The function of democratic control of the European Parliament – Analysis of S. Veil’s speech

Résumé du document

Since the origins of the building of the European Community, the idea of a direct election of the EP was present. In the Rome Treaty, the commitment to abolish the system of nominated members was settled, but no timetable was laid down. Thus, it occurred only in 1979, after the reluctance of the Council of Ministers had been reduced. After that first election, the parliament held its first session on 11 July 1979, electing Simone Veil MEP as its President. Veil was also the first woman President of the Parliament since it was formed as the Common Assembly, and held an introductory speech of her mandate. Through this speech of Simone Veil, we will analyze the consequences of the direct election of the Parliament on its function of democratic control over the other institutions.

Extraits

[...] Veil wishes an effective role of democratic control of the other institutions. That's why she declares: directly elected EP will be able fully to perform its function of democratic control”. In fact, S. Veil surprisingly doesn't call for a really institutionalised vertical control of the other institutions, with an effective investiture vote was surely an early time to speak of such an important control. Interestingly, through a very large and horizontal conception of the notion of democratic control, she proposes an original means for the EP to increase its role of control over the other institutions. [...]

[...] This represents more than a mere right of veto, because the composition of the EP influences the choice of the Commission President. However, this link was already in practice successfully established in 2004 when the largest group in the Parliament argued successfully that the new President should come from a party represented in its ranks. Still here, the practice plays an important role, as S. Veil wished. Thus, the EP has come to play a major role in the appointment of the Commission and its President (investiture), thereby significantly altering the structure of relations between the institutions. [...]

[...] The procedure of co-decision enhanced the role of the EP, making it fast equal to the Council in its relation with him. Thus, independently from the vertical relations between the Commission and the EP, “horizontal relations of mutual control” (Magnette) were progressively settled between the Council and the EP, according to S. Veil's wishes. Bibliography Michael Shackleton, The European Parliament, in John Peterson, Policy- Making in the European Union, Oxford University Press Nicolas Clinchamps, Parlement européen et droit parlementaire : Essai sur la naissance du Droit parlementaire de l'Union européenne, Bibliothèque constitutionnelle et de science politique, Paris Paul Magnette, Le régime politique de l'Union Européenne, Presses de Sciences Po, 2nd edition, Paris Simon Hix, Constitutional Agenda-setting through discretional Rule Interpretation: Why the EP won at Amsterdam, British Journal of Political Science Richard Corbett, The European Parliament's Role in Closer EU Integration, Palgrave Macmillan Roger Morgan, Clare Tame, Parliaments and parties: the European Parliament in the political life of Europe, Macmillan Press, London Sasse C., Bieber R., Georgel J., Hand. [...]

[...] Veil's proposal, the main innovation in the EP function of control was the right of an investiture vote. But according to S. Veil's vision, this innovation came not from the amending of the Treaties, but from an EP extensive interpretation of its role, in the practice. In 1981, for the first time, the presentation of its program by the President of the Commission (Gaston Thorn) was followed by a vote in the EP, creating a precedent for a kind of investiture vote of the Commission. [...]

[...] First, her conception of the democratic control is large and horizontal. She doesn't mention an institutionalised vote of the Commissioners, but calls for something more general: to beyond the strictly institutional limitations of its role”. She wants the EP to speak on the attempts of all others institutions, so that their political attempts will be controlled, but not through a vote. voice of our Assembly, confident in its newly acquired legitimacy, will be heard by all the Community authorities”. In particular, S. [...]