Abstract
This article considers the impact of the Treaty of Lisbon on national parliaments. The Laeken declaration singled out the role of national parliaments as one of the key issues to be considered in Treaty reform, and the Constitutional Convention identified that their enhanced involvement would help to ‘strengthen the democratic legitimacy of the Union and bring it closer to its citizens’. The article evaluates the subsidiarity monitoring arrangements for national parliaments introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon and argues that, notwithstanding improved procedures and opportunities for participation in EU affairs, these changes will only have a marginal effect upon legislative accountability.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arter, D.: The Folketing and Denmark’s “European Policy”: The Case of an Authorising Assembly, 13 Western European Politics, Special Issue, Parliaments in Western Europe (1990)
Besselink, L.F.M.: National parliaments in the EU’s composite constitution: a plea for a shift in paradigm. In: Kiiver, P. (ed.) National and Regional Parliaments in the European Constitutional Order. Europa Law, Groningen (2006)
Cooper, I.: The watchdogs of subsidiarity: national parliaments and the logic of arguing in the EU. 44 JCMS (2006)
Cygan, A.: National parliaments in an Integrated Europe—An Anglo-German Perspective. Kluwer Law International, The Hague (2001)
Cygan, A.: The United Kingdom Parliament and European Legislation. Kluwer, The Hague (1998)
Gonzalez, J.P.: The Principle of Subsidiarity. 20 ELRev p. 355 (1995)
Kiiver op cit at p. 163
Louis, J.-V.: The Lisbon Treaty: The Irish “No”. National parliaments and the Principle of Subsidiarity—Legal Options and Practical Limits. 4 EUConst (2008)
Maurer, A.: National parliaments in the architecture of Europe after the constitutional treaty. In: Barrett, G. (ed.) National Parliaments and the European Union: The Constitutional Challenge for the Oirechtas and Other Member State Legislatures. Clarus Press, Dublin (2008)
Moravscik, A.: Introduction: the choice for Europe. In: Moravscik, A. (ed.) The Choice for Europe: Social Purposes and State Power from Messina to Maastricht. Cornell University Press, Ithaca (1998)
Norton, P.: Introduction: the institution of parliaments. In: Norton, P. (ed.) Parliaments and Governments in Western Europe. Frank Cass, London (2011)
Raunio, T., Hix, S.: Backbenchers learn to fight back: European Integration and Parliamentary Government. 23 Western European Politics (2003)
Riis, P.: National parliamentary control of EU decision-making in Denmark. In: Tans, O., Zoethout, C., Peters, J. (eds.) National Parliaments and European Democracy: A Bottom-UP Approach to European Constitutionalism. Europa Law, Groningen (2007)
Rittberger, R.: The politics of democratic legitimation in the European Union. Nuffield College Working Papers in Politics—W4. Oxford University (2004)
Tans, O., Zoethout, C., Peters, J. (eds.): National Parliaments and European Democracy—A Bottom-Up Approach to European Constitutionalism. Europa Law, Groningen (2007)
Weatherill, S.: Better competence monitoring. 30 ELRev (2005)
Wyatt, D.: Could a yellow card for national parliaments strengthen judicial as well as political policing of subsidiarity. 2 Croatian Yearbook of European Law and Policy (2006)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This paper is based on a presentation given by the author at the ERA conference Subsidiarity Check, held in Trier on 9–10 June.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cygan, A. National parliaments within the EU polity—no longer losers but hardly victorious. ERA Forum 12, 517–533 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12027-011-0233-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12027-011-0233-9