The European Constitution

Abstract:

Although, until very recently, the word constitution was noticeably absent from the EU's political vocabulary, this formerly taboo word has surfaced in dramatic fashion. In order to bridge the gap between the institutions of the EU and its citizens, the European Convention of 2002-2003 developed a single, integrated constitutional text, which has now been adopted by the heads of all EU Member States and is winding its way through the politically treacherous path of ratification.

This book offers a first in-depth analysis of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. As the author constitutional law expert Jacques Ziller notes, the new Constitution is in many ways a grand integration of elements from existing European law (most importantly from the case law of the European Court of Justice), yet at the same time the new text features groundbreaking innovations with far-reaching implications for the future of Europe.