Short Description of the Seminar

The increase in binding decision-making of the EU raises questions about the political legitimacy of European governance. Defining legitimacy as responsive and responsible government, the objective of this part of the course is to develop and discuss different aspects of political legitimacy and to apply these to the European Union.

Participants will be asked to reflect on these issues by way of a debate on the legitimacy and functioning of the EU institutions. Another way to make the problems of legitimacy more “graspable” is by way of a simulation of a Council Working Party. This will be then be evaluated and discussed with the participants.

Furthermore the empirical and normative aspects of EU legitimacy will be dealt with. The question is why parliamentary democracy that guarantees democratic legitimacy in the member states may prove deficient in the EU system. Special attention will be paid to the role of national parliaments and the European Parliament (EP).

The Seminar will close by way of studying the possible “solutions” to Legitimacy Problems as (i.a.) proposed in the Reform Treaty.

1. Lecture and Discussion on Problems of Legitimacy in the EU

This part of the Seminar will start by probing into “problems” of legitimacy in the EU both from an empirical and normative perspective

Required Reading:

Kohler-Koch, Beate/Conzelmann, Thomas/Knodt, Michèle (2004): European Integration – European Governance, Beijing (in Chinese), Chapter 12 and 13.

Benz, A. (2001): Restoring Accountability in Multilevel Governance Paper prepared for the ECPR Joint Session Workshop; Workshop 5 „Governance and Democratic Legitimacy“, will be provided to CASS

2. Debate on the Legitimacy and Functioning of the Institutional framework of the EU:

Participants will be divided into small groups (one on each institution) and will be given guidelines for debate touching upon issues of legitimacy of the EU Institutions. These can be modified. Participants will then be free to discuss on conduct research to report back to the group on the next day (25. September in the morning)

Basic information can be found at:

http://europa.eu/institutions/index_en.htm

3.  Lecture on Parliamentary Control in the EU

Here the question at stake is why parliamentary democracy that guarantees democratic legitimacy in the member states may prove deficient in the EU system. Special attention will be paid to the role of national parliaments and the European Parliament (EP).

Required Reading

Raunio, Tapio (2005) 'Holding governments accountable in European affairs: Explaining cross-national variation ', The Journal of Legislative Studies, 11:3, 319 – 342, will be provided to CASS

4. Simulation on a Council Working Party

Here participants will simulate a Council Working Party on the Environment. Participants will “play” different EU Member States. Mandates will be distributed in class. This will be evaluated with taking problems of legitimacy into account.

Reading:

Background information on the Drinking Water Directive (15 pages) (has been provided by C. Neuhold to CASS)

5. Lecture on “Solutions” to Legitimacy Problems in the EU (i.a. in the                          Reform Treaty

Required Reading

Neuhold C. and Versluis, E. 2004: The Constitutional Treaty: Tackling the “Democratic Challenge” (with Versluis Esther). Federal Trust Constitutional Online Papers, No. 25 – 04, CAN BE FOUND AT: http://www.fedtrust.co.uk/uploads/constitution/25_04.pdf