Cheyenne
06-02-2005, 05:50 AM
In those countries where the people were bypassed http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/teeth2.gif ... Germany, Italy, ... you hardly get information about the EU constitution.
So, yesterday I read a great deal of the EU constitution myself *and I had my first "laugh" at the beginning.
Preamble of the American constitution:
"We the People of the United States ..."
Preamble of the EU constitution:
"HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS ..."
Shortly after it, I had my second laugh ...
"Article I-1
Establishment of the Union
1. Reflecting the will of the citizens and States of Europe to build a common future, this Constitution establishes the European Union, on which the Member States confer competences to attain objectives they have in common. ..."
WE WERE NOT ASKED ... and those who were asked (except for the Spanish) said "NON" and "NEE" ...
But there are other critical points ... such as:
"Article I-10
Citizenship of the Union
...
2. Citizens of the Union shall have:
(a) the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States;
(b) the right to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament and in municipal elections in their Member State of residence, under the same conditions as nationals of that State;..."
Oh great, *that means if Turkey becomes a member of the EU, Turkish people who DO NOT share our values will reside freely, mostly in Germany, and vote for their State of RESIDENCE for the EU parliament ... who the heck had this idea?
Not to speak of those that will immigrate into Germany's, France's and GB's social systems, a wheight it can't bear. It already bears too much. There are too many Germans, French, etc. *who don’t want to work or don’t find any work.
I am not against sharing wealth, but there are many Western Europeans and immigrants who don't want to work but rather live their lifes to the expense of those who do work ... we can’t keep out those kind of Germans, French, etc. but those who immigrate for only that one reason worsened by them not sharing our values like it's the case with most of the Turkish people and even preaching hatred openly. Those who want to work (already found work or are seriously searching for it) AND do share our values are always welcome ... but that's not the majority.
What's more:
"Article I-12
Categories of competence
1. When the Constitution confers on the Union exclusive competence in a specific area, only the Union may legislate and adopt legally binding acts, the Member States being able to do so themselves only if so empowered by the Union or for the implementation of Union acts.
2. When the Constitution confers on the Union a competence shared with the Member States in a specific area, the Union and the Member States may legislate and adopt legally binding acts in that area. The Member States shall exercise their competence to the extent that the Union has not exercised, or has decided to cease exercising, its competence."
... *http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ...
"Article I-13
Areas of exclusive competence
1. The Union shall have exclusive competence in the following areas:
(a) customs union;
(b) the establishing of the competition rules necessary for the functioning of the internal market;
© monetary policy for the Member States whose currency is the euro;
(d) the conservation of marine biological resources ...
(e) common commercial policy.
2. The Union shall also have exclusive competence for the conclusion of an international agreement when its conclusion is provided for in a legislative act of the Union or is necessary to enable the Union to exercise its internal competence, or insofar as its conclusion may affect common rules or alter their scope.
Article I-14
Areas of shared competence ...
2. Shared competence:
(a) internal market;
(b) social policy ...
© economic, social and territorial cohesion;
(d) agriculture ...
(e) environment;
(f) consumer protection;
(g) transport;
(h) trans-European networks;
(i) energy;
(j) area of freedom, security and justice;
(k) common safety concerns in public health matters ... "
...
What I find really ridiculous is the following ...
"Article I-26
The European Commission
1. The Commission ... shall exercise coordinating, executive and management functions, as laid down in the Constitution. ...
2. Union legislative acts may be adopted only on the basis of a Commission proposal, except where the Constitution provides otherwise.
3. The Commission's term of office shall be five years.
4. The members of the Commission shall be chosen on the ground of their general competence and European commitment from persons whose independence is beyond doubt. ..."
You know who choses those "independent people" ... I dunno ... because it's not the European people ... http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/ne_nau.gif http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/noway.gif
"Article I-40
Specific provisions relating to the common foreign and security policy
...
5. Member States shall consult one another within the European Council and the Council on any foreign and security policy issue which is of general interest in order to determine a common approach. Before undertaking any action on the international scene or any commitment which could affect the Union's interests, each Member State shall consult the others within the European Council or the Council. ..."
No more "Letter of the Eight" ... and e.g. the British shall consult the French before doing something that MIGHT be of interest to the EU ... http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
There may be some good points about forming a strong European Union ... but this is not the right way.
There are too many questions left unanswered, some problems left unsolved and THE European identity/vision is still too fuzzy for many Europeans. The European people further need to be involved more.
So, yesterday I read a great deal of the EU constitution myself *and I had my first "laugh" at the beginning.
Preamble of the American constitution:
"We the People of the United States ..."
Preamble of the EU constitution:
"HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS ..."
Shortly after it, I had my second laugh ...
"Article I-1
Establishment of the Union
1. Reflecting the will of the citizens and States of Europe to build a common future, this Constitution establishes the European Union, on which the Member States confer competences to attain objectives they have in common. ..."
WE WERE NOT ASKED ... and those who were asked (except for the Spanish) said "NON" and "NEE" ...
But there are other critical points ... such as:
"Article I-10
Citizenship of the Union
...
2. Citizens of the Union shall have:
(a) the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States;
(b) the right to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament and in municipal elections in their Member State of residence, under the same conditions as nationals of that State;..."
Oh great, *that means if Turkey becomes a member of the EU, Turkish people who DO NOT share our values will reside freely, mostly in Germany, and vote for their State of RESIDENCE for the EU parliament ... who the heck had this idea?
Not to speak of those that will immigrate into Germany's, France's and GB's social systems, a wheight it can't bear. It already bears too much. There are too many Germans, French, etc. *who don’t want to work or don’t find any work.
I am not against sharing wealth, but there are many Western Europeans and immigrants who don't want to work but rather live their lifes to the expense of those who do work ... we can’t keep out those kind of Germans, French, etc. but those who immigrate for only that one reason worsened by them not sharing our values like it's the case with most of the Turkish people and even preaching hatred openly. Those who want to work (already found work or are seriously searching for it) AND do share our values are always welcome ... but that's not the majority.
What's more:
"Article I-12
Categories of competence
1. When the Constitution confers on the Union exclusive competence in a specific area, only the Union may legislate and adopt legally binding acts, the Member States being able to do so themselves only if so empowered by the Union or for the implementation of Union acts.
2. When the Constitution confers on the Union a competence shared with the Member States in a specific area, the Union and the Member States may legislate and adopt legally binding acts in that area. The Member States shall exercise their competence to the extent that the Union has not exercised, or has decided to cease exercising, its competence."
... *http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif ...
"Article I-13
Areas of exclusive competence
1. The Union shall have exclusive competence in the following areas:
(a) customs union;
(b) the establishing of the competition rules necessary for the functioning of the internal market;
© monetary policy for the Member States whose currency is the euro;
(d) the conservation of marine biological resources ...
(e) common commercial policy.
2. The Union shall also have exclusive competence for the conclusion of an international agreement when its conclusion is provided for in a legislative act of the Union or is necessary to enable the Union to exercise its internal competence, or insofar as its conclusion may affect common rules or alter their scope.
Article I-14
Areas of shared competence ...
2. Shared competence:
(a) internal market;
(b) social policy ...
© economic, social and territorial cohesion;
(d) agriculture ...
(e) environment;
(f) consumer protection;
(g) transport;
(h) trans-European networks;
(i) energy;
(j) area of freedom, security and justice;
(k) common safety concerns in public health matters ... "
...
What I find really ridiculous is the following ...
"Article I-26
The European Commission
1. The Commission ... shall exercise coordinating, executive and management functions, as laid down in the Constitution. ...
2. Union legislative acts may be adopted only on the basis of a Commission proposal, except where the Constitution provides otherwise.
3. The Commission's term of office shall be five years.
4. The members of the Commission shall be chosen on the ground of their general competence and European commitment from persons whose independence is beyond doubt. ..."
You know who choses those "independent people" ... I dunno ... because it's not the European people ... http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/ne_nau.gif http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/noway.gif
"Article I-40
Specific provisions relating to the common foreign and security policy
...
5. Member States shall consult one another within the European Council and the Council on any foreign and security policy issue which is of general interest in order to determine a common approach. Before undertaking any action on the international scene or any commitment which could affect the Union's interests, each Member State shall consult the others within the European Council or the Council. ..."
No more "Letter of the Eight" ... and e.g. the British shall consult the French before doing something that MIGHT be of interest to the EU ... http://www.gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
There may be some good points about forming a strong European Union ... but this is not the right way.
There are too many questions left unanswered, some problems left unsolved and THE European identity/vision is still too fuzzy for many Europeans. The European people further need to be involved more.