Teiwaz
05-30-2006, 04:28 AM
When I was over in France and Germany in 2005 the papers were all covering the EU constitution, and what was going to happen. The French were looking like saying no, so were the dutch, and that is how it went.
Here is what it looks like at the moment http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/09_01_05_constitution.pdf
What the constitution says:
The Union is said to be subsidiary to member states and can act only in those areas where "the objectives of the intended action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the member states but can rather... be better achieved at Union level." The principle is established that the Union derives its powers from the member states.
What it means:
The idea is to stop the Union from encroaching on the rights of member states other than in areas where the members have given them away. Critics say that the EU can act in so many areas that this clause does not mean much but supporters say it will act as a brake and is an important constitutional principle.
This is a great article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2950276.stm
Hewre is where it all stands at the moment:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3954327.stm
So far, 13 countries have fully ratified the constitution, two of them by referendum; two have very nearly finished ratifying it, one is likely to ratify it in the next few months; and two have rejected it.
That leaves seven countries where the constitution is on ice.
It's like herding cats!
Here is what it looks like at the moment http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/09_01_05_constitution.pdf
What the constitution says:
The Union is said to be subsidiary to member states and can act only in those areas where "the objectives of the intended action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the member states but can rather... be better achieved at Union level." The principle is established that the Union derives its powers from the member states.
What it means:
The idea is to stop the Union from encroaching on the rights of member states other than in areas where the members have given them away. Critics say that the EU can act in so many areas that this clause does not mean much but supporters say it will act as a brake and is an important constitutional principle.
This is a great article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2950276.stm
Hewre is where it all stands at the moment:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3954327.stm
So far, 13 countries have fully ratified the constitution, two of them by referendum; two have very nearly finished ratifying it, one is likely to ratify it in the next few months; and two have rejected it.
That leaves seven countries where the constitution is on ice.
It's like herding cats!