*** MARIE-THERESE BITSCH: Histoire de la construction européenne. Editions Complexe (24 rue de Bosnie, B-1060 Brussels). "Questions à l'Histoire" series. 2004, 401 pp. ISBN 2-8048-0021-0.
When is comes to questions of history, and even more when it comes to actually writing history, it is wise to have a degree of understanding of the recent past (although everything is relative in history). Knowing where one comes from can sometimes help us avoid having to re-invent the wheel or fall into the same (or worse) traps as in the past. At a time when all the European Union Member States will be attempting to agree on the Financial Perspectives for the EU up until 2013, it would be useful, for example, for decision-makers to take into account not just the demands of the here and now, but also have an idea of the historical backdrop and the spirit of the decisions to be taken.
This is where books like this volume by Marie-Thérèse Bitsch come in. Her book tells the tale of the European project from 1945 to the present day. Professor in modern history at the Institut des hautes études européennes at Robert Schuman University in Strasbourg, the author describes the ins and outs of all the different stages along the road to European unity since the tragic wake-up call of the Second World War. In the first part of the book, the 'variable geometry' responses of 1947 to 54 are outlined (like setting up the Western European Union and the OEEC, creating the Council of Europe, and the first supra-national authority, the ECSC, and the unsuccessful embryonic EDC and EPC). Marie-Therese Bitsch then looks at changes in the six-country European Community from 1955 to 1972 ("From Messina to Rome", launching the Common Market, the problems encountered in 1963-69 such as General de Gaulle's veto and the 'empty chair crisis', the turn-around in 1969 and the first round of enlargement). In the third part of the book, she considers further growth and enlargement from 1973 to the present day.
This very detailed and reader-friendly description is at pains to analyse the European construction process in all its dimensions. Prof. Bitsch successfully demonstrates the role of politicians, heads of state, ministers and Eurocrats, and otherwise the attitude of public opinion across the board or at least some of its organised influence groups, like political parties, professional organisations and pressure groups. The author also looks at how decisions were taken on the areas to be integrated and how integration (and therefore the institutions) should be organised. She ends by attempting to sketch out a balance sheet of the process by looking at how far cohesion has progressed and unifying Europe's influence in the world. As part of this process, the book provides the beginnings of an answer to the question of whether there is continuity in the aspirations for unity or whether the process launched half a century ago is simply a response to the needs of the moment at each stage of its history. The jury is still out on this question and the answer will be influenced by the decisions to be taken in the next few months…
Michel Theys
*** STEVEN VAN HECKE, EMMANUEL GERARD (Eds.): Christian Democratic Parties in Europe since the End of the Cold War. Leuven University Press (Europahuis, Blijde-Inkomststraat 5, B-3000 Louvain. Tel: (32-16) 325345 - Fax: 325352 - E-mail: universitaire.pers@upers.kuleuven.ac.be - Internet: http://www.upl.be ). "Kadoc-Studies on Religion, Culture and Society". 2004, 320 pp, €29. ISBN 90-5867- 377-4.
Since the end of the Cold War, the European integration process has moved up a gear, accompanied by a seismic shift in political ideology and the emergence of new a political world. This book by a series of political scientists and historians from various universities attempts to analyse the impact of these phenomena on Christian Democrat parties in Europe, and the way these parties have responded to the new challenges facing them by, for example, making closer links with other types of political party. The essays aim to explain how and why the approaches taken are successful in some cases, but fail in others. Through comparative and trans-national studies, the book highlights both the general and the specific in European Christian Democrat thinking. Summing up, Emmanuel Gérard and Steven Van Hecke distinguish between two periods of change in Christian Democrat parties since the end of the Cold War. Virtually all parties supported by more than 15% of the electorate were in gradual decline until around 1998-99, with the exception of Italy, which saw a sudden implosion of Christian Democracy in 1994. But since the start of the new decade, the fortunes of the Christian Democratic parties in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands have started to rise. The complete opposite has been seen in Christian Democrat parties in Scandinavia. The editors conclude that the path to success or failure has not been traced in advance, and the situation is highly influenced by the period in question and the type and size of the different Christian Democrat parties.
(STu)
*** PASCAL DELWIT (Ed.): Où va la social-démocratie européenne ? Editions de l'Université libre de Bruxelles (26 av. Paul Héger, B-1000 Brussels. Tel.: (32-2) 6503799 - Fax: 6503794 - e-mail: editions@admin.ulb.ac.be - Internet: http://www.editions-universite-bruxelles.be ). "Sociologie politique" series. 2004, 266 pp, €19.50. ISBN 2-8004-1340-9.
Predominantly made up of essays by some of Europe's leading lecturers in politics (from Socialist and Social Democratic parties), this book takes an in-depth look at the transformations experienced by Social Democracy in this current period from all different aspects, whether changes in models of organisation, political performance and electoral success, relations with trade unions and non-governmental organisations or reactions to the emergence of competing political formations and values, changes in ideological outlook and programmes. At the outset, Pascal Delwit, head of the Centre d'étude de la vie politique de l'Université libre de Bruxelles, the authors basically analyse, over and above the electoral fortunes and daily shifts in the world of politics, how the family of Social Democratic parties across the European continent has already changed and what might be expected in the future. For the first time, in fact (and this is an additional strong point of this book) the authors do not focus exclusively on western Europe but also study Social Democratic parties in the new democracies to the east, in other words organisations describing themselves as Social Democratic in central and eastern Europe. The book outlines both the similarities and the differences of these new parties.
(MT)
*** RONALD TIERSKY (Ed.): Europe Today. National Politics, European Integration and European Security. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers ( 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706, USA. Tel.: (1-800) 4626420 - Internet: http://www.rowmanlittlefield.com ). "Europe Today" series. 2004, 515 pp. ISBN 0-7425-2805-7.
Edited by a professor of politics at Amherst College, this collection of academic essays takes a committed look at the post-Cold War period in Europe. In the first part of the book, the European Union's affirmation as an entity is gauged in the light of the impact of the Iraq war and relations between Europe and the United States, the European Constitution, Economic and Monetary Union, EU enlargement and the situation regarding NATO. Globalisation and the battle for the supremacy of international law are also studied. The second part of the book takes a more specific look at various countries of Europe, namely re-unified Germany, post-Gaullist France, the UK playing hot and cold with Europe, Italy 'searching for a state', Spain wavering between a big and a medium-sized power, the hesitant role of Scandinavia and the new Poland. The book will be a precious working tool for students, particularly given its associated website where updated information can be obtained. It provides a coherent view of inter-European conflict and Europe's role on the global stage, relying on the most recent data, including anti-European feeling in the United States and anti-American feeling in Europe.
(LD)
*** THIERRY COOSEMANS: La composition du Parlement européen élu en juin 2004. Centre de Recherche et d'Information Socio-Politiques (1A place Quetelet, B-1210 Brussels. Tel: (32-2) 2110180 - Fax: 2197934 - E-mail: crisp@cfwb.be - Internet: http://www.crisp.be ). "Courrier hebdomadaire" series, No. 1851. 2004, 38 pp. € 6.90.
This "Courrier hebdomadaire" or weekly newsletter provides a presentation of the new European Parliament: 732 MEPs elected by direct universal suffrage in 25 Member States. Most of the MEPs are members of the 7 main political groups at parliament. After having mentioned the main changes undergone at the European Parliament during the last legislature (including the arrival of 162 observers from the ten future new Member States at the time), the author describes the setting up of the political groups for the new legislature. Coosemans analyses the composition of the groups and their respective strengths. He then points out that the European Parliament remains an institution riven by complex differences, which is the basis of its original character. In the author's mind, the arrival of 162 MEPs from the ten new Member States should not alter the majority view of European integration at the Parliament, even if it is true that these MEPs have often been elected during national electoral campaigns. In an effort to illustrate the new balance of forces resulting from the most recent elections, the author finally alludes to the first test of the presidential election, as well as the sharing out of the different posts.
(MT)
*** JEROME LAMBERT: Vers une Europe plus démocratique et plus efficace: les parlements nationaux, nouveaux garants du principe de subsidiarité. Délégation de l'Assemblée nationale pour l'Union européenne (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. 1919. 2004, 91 pp, €3.50. ISBN 2-11-118850-6.
A protocol annexed to the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe makes national parliaments the new guarantors of subsidiarity, namely respect of power sharing between the European Union and its Member States. For the two French parliamentarians who penned this news report, national parliaments will, in this way, be able to examine draft legislation submitted to them by the European institutions, mainly the European Commission, and fully exercise their mission of ensuring democratic control of European affairs. Likewise, they argue, national parliaments will help make the European project more understandable and give it more legitimacy with citizens. This report describes the political challenges surrounding respect of subsidiarity and includes suggestions of how the French national assembly might exercise the new rights granted to national parliaments.
(MT)
*** The Fourth Phase of Work of the National Forum on Europe, February 2003 to June 2004. Chairman's Report. Government Publications Sales Office (Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2). 2004, 86 pp., €6.35.
Striking a balance between Member States, governance, legitimacy, transparency, sovereignty and sensitive political issues are all areas where the European Union cannot afford to fail if it is to provide itself with a Constitution, a flagship described by its supporters in nothing but glowing colours. Ireland is an active participant in this debate, having organised a National Forum on Europe. In four tranches, from October 2001 to June 2004, a total of 76 meetings were held on themes as varied and wide-ranging as economics, defence, justice and education. The meetings gave Ireland the opportunity to draw up a balance sheet of its membership of the European venture. The meeting of minds organised in the fourth phase of work of the National Forum on Europe, from February 2003 to June 2004, described in this volume, ended in a more upbeat view of the future of Europe, in the form of the new Constitutional Treaty.
(APa)
*** PIET EECKHOUT: External Relations of the European Union. Legal and Constitutional Foundations. Oxford University Press (Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP - Internet: http://www.oup.com ). "Oxford EC Law Library" series. 2004, 490 pp. ISBN 0-19-925165-7.
The European institutions have given rise to a veritable system of European foreign relations law through the signing of international agreements, participation in international organisations, and legislation and regulations concerning foreign relations. Issues and questions of this type often have a great impact on constitutional questions. Piet Eeckhout, Professor of European Law and Director of the European Law Centre of Kings College in London (who also lectures at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium), looks in this book at the foundations (the Nice Treaty and draft Constitutional Treaty), powers and instruments that make up this system. He first considers the legal foundations of foreign trade policy, international agreements like GATT and the WTO, and international law. His approach, however, focuses on trade policy and foreign and security policy, with a chapter of this highly comprehensive book looking at human rights.
(LD)
*** The EUROPEAN COMMISSION (Official Publications Office of the European Communities, L-2985 Luxembourg. Internet: http: //publications.eu.int) has published the following document:
*** Rapport du groupe de haut niveau sur l'avenir de la politique sociale dans une Union européenne élargie. 2004, 69 pp. ISBN 92-894-7985-X
The European Union's economic policy generally outstrips its social policy, which is why the upcoming social agenda for the EU, for the period 2006-2010, is particularly important, providing an opportunity to strike a new balance between the two policies. The Commission has therefore set up a high-ranking group to identify major challenges, regarding enlargement for example, or the ageing population, or globalisation and suggest ways of dealing with them, like putting back the retirement age, ensuring young people find their place in society or promoting good governance in social affairs across all of Europe. This report does not cover the entire social agenda, but focuses on the social guidelines prepared by the high-level group, which also took a long view, beyond the framework of social policy itself to touch on education and innovation.
*** Bulletin de l'Observatoire des politiques économiques en Europe. Observatoire des politiques économiques en Europe - Pôle européen de gestion et d'économie (61 av. de la Forêt Noire, F-67085 Strasbourg Cedex. Tel.: (33-3) 88150545 - Fax: 88368611 - E-mail: thierry.stolle@urs.u-strasbg.fr - Internet: http: //opee.u-strasbg.fr). Winter 2004, No. 11, 31 pp.
This issue looks at the European economy in 2004, which witnessed economic growth in some area, but not much inroad was made into unemployment and the performance of the eurozone was deceptive to say the least. 2004 was also, however, the year of the Constitutional Treaty. What progress does the Treaty outline in terms of economic and monetary governance? The newsletter highlights the fact that economists have not paid much attention to this issue, and therefore aims to contribute to the debate in the next 'pre-election' six month period. There are articles, for example, on the consumer price index, the EU's economic and social cohesion policy and the situation facing industry.
*** Liaisons sociales Europe. Groupe Liaisons (1 av. Edouard-Belin, F-92500 Rueil-Malmaison. Tel.: (33-8) 25800929 - Fax: (33-1) 44722027 - Internet: http//http://www.liaisons-sociales.com ). November 2004, No. 115, 12 pp, 32 euros. Annual subscription: 867.85 euros.
This issue focuses on the Lisbon Strategy. As expected, the Wim Kok report rubs Member States up the wrong way, stressing the urgent need, for example, to apply the Lisbon Strategy, rather than resting on one's laurels. The time has come to carry out work in the field to make up for lost time. The magazine points out, in fact, what the Employment Task Force is recommending and urges Member States to step up their efforts to achieve the Lisbon targets. Other articles look at power sharing in signing the social security agreement and the stalled negotiations over the working time directive.
*** Europe Infos. The Catholic European Study and Information Centre, Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community. (42 rue de Stévin, B-1000 Brussels - Tel.: (32-2) 2350510 - Fax: 230334 - E-mail: europeinfos@comece.org). November 2004, No. 65, 12pp. Annual subscription: 27 euros.
This issue covers a variety of topics, like the question of Turkey joining the European Union, the highly topical issue of how the 10 new Member States will impact in terms of company relocation, and looking back at Romano Prodi's term of office. There is a dossier on the 5th Assembly meeting of the EU and Asia and links between East and West. Other questions tackled have a more religious bent, like the role of civil society and the Church in the European Treaty, euthanasia and the impact of the 'Semaines Sociales' in France.
Reviews in brief
***Focus sur la Flandre. Edition Lanoo. December 2004, No.44, Tielt. One of the subjects covered in this issue is the impact of Belgians repatriating foreign investment to Belgium. ***The Japan Journal. The Japan Journal Ltd. November 2004, No. 1, Tokyo. One of the issues covered by this magazine is current changes in Japanese farming.