*** RICCARDO VUILLERMOZ: La Belgique, l'Espagne et l'Italie face à l'intégration communautaire. Quelle adaptation des rapports entre l'Etat et ses collectivités régionales ? Bruylant (67 rue de la Régence, B-1000 Brussels. Tel. (32-2) 5129845 - Fax: 5117202 - Courriel: info@bruylant.be - Internet: http://www.bruylant.be ). 2003, 798 p., 140 euros. ISBN 2-8027-1643-3.
A rapporteur these days at the European Commission, Riccardo Vuillermoz has written a fine book (the outcome of a thesis for Université Pierre Mendès France in Grenoble) which is essential reading if one desires to understand the repercussions of the European project in terms of the organisation and functioning of three Member States committed for years now to a procss of regionalisation and federalisation. In the first part of the book, the author examines the way regional bodies are involved in the drafting of EU law in its two dimensions, institutionnal and procedural, in terms of the formation of the national position and also in terms of representation on EU institutions and bodies. In the second part, he studies how EU law impacts on the sharing of legislative power in the three countries in question, partiularly in terms of implementation requirements and the participation of regional authorities in E! U dispute settlement procedures. In his analysis, he deduces that Member States' adaption to joining the EU's legal system (he argues in passing that Belgium is not a federal state - which is challenged by Prof. Yves Lejeune in the preface) takes the form of greater involvement of regional bodies. In terms of the drafting of EU law, regional bodies' involvement is greatest in Belgium. In Spain it is quite limited and it is virtually non-existent in Italy. The same applies, grosso modo, to the implementation of EU law. The central argument developed in the book is that the regional state in this connection is standing at an unavoidable crossroads Either it fails to sufficiently change its structures and launches into a gradual process of recentralising its powers, or it changes its structures and establishes federal involvement and cooperation methods. An enlightening book!
Michel Theys
*** TOM ARBUTHNOTT: Is Europe reviving national democracy ? The Foreign Policy Centre (British Council, Leopold Plaza, 108 rue du Trône, B-1050 Brussels. Tel. (32-2) 2270840 - Fax: 2270849 - Internet: http: //http://www.britishcouncil.org/belgium ). "Next Generation Democracy" series, No. 5. 2003, 31 pp.
At the national level, many politicians seem to have lost confidence in the citizens they represent. As far as the author of this brochure is concerned, the European Union gives national electorates the possibility of assuming better control over the action of their governments through comparisons based on statistical indicators and 'best practice' with the executive powers of other Member States. Pointing out the dangers to be avoided when using statistics as a comparative tool, Tom Arbuthnott explains how to use the full range of indicators to compare reforms implemented by governments as part of the Lisbon Process. The author sees the European Parliament, the only institution with transnational legitimacy, as having the role of setting indicators and having the power to criticise governments that fail to meet their obligations. He argues that national parliaments, trade unions and non-governmental organisations! should more closely monitor the activity of their governments on European Union bodies.
(IDo)
*** FRITZ BREUSS, MARKUS ELLER: Efficiency and Federalism in the European Union. The Optimal Assignment of Policy Tasks to Different Levels of Government. Research Institute for European Affairs (University of Economics and Business Administration, 39-45 Althanstrasse, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. Tel. (43-1) 31336, 4135, 4134, 4133 - Fax: 31336, 7585, 756 - europafragen@wu-wien.ac.at)."Working Paper", No. 50. 2003, 45 pp, 7.20 euros.
A beautiful intellectual exercise consisting of comparing the outcome of theoretical research by an impressive panel of authors and researchers into the pros and cons of decentralisation in the European Union, looking at a range of aspects (economics, taxation, policies, defence and the environment) with empirical analysis that can be made of decentralisation as it is actually carried out in practice. It comes as a surprise to see the extent to which elements are counter-balanced in the analysis, supported by statistics and observations, for the series of countries surveyed, depending on their degree of decentralisation. Fiscal levers and counter-levers, additional costs and benefits and desired costs and benefits, are all lost in a haze of ambiguity in the necessary case by case analysis. These considerations cannot but lead us to the wise conclusion that care should be taken to ensure that measures to be taken! can be reversed as far as possible in order that it is always possible to reverse decisions taken on the basis of theory, even the most detailed theory, depending on how things actually pan out in practice, since the opposite of any theory can also be proved.
(FOc)
*** LIESBET HOOGHE, GARY MARKS: Unraveling the Central State, But How? Types of Multi-Level Governance. Institut für Höhere Studien (56 Stumpergasse, A-1060 Vienna. Tel. (43-1) 59991-0 - Fax: 59991-555 - Internet: http: //http://www.ihs.ac.at ). "Political Science" series, No. 87. 2003, 27 pp, 6 euros.
According to many a researcher in politics, power-sharing between different levels is more flexible than centralisation. Beyond agreement on this statement, however, researchers fail to agree on how multi-level governance should be structured. Liesbet Hooghe and Gary Marks conceptualise two governance models in the light of research carried out into local government, public policy, federalism and European integration, along with international relations. After describing the two models, the authors contextualise them in their theoretical currents, going on to develop a functional argument to explain why the two models coexist, proposing several different manners of organising political life.
(IDo)
*** PIERRE LEQUILLER: Vers un statut des partis politiques européens. Délégation pour l'Union européenne de l'Assemblée nationale (Kiosque de l'Assemblée nationale, 4 rue Aristide Briand, F-75007 Paris. Tel. (33-1) 40636121 - Internet: http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr ). "Rapport d'information", No. 816. 2003, 42 pp, 3.50 euros. ISBN 2-11-117045-3.
European level political parties were recognised for the first time in 1992 in Article 191 of the Maastricht Treaty as an 'important element of integration'. But this Article did not suffice for the establishment of Community legislation. It was the Nice Treaty that finally gave the Council and the European Parliament the task of using the co-decision procedure to decide on the statute of European political parties and regulations governing how they are to be funded. At the beginning of the year, the Commission unveiled a draft regulation to this end. It defines a European political party and sets out criteria for registering and funding European political parties. As the author (President of the French national assembly's delegation for the European Union) notes, it is actually more a matter of stipulating how parties are to be registered than an actual statute as such. The idea of a 'European political party' is in ! itself controversial and gives rise to misunderstandings. This small pamphlet is highly useful for understanding how the issue arose but events have outstripped it since in the meantime, the regulation in question has been adopted, subject to a handful of amendments.
(MF)
*** DAVID TRAVERS, HANNEKE COPPOLECCHIA, ALLAN TOMLINS: European Affairs Committees. The Influence of National Parliaments on European Policies. European Centre for Parliamentary Research and Documentation (European Parliament, ASP 05D51, 51 rue Wiertz, B-1047 Brussels. Tel. (32-2) 2844560 - Fax: 2849005 - Internet: http: //http://www.ecprd.org ). 2002, 108 pp.
To reduce the democratic deficit from which the European Union is suffering, national parliaments should become intermediaries between European bodies and citiziens, should carefully examine the position of their governments on the Council and make closer links with the European Parliament. This view is argued by David Travers, Hanneke Coppolecchia and Allan Tomlins in this new publication by the European Centre for Parliamentary Research and Documentation. The authors analyse the implications of the Maastricht Treaty and the protocol annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty on national parliaments' capacity to control their government's position on the Council, the collective role of national parliaments, information for national parliaments and the institutionalisation of COSAC. The authors make a comparative study of European Affairs Committees in the national parliaments of the fifteen current Member States and the ! thirteen candidate countries.
(IDo)
*** RICHARD CORBETT, FRANCIS JACOBS, MICHAEL SHACKLETON: The European Parliament. John Harper Publishing (27 Palace Gates Road, London N22 7 BW, UK. Tel. (44-20) 88814774 - Fax: 88814774 - jhpublish@aol.com). 2003, 343 pp, £15. ISBN (cased): 0-9543811-0-6
"To sum up, a comprehensive book written by experienced authors, clearly describing in detail the democratic heart of the European Union", wrote Agence Europe about one of the previous editions of this book, published in 1990, 1992, 1995 and 2000, before the current redrafting for the new millenium in 2003 of what has been described by Pat Cox as a "priceless guide". Written by Richard Corbett MEP, spokesman for the Socialist Group for constitutional affairs, along with Francis Jacobs and Michaël Shackleton, two high-ranking European Parliament officials, this great classic is a reference book on the European Parliament, its structures, its operating and current and potential scope of activity. Essential reading.
(FOc)
*** CHRISTIAN PHILIP: Premier rapport annuel sur la transposition des directives. Délégation pour l'Union européenne de l'Assemblée nationale (see above). "Rapport d'information", No. 1009. 2003, 225 pp, 6.50 euros. ISBN 2-11-116457-7.
The first issue in a series aiming to be as short as possible. Taking as its starting point that France's balance sheet in terms of transposing EU directives is negative, the French national assembly's Delegation for the European Union decided to publish an annual assessment to change tack. Rapporteur Christian Philip puts his finger on obstacles encountered in the French system and suggests ways of improving the set-up, reporting on recent progress. The biggest part of the report is given over to listing directives not yet transposed, or only partially transposed, as at 30 June 2003. Each is accompanied by a factsheet giving information such as the aim of the directive, deadlines, progress to date with transposing it and legal proceedings, if that stage has been reached. A commentary aims to assess why transposition has been delayed. There is also a note assessing the state of transposition in the other Member State!
(NJo)
*** CHARLES-ETIENNE LAGASSE: Les nouvelles institutions politiques de la Belgique et de l'Europe. Editions Erasme (2 place Baudouin 1er, B-5004 Namur). 2003, 632 pp. ISBN 2-87127-783-4.
Like the two previous editions, this edition aims to help readers find their way through the jungle of Belgian and European institutions and concepts. It aims to provide readers with keys to help them gain greater understanding of the “Belgian system” and the European project, aware that “behind the genuine complexity of the institutions a logic tends to be hidden, usually more of a historical or political logic than a legal one”. A high-ranking official in the Communauté Wallonie-Bruxelles in Belgium, Charles-Etienne Lagasse - who lectures on Belgian and European institutions in several higher education institutions in Brussels - wanted the book to be as informative as possible and user-friendly for both beginners and the experienced. Various fonts are used to indicate varying levels of profundity in the text. The author basically
(Njo)
*** CLAES DE VREESE: Communicating Europe. Foreign Policy Centre (see above). “Next Generation Democracy” series, No. 6. 2003, 39 pp.
This study looks at the love-hate relationship between the media (television in particular) and the European Union. Claes de Vreese, Assistant Professor and researcher at Amsterdam School of Communications Research, argues that the European Union is suffering from a democratic deficit accentuated by a communications deficit. For this reason, he calls for communication strategies to be adopted and for new information technology to be harnessed to give the institutions an accessible human face. The author also recommends greater cooperation between European politicians and national communication systems with the aim, in his view, of sending European information and stories to the national level so they can be debated and better understood. He also suggests making better use of the communication potential of the European Commissioners and making the European Union “visible outside Brussels” by continui! Ng to hold ministerial summits in other European cities.
(Mro)
*** The EUROPEAN COMMISSION (Official Publications Office of the European Communities, L-2985 Luxembourg. Internet: http: //publications.eu.int) has published the following document:
*** Nouvelles compétences pour combattre les discriminations. DG Employment and Social Affairs (B-1049 Brussels). 2003, 14 pp.
Anna Diamantopoulou, Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner, briefly sets out in this public information sheet the new measures for combatting discrimination that come into force this year. The new legislation bans discrimination at work and training on the basis of race and ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion and beliefs, age or disability. Measures to counter racial discrimination also cover other areas, like education, social security, healthcare, access to goods and housing.
*** Le Courrier. Le magazine de la coopération au développement ACP-UE. DG Development (B-1049 Brussels. Internet: http: //europa.eu.int/comm/developement/body/publications/publications_ courier_fr.cfm). May-June 2003, No. 198, 72 pp.
Alongside items currently in the news like liberalising the textile market and the call for tender for ACP country films, this issue of the ACP newsletter includes a very detailed report on post-conflict rehabilitation, a sensitive issue the importance of which is underscored by the series of wars in sub-Saharan Africa. There is also a report on Botswana in Southern Africa which continues to face problems despite having been upgraded to the status of a medium income country.
*** Europa. Ecole supérieure de journalisme de Lille (50 rue Gauthier-de-Châtillon, F-59046 Lille Cedex. Tel. (33-3) 20304402 - Fax: 20304493 - Courriel: esj-international@esj-lille.fr - Internet: http://www.esj-lille.fr ). July 2003, No. 2, 28 pp, 3 euros.
This magazine, a supplement to the Cahiers du journalisme, is published in English by students at Lille Journalism College. It aims to provide a picture of French society in articles looking at, for example, transatlantic tension because of the Gulf War, how the Common Agricultural Policy impacts French farmers, and the French way of life.
*** Liaisons sociales Europe. Groupe Liaisons (1 Avenue Edouard-Belin, F-92500 Rueil-Malmaison. Tel. (33-825) 825371 - Fax: (33-1) 44722027 - Internet: http//http://www.ls-europe.com ). September 2003, No. 86, 8 pp, 31 euros. Annual subscription: 757.58 euros.
The first three pages of this review look at the Commission's adoption of a regulation establishing European Cooperative Societies, which the cooperative world has been awaiting for the past twenty years. The magazine also looks at workers' rights to prior consultation in European works councils, and pension reform in France.
*** Gérer et comprendre. Editions ESKA (12 rue du Quatre-Septembre, F-75002 Paris. Tel. (33-1) 42865573 - Fax: 42604535 - Internet: http: //http://www.eska.fr ). "Annales des Mines". June 2003, No. 72, 82 pp, 20.58 euros. ISBN 274720553-3.
This review considers corruption by Argentinian companies. Other topics considered include mediation (illustrated through the experience of the French railways, "SNCF"), how entrepreneurial temperament can be encouraged in big companies and organisation, the problems involved in popularising successful pilot projects within an organisation, restoring trust between companies and investors and what happens to collective work in transitory groups and groups which cross paths…
Reviews in brief
*** The European Declaration on Paper Recovery: Annual report 2002. ERPA, FEFCO, CEPI. October 2003, Brussels. An annual report on paper recycling in Europe. *** Special Recycling, 2002 Statistics. Confederation of European Paper Industries. October 2003, Brussels. The report publishes statistics and graphs from the above-mentioned Annual Report *** Annual report 2002. European Savings Banks Group. 2003, Brussels. Annual Report of the European Savings Banks Group. *** Look Japan. Look Japan Ltd. No. 571, October 2003, Tokyo. This magazine takes a brief look at Japan's security policy from the end of the Second World War to recent changes in defence legislation.