Suchergebnisse

"The enactment and enforcement of law is regarded as one of the most important attributes of sovereign statehood. Traditionally, 'sovereignty' has been understood as meaning the special quality of a state expressed in its ability to shape its own legal system and to enforce it within the territorial limits of its jurisdiction. Hence the question of the extent to which member states of the European Union are still masters of their legal systems turns out to be a crucial test of their sovereignty. This chapter argues that the legal system of Germany is a Europeanized legal system, in terms both of a European modification of national laws and of a Europeanization of legal culture and modes of governance. This argument takes the form of testing the degree of Europeanization in six different cases, including the field of constitutional law. The conclusion is that the legal system of Germany is a Europeanized legal system and that the German legal profession is quite aware of this development. However, the relationship between the EU and the member states is not to be regarded as an exclusive 'top-down' process. Looking at two examples drawn from public law, the chapter shows that the political and legal European multi-level system can be understood as an ongoing process of interaction between the EU and the national legal systems." (author's abstract)

While the process of Europeanization is well on its way, a European civil society similar to national civil societies is still missing. Instead of a civil society on the European level, the author finds a transformation of the nation-state, including its economy, politics, juridical system, society, &, thereby, its specific form of civil society. The elements of this process of Europeanization are analyzed: the European constitution, European collective symbols, & European networks of civil society actors. Discussing opportunities to further the establishment of European networks, the author expects the emergence of a European civil society in the long run. 22 References. Adapted from the source document.

Eine Untersuchung der europäischen Verfassungswirklichkeit mit Hilfe unterschiedlicher Verfassungsproben (Stufenprobe, Funktionenprobe, Gerichtsbarkeitsprobe, Vergleichsprobe) zeigt, dass Europa bereits eine Verfassung hat. Eine Umgründung der europäischen Verfassung von ihrer mitgliedschaftlichen Vertragsgrundlage auf einen Akt der verfassungsgebenden Gewalt eines europäischen Volkes würde einen revolutionären Akt darstellen. Die europäische Verfassung und die Legitimationsstruktur der EU sind präzedenzlos, Europa selbst ist ein präzedenzloses Gebilde. Europa insgesamt ist ein dynamisches Mehrebenensystem mit einem "multilevel constitutionalism". Schwerpunkte der Fortentwicklung der bestehenden europäischen Verfassung liegen auf dem Gebiet einer Grundrechtscharta und einer Reform der Kompetenzstruktur und der Finanzverfassung der EU. (ICE)