - Internet: http: //http://www.eipa.nl ). 2003, No. 1, 72 p..
The period in which the only way to attain Community objectives by way of the law, is long gone: today, European policies are taking shape in a much more mixed environment via a wide range of differing methods. Burgeoning legislation and its technically orientated framework alienate citizens from politics, leaving them bereft and confused. We think too much about the policy while leaving the citizen on the sidelines, who justifiably criticise Europe as, "Brussels", that area encompassing the Belgian capital that could be considered as the twentieth borough of the "European quarter". Edward Best, Head of the EIPA, therefore throws himself into demystifying what makes up European government. He analyses the Europe of today by exploring its methods, subsequently tracing the outlines, that in the future, could provide the instruments for the twenty-five associated countries. In this issue, the main article on sexual equality in the Union is submitted to a double-pronged critique, by both academics and the Norwegian Minister for the Family. Claudia Feria, a lecturer at EIPA, examines the implications of enlargement on preventing illegal immigration.
(AD)
*** AMANDA SLOAT: Scotland in Europe. A Study of Multi-Level Governance. Peter Lang (15 Jupiterstr., Postfach, 3000 Berne 15, Switzerland - E-mail: info@peterlang.com - Internet: http://www.peterlang.com ). 2002, 264 p.. ISBN 3-906766-97-7.
On 6 May 1999, the inhabitants of Scotland elected members of the Scottish Parliament for the first time in almost three hundred years. This Chamber is made up of 129 members and is responsible for most regional issues. The Scottish Executive is, nonetheless, responsible for the implementation for European directives involving decentralised issues and in reality, for almost half of the new Scottish Parliament's work that comes from the European Community. This does, to a certain extent, limit its ability to work autonomously, given that part of its legislative programme is conceived in London and decided in Brussels. This book sets out to examine Scotland's role in Europe. It evaluates the expectations and perceptions of the political élites who are working with the new legislation. After drawing up an historical balance sheet of the Scottish institutions, it examines the stance of three groups of actors involved in the setting up of the Parliament, where they work in close collaboration with it: Scottish civil society, government officials and politicians. A researcher at Queen's University Belfast, Amanda Sloat analyses the goals of the political élites on two key questions. She seeks to initially provide an insight into how politicians and Scottish civil servants participated in the negotiations with the United Kingdom and how their interests are represented in Brussels by the British government. She also illustrates how decentralisation could impact in this domain. The book also attempts to shed light on the way in which the Scottish political classes now interpret the management of public affairs within the new Constitutional framework.
(MF)
*** PHILIPPE QUEME: L'Etat peut-il réussir ses réformes ? Pour un nouveau souffle. L'Harmattan (5-7 rue de l'Ecole Polytechnique, F-75005 Paris). 2002,477 pp, 38 euros. ISBN 2-7475-2089-7.
This books seeks to pay "homage to those in politics who refuse to become politicians, the technicians who won't become technocrats and the, élites who resist élitisme"… Although the main thrust focuses on France and its difficulties to reform over the last forty years, this book is also, naturally, of interest to those beyond the country's borders. This is all the more the case, given that the author has observed what has happened in other European countries, in order to cast light on specific problems in France: lack of "strategies for change" within the French political class, dogmatism of the political parties, unions lacking any alternatives, élitism in society and above all, the "inextricable" role of the French State. On the basis of this diagnostic, it propose the "ten commandments of perfect reform" before concluding that European integration is surely, despite the vast "black hole" of social Europe, the most effective vector of introducing reforms in France.
(MT)
*** GERARD DRUESNE: Droit de l'Union européenne et politiques communautaires. Presses universitaires de France (6 av. Reille, F-75014 Paris. Internet: http://www.puf.com ). "Droit fondamental" series. 2002, 633 p., 39 euros. ISBN 2-13-053157-1.
In the seventh edition of this book, the author, former Chancellor of the Université de Nancy II and current director of the European Institute of Public Administration in Maastricht, examines the "legal system in the internal Community market ". He then explores the freedom of movement, competition rules and harmonisation of national legislation. Gérard Druesne then provides a methodological description and insight into Community policies.
(AD)
*** La COMMISSION EUROPEENNE (Official Publications Office of the European Communities, L-2985, Luxembourg. Internet: http: //publications.eu.int) has published the following document:
*** Le Magazine. DG Education and Culture (Fax: (32-2) 2991111 - E-mail: eac-info@cec.eu.int - Internet: http: //europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/education_culture/mag). 2003, No. 19, 2/03, 24 p..
Published in French, English, German, Italian and Spanish, this issue of the European education and cultural magazine primarily focuses on the enlarged Union, highlighting its Community programmes on education and culture - Tempus, Leonardo, Socrates etc. - which were the first to be open to candidate countries. An assessment of the progress already achieved in these countries remains to be carried out, as well as an examination of the geographical expansion of the Erasmus programme help make this concise publication both useful illustrative.
*** Elargissement de l'Union européenne: un nouvel horizon. Assemblée des Chambres françaises de commerce et d'industrie (European Service, 1-2 av. des Arts, Bte 9, B-1210 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 2210411 - fax: 2176987 - Internet: http: //http://www.acfci.cci.fr ). 2003, 23 pp.
Accomplished with the support of the Commission, this brochure was devised to provide economic operators with the keys to better identify and understand the stakes and potential of the next European enlargement. It provides a presentation of the future Member States and the accession process and then provides a look at some of the responses to the main questions brought to the fore by enlargement. It also contains an exploration of the opportunities for companies and contains information that is useful for understanding this area better. An version electronic version is available on the Internet address mentioned above.
*** Les nouvelles du Grip. Groupe de recherche et d'information sur la paix et la sécurité (33 rue Van Hoorde, B-1030 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 2418420 - fax: 2451933 - E-mail: admi@grip.org - Internet: http://www.grip.org ). 2003, No. 27, 8 p.. Subscription: 15 euros (Belgium) or 16 euros (Europe).
This Grip newsletter focuses entirely on the war in Iraq and the "dangerous foundations of the Bush doctrine", namely unilateralism and the militarism to which "Europe must build a peaceful and multilateral alternative in order to help stability and democratisation of the Middle East". Other articles explore the situation that the USA will have to face, given the "disproportionate peace" of resorting to force and the "greatest challenge ever facing humanity".
*** La lettre de Confrontations. Confrontations (41 rue Emile Zola, F-93107 Montreuil Cedex. Tel: (33-1) 49881194 - fax: 49881184 - E-mail: confrontations@wanadoo.fr - Internet: http://www.confrontations.org ). February-March 2003, 24 pp. 4.60 euros.
"War doesn't bring democracy", is the title of "one" of the letters written by MEP Philippe Herzog and illustrated, on every pages, with examples of Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian civilisations. In an interview, Lebanese intellectual George Corm provides a critical account of relations between the Arab East and the West, as well as his vision of a renewed partnership with Europe. In a two-way dialogue, Hans Stark, researcher at the French Institute of International Relations, explains that the majority of European governments would like to see US domination, whereas Stephan Martens form the Institute of International and Strategic Relations considers that France and Germany are playing a positive role in affirming the strategic interests of Europe in a multipolar world. The main article concentrates on the issue of whether, six months before the WTO conference in Cancun, multilatralism still has a future. Other subjects looked at include, the risk of deflation in Germany and the "new railway borders" in Europe.
*** Economia Exterior. Estudios de Política Exterior (6 Padilla, 28006 Madrid. Tel: (34-91) 4312628 - fax: 5777252 - E-mail: revista@politicaexterior.com - Internet: http: //http://www.politicaexterior.com ). Spring 2003, No. 24, 192 pp, 13 euros.
In the wake of the Spanish-Moroccan tensions over Parsley Island, this edition of Economia Exterior examines relations between the two countries. It also provides an insight into the Moroccan perspective regarding the economy and the immediate future of their country. The Moroccan Minister of Finance introduces this issue with an analysis of the country's economic health. Relations between the two countries are presented by the former Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fernando Moran. Fisheries, immigration, debt and investment conversion programmes, development of the telecommunications sector, tourism and relations between Spanish and Moroccan companies are also some of the other subjects tackled.