"Berlin does keep the right to go its own way in the case of important foreign policy or integration reasons.
German minister bypasses national parliament in EU debate
Friday 12 January 2007
German minister Brigit Zypries was criticized by German MPs on her consent for the creation of a new EU fundamental rights agency during an EU justice ministers meeting on 4-5 December. Her agreement occurred despite the promise of the government to take a very restrictive position in accordance with the reserves emitted by German parliament.
Most of the MPs qualified the EU fundamental rights agency in its agreed form as bureaucratic, top-heavy, and encroaching on the Council of Europe competencies and therefore expressed clear reserves.
In a letter addressed to Mrs. Merkel on December 22, head of the parliaments EU affairs committee Matthias Wissmann said: I do not want to hide the displeasure of my fellow committee member colleagues that it could not be clarified why apparently not a single word was said about the reservations of the German Parliament during the justice and home affairs council meeting. When dealing with the fundamental rights agency, the European affairs committee took a moderate approach and trusted ...the very restrictive position pledged by the government, the document states.
Wissmanns letter continued threatening that, ignoring deputies concerns could lead the parliament to tie the German ministers to formal mandates in EU debates in the future.
Although Mrs. Merkel hasnt be heard yet, a German government spokesman was quoted saying that the relationship between the government and the parliament had been newly arranged in a September deal. According to that deal, German ministers are obliged to closely stick to legal positions taken by MPs before EU meetings, but Berlin does keep the right to go its own way in the case of important foreign policy or integration reasons, meaning in reality anytime!
However, in an interview with EU observer, Mr. Wissmann expressed serious concerns, saying: The EU cannot on the one hand speak about engaging national parliaments more strongly and thus making the EU more transparent, and on the other hand defy legitimate concerns of countries democratic representations.
More generally this clash highlights the problematic of democratic control of Ministers decision making in EU debates. Besides Denmark and Finland, few Member States have a tradition to keep a close eye on Brussels dealing, presuming wrongly that what comes from Brussels is best. In the interest of democracy, it might be time to have a reflection on that
Source: EUobserver