State of the Union: European Solidarity Corps

There are no new visible updates on the European Commission’s State of the Union 2017 web page, still only in English.

We turn to the State of the Union 2017 brochure, where the next section is called The European Solidarity Corps: One Year on (from page 89). By 2020:

The aim is to have 100,000 young people taking part in the European Solidarity Corps. To achieve this ambition, the Commission proposed in May 2017 to give the European Solidarity Corps a budget of more than €340 million for the next three years, and to extend the types of activities.  

Among the factsheets on the State of the Union, you can find an almost identical one on the European Solidarity Corps, but available in all 24 official EU languages.

Through the European Youth Portal you can find more information about the European Solidarity Corps, two to twelve months long volunteer work projects for young people between 18 and 30 years old.

Here you find mission and principles, benefits of joining, frequently asked questions and information for interested organisations.

Official documents

After president Juncker’s State of the Union 2016 speech,  the Commission published the communication A European Solidarity Corps COM(2016) 942 final in December.

Under the procedure number 2017/0102 (COD) you can find the proposed regulation laying down the legal framework of the European Solidarity Corps etc. COM(2017) 262 final, as well as the  documents accompanying the 30 May 2017 proposal.

Under the first Juncker Commission priority - a new boost for jobs, growth and investment - on the Legislative Train Schedule, you can find a presentation plus additional documentation on the European Solidarity Corps, including the role of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.

Ralf Grahn

Refugee emergency: temporary EU relocation

Yesterday, the interior ministers of the EU member states reached a decision on one important solidarity measure in the face of the refugee emergency: temporary relocation to alleviate the burden of Greece and Italy.

International protection – temporary measures

On 17 September 2015 the European Parliament had adopted its favourable opinion (text here P8_TA-PROV(2015)0324) on the emergency proposal for temporary relocation, and yesterday (22 September) theJustice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council adopted this important proposal from the refugee and migration agenda of the European Commission.

With regard to solidarity it is worth noticing that Ireland has expressed its intention to participate, while Denmark and the United Kingdom remain bystanders.

We note that Hungary was intended to be a beneficiary in the Commission proposal for a Council decision establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy, Greece and Hungary, COM(2015) 451 final (plus annexes).

At the time of writing the adopted decision – renamed and adapted after Hungary declined help - had not been published in the OfficialJournal of the European Union (OJEU), but available through a link on the web page of the JHA Council meeting:

COUNCIL DECISION establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and Greece (document 12098/15)

In a nutshell

The web page of the JHA Council meeting explains the decision in a nutshell:

This decision establishes a temporary and exceptional relocation mechanism over two years from the frontline member states Italy and Greece to other member states. It will apply to 120 000 persons in clear need of international protection who have arrived or are arriving on the territory of those member states as from six months before the entry into force until two years after the entry into force.

According to the decision, 66 000 persons will be relocated from Italy and Greece (15 600 from Italy and 50 400 from Greece) . The remaining 54 000 persons will be relocated from Italy and Greece in the same proportion after one year of the entry into force of the decision.

During the press conference (video) Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's minister for immigration and asylum, admitted that the Council did not achieve consensus, but the qualified majority went well beyond the requirements of the treaties.

As for other legal acts, all member states are expected to implement the decision. However, the decision can be adapted for a member state facing an emergency situation.

European Council

Today, 23 September 2015, the members of the European Council meet informally to discuss an overall approach to the refugee crisis and the necessity to establish a credible European migration policy.

In his invitation letter, EUCO president Donald Tusk is also appealing to EU leaders to urgently provide financial donations to the World Food Programme for food support to the 11 million people in Syria and in the region.

Ralf Grahn

Background: European financial stabilisation mechanism

The Council of the European Union has issued COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) No 407/2010 of 11 May 2010 establishing a European financial stabilisation mechanism; published OJEU 12.5.2010 L 118/1.


Once upon a time, I explored the stages leading towards the Lisbon Treaty, writing a number of blog posts about what became Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

Now that the EU member states have felt the need to shore up the common currency, it is interesting to see in which terms the provision on financial assistance was discussed at the time. In this blog post we look at the legislative history of Article 122 TFEU.



EU: Economic crisis management I (26 September 2008) noted the extension of qualified majority voting (QMV) from Article 100 of the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC) to encompass all forms of financial assistance, as described in the Swedish and Finnish ratification bills. The text of joint Declaration 6 was presented.



EU: Economic crisis management II (26 September 2008) recalled Article III-72 of the Draft Constitution proposed by the European Convention, which did not change Article 100 TEC essentially.



EU: Economic crisis management III (27 September 2008) noted that Article III-180 of the Constitutional Treaty remained substantially unchanged.



EU: Economic crisis management IV (27 September 2008) related one of the few cases where the intergovernmental conference (IGC 2007) leading to the Treaty of Lisbon took a fresh look at a provision. These “innovations” resulted in two additions: a spirit of solidarity and the explicit mentioning of the area of energy. (In the reply to a comment, I expressed my subjective view: I am worried that, with or without Lisbon, Europe is not up to taking on our common challenges, be they foreign and security policy or financial meltdown.)



EU: Economic crisis management V (28 September 2008) presented some UK sources about the spirit of solidarity, the distinct mention of energy and QMV in Article 122 TFEU.



EU: Economic crisis management VI (28 September 2008) saw energy supply, severe economic difficulties and solidarity as an interesting testing ground for the European Union in the years ahead. Legislative materials from Sweden and Finland as well as some comments in book form were mentioned.


First conclusions

Qualified majority voting (QMV) was extended to the whole provision. The spirit of solidarity was added. The area of energy was added.

In my view, the legislative history of Article 122 TFEU shows that the governments and commentators did present the changes openly. The ratifying parliaments were not duped.

Further discussion will follow on Grahnlaw.




Ralf Grahn

My Europe Week: War and Peace

Today, 8 May 2010 the Western Allies remember Victory in Europe Day 65 years ago, whereas Russia is commemorating (Soviet) Victory Day with a parade in Red Square and other festivities on 9 May.

The war dead and the end of WW2 devastation are worth remembering, but it is just as important to recall how the opportunities offered by peace were utilised and should contribute to a better future.

In Western Europe the phoenix rose from the ashes to mark a new beginning in the form of European integration.



The Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950 marks a new vision and the start of a new era.

During these 60 years we have made some headway. 27 member states, with a total population of 500 million, have been able to join the European Union.

Although the EU is far from perfect at its current stage of development, its founding values are admirable (Article 2 TEU):

The Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. These values are common to the Member States in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail.

Two major steps are still needed:

We must surpass the present hybrid state of technocratic supranationalism and intergovernmentalism, by giving the new European Union a fully fledged system of representative democracy.

As EU citizens, we must start making room in our hearts for the true solidarity of ever closer union.




Share your Europe



Europe Day 9 May 2010 is a good occasion to start sharing your Europe.



The editors of Bloggingportal.eu invite you, bloggers and non-bloggers, to share your visions for the future of Europe on the My Europe Week blog during this week until tomorrow, Europe Day 9 May 2010. You can read the roundups on My Europe Week, or you can access the posts tagged #myeurope on the special Bloggingportal.eu page.

Twitter away under the hashtags #MyEurope and #EuropeDay.




Ralf Grahn

Key word of European integration: Solidarity

If asked about the key word of European integration and the European Union, my answer is “solidarity”.

I don’t employ it as a term of social policy, or limit it to aid between richer and poorer member states or regions, or call for help in the face of terrorist attacks or natural or man-made disasters, or ask for mutual assistance in case of armed aggression, although they are all part of it.

Solidarity is in one word the main theme of the integration process, from the “de facto solidarity” of the 9 May 1950 Schuman declaration and the “real solidarity” evoked in the 18 April 1951 Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, to the “ever closer union among the peoples of Europe” echoed in all the treaty versions since the 25 Mars 1957 Treaty of Rome establishing the European Economic Community.

Solidarity is essentially about the peoples of Europe growing closer, in all their diversity, realising that they share a common destiny.

For this to happen, at some stage the leaders of the EU member states have to step back and let the citizens of the European Union take over, by electing their own leaders and by setting the course for government. National politicians with suitable skills can aspire to European level offices.

That day “intergovernmentalism”, “double legitimacy” and “supranationalism” become history, replaced by European level democracy and federation.

It is not the end of our languages, cultures and traditions, or even of our states, although their claim to “sovereignty” is replaced by a more adequate description of their powers.

In a democratic federation certain powers are exercised at federal level. The exact division of labour can take different forms, but the main purposes of the United States of America and the US Constitution were succinctly put by Alexander Hamilton in the Federalist, number XXIII:

“The necessity of a Constitution, at least equally energetic with the one proposed, to the preservation of the Union is the point at the examination of which we are now arrived.

The principal purposes to be answered by the union are these – the common defense of the members; the preservation of the public peace, as well against internal convulsions as external attacks; the regulation of commerce with other nations and between the States; the superintendence of our intercourse, political and commercial, with foreign countries.”

I think that the 21st century citizens of Europe would be as mature in steering their representative democracy as the 18th century Americans were in building theirs.




Ralf Grahn



P.S. Do you find EUSSR myths fascinating? Are we EU citizens worth a better European Union? Read some or all of the 481 Euroblogs aggregated on multilingual Bloggingportal.eu. On most of the blogs you can comment and discuss our common European future.

Europe needs great Europeans ─ like Vaclav Havel

Europe has commemorated the fall of totalitarian Communism and the Berlin Wall, honoured the fallen on Remembrance Sunday and remembered the end of hostilities on Armistice Day (Remembrance Day).

When will they ever learn, asked Pete Seeger.

Luckily, Europe has learned, through the continuing process of European integration and through the reunification of much of our continent by the means of the European Union.

The Lisbon Treaty, which enters into force on 1 December 2009, is a further step towards our slow and winding journey towards a closer union, although neither effective nor democratic enough to serve us optimally as yet.



Yesterday, Vaclav Havel, one of the great Europeans, one of the great humans, of our times, spoke in the European Parliament.



Read the press release of the European Parliament on Vaclav Havel’s speech. Even better, use the links on the page and take the time to watch the video recording of Havel’s vision on Europe’s future, or listen to the audio document.

We need not accept Havel’s views in their details, but we have every reason to acknowledge his greatness, and we should comprehend the need for shared sovereignty and for strengthening European values and solidarity, for the sake of ourselves and our children.

“Europe is the homeland of our homelands.”



Ralf Grahn



P.S. The Euroblogs aggregated on multilingual Bloggingportal.eu expose the real EUSSR. Read and comment! You can also propose an interesting blog post or a whole new blog (click Contribute).

EU solidarity: Hurricane and President Klaus

”Derailing the gravy train” is the grandiloquent motto of the Berlaymonster blog, but at least it helps the passengers to while away the hours until the Britons’ carriage crashes out.




Yesterday, 29 May 2009 the Commission’s disaster-prone Berlaymont building served us a generous helping of solidarity:

“European Union Solidarity Fund: the Commission proposes to grant aid of € 109.4 million to France following Hurricane Klaus

The President of the Commission, Mr José Manuel Barroso, today confirmed the Commission's proposal to allocate aid totalling €109.4 million following the devastation caused by Hurricane Klaus in south-west France in January 2009. This aid will be used to repay the cost of emergency measures such as relief operations, cleaning up the affected areas and repair of basic infrastructures.

President Barroso stated: "My thoughts go out first of all to the victims and their families affected by this disaster. It is the solidarity of all the Member States that is being expressed today towards France, showing once again one of the reasons for the existence of the European Union. I welcome the fact that the Commission dealt with France's request with the utmost expediency, thereby allowing this aid to be granted as quickly as possible."

The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was created after the floods which affected central Europe during summer 2002. It grants emergency aid to Member States and accession countries affected by major natural disasters.”


***

“Nomen est omen”, said the old Romans.

Persons familiar with European Union affairs are painfully aware of the existence of the Czech Republic’s President Vaclav Klaus, a natural disaster in his own right, but without any acknowledged relation to global warming.

Klaus is also a man of solidarity, a staunch defender of the underdog. The numbers may be smaller in the Lisbon Treaty ratification game ─ a paltry 26 to 1 at half time ─ but Klaus has steadfastly refused to attach his name to the ratification instrument.

Perhaps Klaus hopes for a pseudo-scientific disaster to hit Ireland at the time of the referendum on the better deal, or for British diplomacy to acquire the shape of William Hague.

We live in a disaster-prone world, after all, as Berlaymonster knows.



Ralf Grahn

EU Law: Civil protection

The EU treaties and institutions are the bricks, but solidarity is the mortar of European integration.

Cooperation between member states and European Union action to protect EU citizens against natural or man-made disasters is one of the improvements of the Treaty of Lisbon.

On 9 May 1950 French foreign minister Robert Schuman said: Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity.

Civil protection is an area where the Lisbon Treaty brings European reality one step closer to the words of the Schuman declaration.



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TEC


There is no Title on civil protetion and no specific legal base in the current Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC). Cf. the latest consolidated version of the treaties, OJEU 29.12.2006 C 321 E.

This means that action has to be based on the unwieldy flexibility clause, Article 308 TEC, with a view to the operation of the common market and requiring unanimous decision by the Council. The European Parliament is only consulted.

Still, civil protection is not completely forgotten. Article 3(1)(u) TEC lists ‘measures in the spheres of energy, civil protection and tourism’ among the activities of the European Community, but without a legal base.



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Draft Constitution

In Article III-184 of the draft Constitution the European Convention proposed a new legal base to improve protection against natural or man-made disasters within the European Union:

SECTION 5
Civil protection

Article III-184 Draft Constitution

1. The Union shall encourage cooperation between Member States in order to improve the effectiveness of systems for preventing and protecting against natural or man-made disasters within the Union.

Union action shall aim to:

(a) support and complement Member States' action at national, regional and local level in risk prevention, in preparing their civil-protection personnel and in responding to natural or man-made disasters;

(b) promote swift, effective operational cooperation between national civil-protection services;

(c) promote consistency in international civil-protection work.

2. The measures necessary to help achieve the objectives referred to in paragraph 1 shall be enacted in European laws or framework laws, excluding any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States.


-----

In conjunction with this, you could read the new Solidarity clause Article I-42, primarily aimed at terrorist attacks, and Article III-231 Implementation of the solidarity clause, proposed by the European Convention.


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Constitutional Treaty


The IGC 2004 took over the proposal by the European Convention. Article III-281 of the Constitution on civil protection:

SECTION 6
CIVIL PROTECTION

Article III_284 Constitution

1. The Union shall encourage cooperation between Member States in order to improve the effectiveness of systems for preventing and protecting against natural or man-made disasters.

Union action shall aim to:

(a) support and complement Member States' action at national, regional and local level in risk prevention, in preparing their civil_protection personnel and in responding to natural or man_made disasters within the Union;

(b) promote swift, effective operational cooperation within the Union between national civil_protection services;

(c) promote consistency in international civil protection work.

2. European laws or framework laws shall establish the measures necessary to help achieve the objectives referred to in paragraph 1, excluding any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States.


-----

You could read Article I-43 Solidarity clause and Article III-329 Implementation of the solidarity clause of the Constitutional Treaty.


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Original Lisbon Treaty (ToL)

Article 2, point 149 inserted a new Title XXII Civil protection and a new Article 176c (OJEU 17.12.2007 C 306/89–90):

CIVIL PROTECTION

149) The following new Title XXII and new Article 176 C shall be inserted:

‘TITLE XXII
CIVIL PROTECTION

Article 176 C

1. The Union shall encourage cooperation between Member States in order to improve the effectiveness of systems for preventing and protecting against natural or man-made disasters.

Union action shall aim to:

(a) support and complement Member States' action at national, regional and local level in risk prevention, in preparing their civil-protection personnel and in responding to natural or man-made disasters within the Union;

(b) promote swift, effective operational cooperation within the Union between national civilprotection services;

(c) promote consistency in international civil-protection work.

2. The European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, shall establish the measures necessary to help achieve the objectives referred to in paragraph 1, excluding any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States.’.



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Renumbering the Treaty of Lisbon (ToL)

The Table of equivalences of the original Treaty of Lisbon tells us that the new Title XXII Civil protection in the TFEU (ToL) was renumbered Title XXIII Civil protection in the consolidated version of the Lisbon Treaty.

Article 176c TFEU (ToL) was renumbered Article 196 TFEU in the consolidated version of the Lisbon Treaty (OJEU 17.12.2007 C 306/218).


***


Lisbon Treaty consolidated

Article 196 TFEU

Article 196 TFEU appears like this in the consolidated version of the Treaty of Lisbon (OJEU 9.5.2008 C 115/135–136):

TITLE XXIII
CIVIL PROTECTION

Article 196 TFEU

1. The Union shall encourage cooperation between Member States in order to improve the effectiveness of systems for preventing and protecting against natural or man-made disasters.

Union action shall aim to:

(a) support and complement Member States' action at national, regional and local level in risk prevention, in preparing their civil-protection personnel and in responding to natural or man-made disasters within the Union;

(b) promote swift, effective operational cooperation within the Union between national civil-protection services;

(c) promote consistency in international civil-protection work.

2. The European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure shall establish the measures necessary to help achieve the objectives referred to in paragraph 1, excluding any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States.

***

Lisbon Treaty changes

The Lisbon Treaty would give EU measures against natural and man-made disasters a new legal base. The ordinary legislative procedure would apply, enabling a qualified Council majority to get things done. The European Parliament would participate as an equal co-legislator.



Ralf Grahn

EU Law: Energy policy and action

What has the European Community (European Union) been able to do in the area of energy, before the Lisbon Treaty or a later treaty creates a specific policy area and a legal base for legislation according to the ordinary legislative procedure?

We present some materials on and links to EU energy policy, an area as hot as any right now, but also of fundamental strategic importance for the future of Europe.


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European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)

Energy was present at the birth of institutionalised European integration in the shape of the first Community, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which was proposed by the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman. The Schuman Declaration of 9th May 1950 is the reason why 9 May is commemorated annually as Europe Day. The ECSC Treaty was concluded for 50 years, and it expired in July 2002.


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Euratom

There were two Treaties of Rome, signed in March 1957. One was the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (EEC), which with a broader scope became the European Community (EC). Nowadays official papers and some lawyers seem to be the only ones who remember that there is such an entity. In daily use the European Union has become the main concept, under which the European Community has been subsumed as part of the so called first pillar (Community pillar). The Lisbon Treaty would officially integrate the European Union, which would take over the legal personality of the EC.

The second Treaty of Rome was the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom), which still functions, although it is rarely heard of.

The Commission’s Scadplus web page Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) offers an overview of the treaty and the aims of Euratom:

http://europa.eu/scadplus/treaties/euratom_en.htm

***

Euratom Treaty

During the course of more than five decades, the various treaty reforms have led to technical adaptations of the Euratom Treaty, but it has not been substantially reformed.


Euratom: Lisbon Treaty Declaration

This was pointed out in a Declaration attached to the Treaty of Lisbon, Declaration 54 by the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Austria and the Kingdom of Sweden:

Germany, Ireland, Hungary, Austria and Sweden note that the core provisions of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community have not been substantially amended since its entry into force and need to be brought up to date. They therefore support the idea of a Conference of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, which should be convened as soon as possible.


***


Selected Euratom activities

The General Report on the Activities of the European Union 2007 offers some information about the activities of Euratom:

http://europa.eu/generalreport/en/rg2007en.pdf

The European Atomic Energy Community has its own Seventh Framework Programme for Research:

The seventh Euratom framework programme came into force on 1 January 2007 and will end on 31 December 2011. It covers research activities on fusion energy, nuclear fi ssion and radiation protection, the details of which are set out in a specific programme. In 2007 Estonia, Cyprus and Malta became members of the European Fusion Development Agreement, and are now invited to create transnational research units with other Euratom associations. Estonia has already created a research unit with Euratom’s Finnish association. A further specifi c programme deals with the Joint Research Centre’s nuclear activities.


On 27 March the Council adopted a decision establishing a joint European undertaking for ITER and the development of fusion energy. It will manage the contribution of the European Atomic Energy Community to the ITER International Fusion Energy Organisation. (Decision 2007/198/Euratom, OJEU 30.3.2007 L 90).


***

Energy policy: sources

General Report

The General Report on the Activities of the European Union 2007 serves as a general introduction to energy policy in general and concerning specific energy sectors (page 84 to 88). (We can expect the 2008 General Report fairly soon.)

With its overviews of policy areas and its references to relevant documents the latest General Report is an excellent source for interested persons.


EU Bulletin


The Bulletin of the European Union documents the main events during the year in monthly instalments. The latest final version covers September 2008 (published 19 December 2008; page 84 to 86), but provisional versions with Section 25 Energy concerning October and November (published 18 December 2008) are also available here:

http://europa.eu/bulletin/en/welcome.htm


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Energy legislation

The Commission’s Scadplus web page Energy offers links to different aspects and sectors of energy policy, European energy policy, Internal energy market, Energy efficiency, Renewable energy, Nuclear energy and Security of supply, external dimension and enlargement, as well as the topical Tackling climate change:

http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/s14000.htm


***

Commission activities

The home page of the Commission’s Directorate-General Energy and Commissioner Andris Piebalgs offers an overview of the latest news and events as well as links to both general policy issues and sectoral information:

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/index_en.htm


***

EU Council


Energy crisis: Russia and Ukraine

The Energy Ministers of the European Union met in an extraordinary Council meeting 12 January 2009 and reached the following conclusions on the interruption of gas supplies from Russia via Ukraine:

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/trans/105292.pdf

The Ministers called on Russia and Ukraine to resolve their dispute, and recalled the efforts of the Czech Council Presidency to mediate, but the Conclusions also reflect a growing awareness of the need for strategic European action in order to improve the supply of energy and the functioning of the energy markets.


***

European Parliament

One of the latest press releases from the European Parliament ahead of the debate on energy issues last Wednesday underlined the concerns of the MEPs:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdfs/news/public/story/20090108STO45594/20090108STO45594_en.pdf


***


Lisbon Treaty: Declaration 35



The previous blog post presented the new Title XXI Energy and the new Article 194 TFEU. The intergovernmental conference annexed the following joint Declaration (No 35) to the Lisbon Treaty:

35. Declaration on Article 194 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union

The Conference believes that Article 194 does not affect the right of the Member States to take the necessary measures to ensure their energy supply under the conditions provided for in Article 347.


***

Although Declaration 35 states that the member states have a right to take necessary measures, the thrust of Article 347 TFEU is to invite the member states to consult with each other and to find common solutions in case of serious disturbances:

Article 347 TFEU
(ex Article 297 TEC)

Member States shall consult each other with a view to taking together the steps needed to prevent the functioning of the internal market being affected by measures which a Member State may be called upon to take in the event of serious internal disturbances affecting the maintenance of law and order, in the event of war, serious international tension constituting a threat of war, or in order to carry out obligations it has accepted for the purpose of maintaining peace and international security.


***



Growing awareness

There is growing awareness that the European Union needs to move quickly and decisively on energy policy in order to enhance energy supply and security, to secure alternative sources and supply routes and to improve interconnection between national energy markets.

Quick ratification of the Lisbon Treaty would improve the decision-making capacity of the European Union and promote the much needed spirit of solidarity between the member states and EU citizens.

The ratification is one action of solidarity the Czech Republic and Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski should accomplish without delay. The Irish people should join in as soon as they are given the chance, for the sake of Europe’s future and Ireland’s future in Europe.


Ralf Grahn

EU Law: Energy and solidarity

Without heating in the middle of the winter! Freezing Europeans in the 21st century!

The supply of gas interrupted by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has done as much to convince citizens of the European Union of the need for more Europe as the financial sector turmoil and the economic recession, with efforts at concerted action and the Eurozone somewhat sheltered from the worst effects.

The EU Treaty of Lisbon reflects the growing realisation that the European Union needs effective tools to improve the energy markets internally and to act decisively on the international arena.

Compared with the stranded Constitutional Treaty, the new Energy Title of Lisbon Treaty evokes a much needed spirit of solidarity between the member states.

In addition, energy is at the heart of mankind’s efforts to combat climate change. Without the European Union as lead player, the global efforts would be even more inadequate than at present. This challenge calls for global solidarity.

We look at the new treaty level provision on energy.

***




TEC


There is no Title on energy and no specific Article in the current Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC). Cf. the latest consolidated version of the treaties, OJEU 29.12.2006 C 321 E.

This does not mean that the European Community has not become active, but in the absence of a specific legal base legislative measures depend on competence in related policy areas or on the so called flexibility clause, Article 308 TEC, which requires unanimous Council decisions and relegates the European Parliament to being only consulted.

In other words, not the most promising setting for effective action.


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Draft Constitution

Mindful of the need, the European Convention proposed a new Article III-157 on energy in 2003.


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Constitutional Treaty

The proposed provision was taken over by the intergovernmental conference in 2004. But Article III-256 of the Constitutional Treaty became one of the casualties of the stalled ratification processes and the prolonged wait for a new treaty.
.

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Original Lisbon Treaty (ToL)

Article 2, point 147 inserted a new Title XX Energy and a new Article 176a (OJEU 17.12.2007 C 306/88):

ENERGY

147) Title XX shall be replaced by the following new Title and new Article 176 A:

‘TITLE XX
ENERGY

Article 176 A

1. In the context of the establishment and functioning of the internal market and with regard for the need to preserve and improve the environment, Union policy on energy shall aim, in a spirit of solidarity between Member States, to:

(a) ensure the functioning of the energy market;

(b) ensure security of energy supply in the Union; and

(c) promote energy efficiency and energy saving and the development of new and renewable forms of energy; and

(d) promote the interconnection of energy networks.

2. Without prejudice to the application of other provisions of the Treaties, the European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, shall establish the measures necessary to achieve the objectives in paragraph 1. Such measures shall be adopted after consultation of the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

Such measures shall not affect a Member State's right to determine the conditions for exploiting its energy resources, its choice between different energy sources and the general structure of its energy supply, without prejudice to Article 175(2)(c).

3. By way of derogation from paragraph 2, the Council, acting in accordance with a special legislative procedure, shall unanimously and after consulting the European Parliament, establish the measures referred to therein when they are primarily of a fiscal nature.’.



***


Renumbering the Treaty of Lisbon (ToL)

The Table of equivalences of the original Treaty of Lisbon tells us that the new Title XX Environment in the TFEU (ToL) was renumbered Title XXI Energy in the consolidated version of the Lisbon Treaty.

Article 176a TFEU (ToL) was renumbered Article 194 TFEU in the consolidated version of the Lisbon Treaty (OJEU 17.12.2007 C 306/218).


***


Lisbon Treaty consolidated

Article 194 TFEU

After renumbering the Article and the referral, Article 193 TFEU appears like this in the consolidated version of the Treaty of Lisbon (OJEU 9.5.2008 C 115/134):

TITLE XXI
ENERGY

Article 194 TFEU

1. In the context of the establishment and functioning of the internal market and with regard for the need to preserve and improve the environment, Union policy on energy shall aim, in a spirit of solidarity between Member States, to:

(a) ensure the functioning of the energy market;

(b) ensure security of energy supply in the Union;

(c) promote energy efficiency and energy saving and the development of new and renewable forms of energy; and

(d) promote the interconnection of energy networks.
2. Without prejudice to the application of other provisions of the Treaties, the European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, shall establish the measures necessary to achieve the objectives in paragraph 1. Such measures shall be adopted after consultation of the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

Such measures shall not affect a Member State's right to determine the conditions for exploiting its energy resources, its choice between different energy sources and the general structure of its energy supply, without prejudice to Article 192(2)(c).

3. By way of derogation from paragraph 2, the Council, acting in accordance with a special legislative procedure, shall unanimously and after consulting the European Parliament, establish the measures referred to therein when they are primarily of a fiscal nature.


***

Improvements by the Lisbon Treaty

The Lisbon Treaty added the guiding principle ‘in a spirit of solidarity between Member States’, a spirit much in demand at the moment.

But noble thoughts are more easily put into practice if the tools for effective decision-making are in place. The ordinary legislative procedure is adopted by the Lisbon Treaty, in line with the draft Constitution and the Constitutional Treaty.

At the end of the day, this is one of the reasons why the Treaty of Lisbon (with all its imperfections) should be ratified as a step towards an EU capable of promoting the interests of its citizens.


Ralf Grahn

EU: Economic crisis management VI

Energy supply, severe economic difficulties and solidarity have the makings of an interesting testing ground for the European Union in the years ahead.

The previous posting mentioned some UK references to Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). We now turn to legislative materials from Sweden and Finland as well as some commentaries in book form.

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Sweden

The consultation paper ’Lissabonfördraget’ was the first official Swedish description of the Lisbon Treaty amendments, and it is available at:

http://www.regeringen.se/content/1/c6/09/49/81/107aa077.pdf

It was followed by the Swedish government’s draft ratification bill ‘Lagrådsremiss – Lissabonfördraget’, published 29 May 2008:

http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/5676/a/106277

The draft bill was given a green light by the Council on Legislation (Lagrådet):

http://www.lagradet.se/yttranden/Lissabonfordraget.pdf

The latest official government view, and now my standard reference for Sweden, is the ratification bill, with the Swedish parliament (Riksdagen) expected to decide on approval in late autumn, probably November (Regeringens proposition 2007/08:168 Lissabonfördraget; 3 July 2008):

http://www.regeringen.se/content/1/c6/10/84/02/8c96cf3e.pdf

Economic and monetary policy (23.2 Ekonomisk och monetary politik) is discussed on pages 180 to 185. The Swedish government explains what Article 100 TFEU (ToL) changes, highlighting the spirit of solidarity and the area of energy supply (on page 182):

“I nu gällande EG-fördrag finns en bestämmelse om att rådet kan besluta om lämpliga åtgärder med hänsyn till det ekonomiska läget, särskilt om det uppstår allvarliga försörjningsproblem i fråga om vissa varor. Genom Lissabonfördraget införs bestämmelser om att åtgärderna ska beslutas i en anda av solidaritet mellan medlemsstaterna och när det gäller allvarliga försörjningsproblem i fråga om vissa varor framhålls särskilt energiområdet (artikel 100 i EUF-fördraget).”

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By the way, EU citizens, including proponents of the philosophy of autarky, may note that the Swedish ratification bill mentions ‘energi’ (energy) 98 times (admittedly including all references to the European Atomic Energy Community) and ‘solidaritet’ (solidarity) 41 times.

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Finland

The Finnish ratification bill, ‘Hallituksen esitys Eduskunnalle Euroopan unionista tehdyn sopimuksen ja Euroopan yhteisön perustamissopimuksen muuttamisesta tehdyn Lissabonin sopimuksen hyväksymisestä ja laiksi sen lainsäädännön alaan kuuluvien määräysten voimaansaattamisesta’ (HE 23/2008 vp), discusses economic and monetary policy (Talous- ja rahapolitiikka) on pages 209 to 214.

The ratification bill briefly describes the changes to Article 100 TFEU (ToL), renumbered Article 122 TFEU, namely the spirit of solidarity and the energy area. Otherwise the Article is essentially the same as Article III-180 of the Constitutional Treaty and Article 100 TEC (page 210):

”100 artiklaan (uusi 122 artikla), joka antaa neuvostolle poikkeusvaltuudet taloudellisissa erityistilanteissa, on lisätty vuoden 2007 HVK:ssa päätöksenteon tapahtuvan ”yhteisvastuun”
hengessä ja silloin kun tavaroiden saatavuudessa ilmenee vaikeuksia ”ennen kaikkea energia-alalla”. Muilta osin määräys vastaa perustuslakisopimuksen III-180 artiklaa ja SEY 100 artiklaa.”

The Finnish ratification bill is available at:

http://www.finlex.fi/fi/esitykset/he/2008/20080023.pdf


The Swedish language version of the ratification bill ‘Regeringens proposition till Riksdagen med förslag om godkännande av Lissabonfördraget om ändring av fördraget om Europeiska unionen och fördraget om upprättandet av Europeiska gemenskapen och till lag om sättande i kraft av de bestämmelser i fördraget som hör till området för lagstiftningen’ (RP 23/2008 rd), makes the same remarks under ’Ekonomisk och monetär politik’ on Article 100 TFEU (ToL), the future Article 122 TFEU, on page 213.

The ratification bill in Swedish can be accessed at:

http://www.finlex.fi/sv/esitykset/he/2008/20080023.pdf

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France

Étienne de Poncins offers a few general comments on EU economic governance and budget matters, ‘La gouvernance économique et les questions budgétaires’ in his ‘Le traité de Lisbonne en 27 clés’ (Éditions Lignes de Repères, 2008), pages 245─251.

Austria

‚Der Vertrag von Lissabon‘, by Klemens H. Fischer (Nomos, Stämpfli & Verlag Österreich, 2008), traces the amendments Article by Article; here on pages 263─264. His comment mentions „Energiebereich“ but he does not highlight the new reference to „im Geiste der Solidarität zwischen den Mitgliedstaaten“ in his comment, although it appears in the text of the provision.

France

François-Xavier Priollaud and David Siritzky offer a short introductory explanation on economic and monetary policy (pages 246 and 247) and on economic policy coordination, including the treaty amendments (pages 248 to 250) in their book ‘Le traité de Lisbonne – Commentaire, article par article, des nouveaux traités européens (TUE et TFUE)’ (La Documentation française, Paris, 2008).

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Readers, who want to look at the larger picture of EU energy politics and policies at the treaty level, can turn their attention from Article 122 TFEU with its fallback provisions on economic crisis management to the Lisbon Treaty’s TFEU Part Three Title XXI Energy.

Sweden

Beyond the treaty level, in an even broader context, we point to the upcoming topical seminar ‘The Politicisation of Energy Security’, hosted by SIEPS, the Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies. In Stockholm 9 October 2008, “SIEPS will present the analysis EU Energy Policy in a Supply-constrained World written by Jacques de Jong and Coby van der Linde. The analysis covers the fundamental changes that are taking place in world energy markets and explores the consequences of tight markets and the return of government in energy matters and concludes with outlining the new challenges to EU energy policy-making.”

For additional information, go to:

http://www.sieps.se/sem/2008/sem_1009b/sem_1009b.en.html

The Netherlands

CIEP, the highly active Clingendael International Energy Programme, where the authors of the forthcoming report work, offers a host of energy related publications and activities:

http://www.clingendael.nl/ciep/

The Europa web site

The introductory web page on European Union activities concerning energy contains a number of links to the interested reader:

http://europa.eu/pol/ener/index_en.htm



Ralf Grahn

EU: Economic crisis management V

What has been said about the spirit of solidarity and distinct mention of energy in the context of severe difficulties in the supply of products in Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU)?

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United Kingdom

Professor Steve Peers covered the Treaty of Lisbon in a number of Statewatch Analyses. ‘EU Reform Treaty Analysis no. 3.4: Revised text of Part Three, Titles VII to XVII of the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC): Other internal EC policies’ (Version 2, 24 October 2007) includes the current Title VII Economic and monetary policy.

Peers presented Article 100 TFEU (ToL), to be renumbered Article 122 TFEU in the consolidated version, and highlighted the changes, with the following comment (page 7):

“The new wording in paragraph 1 has been inserted in accordance with the mandate for the Reform Treaty.”

The analysis 3.4 and other useful Statewatch analyses are available through:

http://www.statewatch.org/euconstitution.htm


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The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) offers a convenient source of brief annotations on Lisbon Treaty amendments in ‘A comparative table of the current EC and EU treaties as amended by the Treaty of Lisbon’ (Command Paper 7311, published 21 January 2008). It offers the following comment on Article 122 TFEU, Article 100 TFEU (ToL) in the original Lisbon Treaty (page 12):

“Draws on Article 100 TEC. The references to solidarity and energy are new.”


The FCO comparative table is available at:

http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm73/7311/7311.asp

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The UK House of Commons Library Research Paper 07/86 ‘The Treaty of Lisbon: amendments to the Treaty establishing the European Community’ (published 6 December 2007) discussed ‘H. Economic and Monetary Policy’ on pages 61 to 64.

Article 100 TFEU (ToL) was given the following explanation, on page 62:

“Lisbon Article 100 adds to both the present Article and Constitution Article III-180 an explicit emphasis on difficulties with energy supply in Council solidarity measures.”

The Library Research Paper 07/86 is available at:

http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2007/rp07-086.pdf

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The House of Lords European Union Committee report ‘The Treaty of Lisbon: an impact assessment, Volume I: Report’ (HL Paper 62-I, published 13 March 2008) dealt with energy on pages 220─221.

The report mentioned the new Title on energy and added the following remark (page 220):

“9.28. A further reference to energy is made in the amended Article 122 of the TFEU which allows the Council to enact measures in “a spirit of solidarity” if severe difficulties of supply arise, particularly within the energy sector.”

On the following page the report presented a few assessments by witnesses under the subheading Solidarity, although the Committee’s own conclusion on the energy provisions as a whole was cautious:

“9.33. The new provisions in the Lisbon Treaty may raise the profile of the issue of energy but they do not constitute a major innovation. However the extension of QMV may be seen as significant.”

The impact assessment report is accessible at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldselect/ldeucom/62/62.pdf


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The following part is going to present additional legislative materials on Article 122 TFEU.


Ralf Grahn

EU: Economic crisis management IV

Article 100 of the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC), as amended by the Treaty of Nice, underwent no substantial change during the European Convention and the IGC 2004.

The following intergovernmental conference (IGC 2007), leading to the EU Treaty of Lisbon, took a fresh look at the provision. Europe’s increasing dependence on oligopolistic oil and gas producers and the need to address energy security together led to two additions.

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The present Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC) was to become the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and generally the innovations as agreed in the 2004 IGC were to be inserted into the Treaty by way of specific modifications ‘in the usual manner’ (points 17 and 18, pages 6 and 7). But Article III-180 of the Constitutional Treaty contained no ‘innovations’.

The mandate of the intergovernmental conference (IGC 2007 Mandate, Council document 11218/07, 26 June 2007) is one of the rare instances, where the IGC 2007 agreed to innovate on its own. The vulnerability of the European Union concerning oil and gas imports (as well as the problems of climate change) were taken up ahead of the formal conference.

The IGC 2007 Mandate mentioned Article 100 TEC in point ‘m’ on page 8:

“m) In Article 100 (measures in case of severe difficulties in the supply of certain products), a reference to the spirit of solidarity between Member States and to the particular case of energy as regards difficulties in the supply of certain product will be inserted (see point 3) of Annex 2).”

In Annex 2 (page 16) we find the following text:

3) In Article 100, replacement of paragraph 1 with the following:

"1. Without prejudice to any other procedures provided for in the Treaties, the Council, on a proposal from the Commission, may decide, in a spirit of solidarity between Member States, upon the measures appropriate to the economic situation, in particular if severe difficulties arise in the supply of certain products, notably in the area of energy."

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In Article 2, point 87 of the original Treaty of Lisbon (ToL) the IGC 2007 dutifully amended Article 100 TEC (OJ 17.12.2007 C 306/71):

DIFFICULTIES IN THE SUPPLY OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS (ENERGY)

87) In Article 100, paragraph 1 shall be replaced by the following:

‘1. Without prejudice to any other procedures provided for in the Treaties, the Council, on
a proposal from the Commission, may decide, in a spirit of solidarity between Member States,
upon the measures appropriate to the economic situation, in particular if severe difficulties
arise in the supply of certain products, notably in the area of energy.’.

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We notice the two essential additions: solidarity and energy, more precisely ‘in a spirit of solidarity between Member States’ and ‘notably in the area of energy’.

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The TFEU table of equivalences confirms that the new Article 100 TFEU (ToL) in the original Treaty of Lisbon was later renumbered Article 122 TFEU in the consolidated version, under the title ‘Economic and monetary policy’ renumbered Title VIII (OJ 17.12.2007 C 306/211─212).

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Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) is found in the consolidated versions of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, OJ 9.5.2008 C 115/98:

Part Three Union policies and internal actions

Title VIII Economic and monetary policy

Chapter 1 Economic policy

Article 122 TFEU (Lisbon Treaty)
(ex Article 100 TEC)

1. Without prejudice to any other procedures provided for in the Treaties, the Council, on a proposal from the Commission, may decide, in a spirit of solidarity between Member States, upon the measures appropriate to the economic situation, in particular if severe difficulties arise in the supply of certain products, notably in the area of energy.

2. Where a Member State is in difficulties or is seriously threatened with severe difficulties caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences beyond its control, the Council, on a proposal from the Commission, may grant, under certain conditions, Union financial assistance to the Member State concerned. The President of the Council shall inform the European Parliament of the decision taken.

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The following instalment is going to take a look at some comments concerning Article 122 TFEU.


Ralf Grahn

EU TFEU: Solidarity clause: Borders, asylum and immigration

The EU Treaty of Lisbon evokes the principle of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility with regard to the policies on border checks, asylum and immigration.

The countries managing the eastern and southern external borders of the European Union feel the pressures on a daily basis, but failures at the borders have consequences for the whole Union.


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Article 80 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) evokes the principle of solidarity between member states in the policies concerning border checks, asylum and immigration. The Article is presented as it stands after the intergovernmental conference (IGC 2007) in the Treaty of Lisbon (ToL), then renumbered and provisionally consolidated by the Council of the European Union (document 6655/08; page 102), with the location of the provision added from the table of equivalences (page 460 to 463):

Part Three ‘Policies and internal actions of the Union’

Title V TFEU ‘Area of freedom, security and justice’

Chapter 2 ‘Policies on border checks, asylum and immigration’

Article 80 TFEU

The policies of the Union set out in this Chapter and their implementation shall be governed by the principle of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility, including its financial implications, between the Member States. Whenever necessary, the Union acts adopted pursuant to this Chapter shall contain appropriate measures to give effect to this principle.

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In Article 2, point 65, of the Treaty of Lisbon (ToL) the intergovernmental conference (IGC 2007) agreed on the wording (as above) of the new Article 63b TFEU (ToL), which became Article 80 TFEU after renumbering in the consolidated version (OJ 17.12.2007 C 306/58, 61, 209).

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According to the tables of equivalences in the Treaty of Lisbon and the Council’s consolidated version and under the Article number, there is no corresponding Article in the current Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC).

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The European Convention proposed the following Article III-169 of the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (OJ 18.7.2003 C 169/59):

Article III-169 Draft Constitution

The policies of the Union set out in this Section and their implementation shall be governed by the principle of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility, including its financial implications, between the Member States. Whenever necessary, the acts of the Union adopted pursuant to this Section shall contain appropriate measures to give effect to this principle.

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Article III-268 of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe replaced ‘acts of the Union’ by ‘Union acts’, but made no other change (OJ 16.12.2004 C 310/116).

Between the Constitutional Treaty and the Treaty of Lisbon, only the general replacement of ‘Section’ by ‘Chapter’ has taken place.

In essence, the solidarity clause is the child of the European Convention, although it has been shifted between two IGC foster homes.

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Let us check our conclusions this far against ‘A comparative table of the current EC and EU treaties as amended by the Treaty of Lisbon’ (Command Paper 7311, published 21 January 2008), by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The comparative table offers the following quick view of Article 80 TFEU, before renumbering Article 63b ToL TFEU:

“Draws on Article 63(2)(b) TEC, but extends the principles of burden sharing and solidarity between Member States to all EU measures based on Chapter 2.”

The useful FCO comparative table is available at:

http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm73/7311/7311.asp

This gives us cause to look at the current Article 63, point 2b, TEC. In the latest consolidated version of the existing treaties, we find the following words (OJ 29.12.2006 C 321 E/67):

“The Council, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 67, shall, within a period of five years after the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam, adopt:
---
2. measures on refugees and displaced persons within the following areas:
---
(b) promoting a balance of effort between Member States in receiving and bearing the consequences of receiving refugees and displaced persons;”
---


Admittedly, the FCO can point to the germ of the idea of burden sharing at the treaty level, although the link is rather weak.

On the other hand, it is just as easy to understand that the drafters of the TFEU have indicated no corresponding TEC provision. In the same vein, the UK House of Commons Library Research Paper 07/86 ‘The Treaty of Lisbon: amendments to the Treaty establishing the European Community (published 6 December 2007; page 37) concluded:

“Article 63b (Constitution Article III-268) requires that the principle of solidarity and the “fair sharing of responsibility” be observed in this area. This is new and has no equivalent in Title IV TEC.”

The Research Paper 07/86 is available at:

http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2007/rp07-086.pdf

Likewise, Steve Peers commented in Statewatch analysis ‘EU Reform Treaty: Analysis 1: Version 3 JHA provisions’ (22 October 2007) on what was to become Article 63b ToL, Article 80 TFEU:

“This provision is new as compared to the current Treaty.”

This and other Statewatch analyses are available through:

http://www.statewatch.org/euconstitution.htm

The House of Lords European Union Committee report ‘The Treaty of Lisbon: an impact assessment, Volume I: Report’ (HL Paper 62-I, published 13 March 2008) discussed ‘Borders, asylum, immigration and visas’ on pages 133 to 137. The report concluded on page 135:

“6.121. New Article 80 provides that the Union’s policies in this Chapter and their implementation “shall be governed by the principle of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility”. This appears to strengthen the existing Article 63(2)(b) provision which provides for measures promoting a balance of effort between Member States in receiving and bearing the consequences of receiving refugees and displaced persons.”

The report is accessible at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldselect/ldeucom/62/62.pdf

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Regardless of the novelty or not of the treaty level provision, in the real world, however, the member states managing the EU’s external borders bear the brunt of monitoring the borders and carrying out the necessary border checks, handling applications for asylum and stemming the flood of illegal immigrants and combating the trafficking in human beings.

Therefore, especially for the member states with the eastern and southern borders of the European Union, the questions of solidarity and a fair sharing of burdens are evoked on a daily basis. In the absence of internal border checks, immigrants – legal and illegal – can move freely once inside the EU. Failures at the external borders or unilateral moves like mass naturalisations have consequences for the rest of the European Union. There are causes for concerted action and the sharing of burdens.

As the UK House of Lords European Union Committee stated on the proposed solidarity principle in its report ‘FRONTEX: the EU external borders agency’ (published 5 March 2008, HL Paper 60, page 37):

“We do not think the Member States need wait until 1 January 2009, when it is planned that this provision will come into force, before giving effect to its principles.”

The FRONTEX report is available at:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldselect/ldeucom/60/60.pdf


Ralf Grahn

Latest posts

I have continued writing on the European Union in Finnish. These latest posts can be found on

http://grahnlaw.blogs.fi


under the following headings:



Millaiseen Eurooppaan?

Kolme kertaa Venäjä

Stubb ja Häkämies

Viisaiden ryhmä

Ohittamaton Spinelli

Demokraattinen vaje

Puolustus ja turvallisuus

Tuomioja ja Häkämies

Kuinka uudistaa?

Yhteisvastuun puutteesta

Demokratia, tehokkuus ja yhteisvastuu

Bonuskansalaisuus

Maahanmuutto Euroopan haaste



Regards
Ralf Grahn