The German Parliament and European Politics: Making Better Use of Existing Powers and Opportunities Arising from the European Constitutional Treaty

Several national parliaments in the EU are using the ratification of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (Constitutional Treaty or TCE) as an opportunity to make their participation in EU politics more efficient. On the 12th of May, the day of the ratification of the TCE, the German Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, also intends to pass an additional, supplementary law which will strengthen the role of the German Parliament in EU affairs. Although the Bundestag possesses formal participation rights, it does not play an adequate role in the EU legislative process. By comparison, the parliamentary practices and the reform efforts of the Baltic states, Finland, France and Great Britain show that these countries in part already carry out their obligation to scrutinize and confer legitimacy to EU legislation more efficiently and are even discussing future reform proposals.