The State of the European Union. The European states facing the reforms of the Union

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THE STATE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
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likelihood an uncertain future, undefinable in
terms of unity of political action and far re-
moved from the community method, given that
the political agendas of the European Commis-
sion and the European Council are currently dif-
ferent.48
48On the important issue of the growing deterioration of
the community method, the following contribution from
the European Parliament is very timely: “The Parliament
deplores the fact that every time the European Council
decides to apply intergovernmental methods and to bypass
the ‘Community or Union method’ as defined in the
Treaties, this not only leads to less effective policy-making
but also contributes to a growing lack of transparency,
democratic accountability and control; the Parliament
considers that a differentiated path is conceivable only as
a temporary step on the way towards more effective and
integrated EU policy making. It considers that the ‘Union
method’ is the only democratic method for legislating
which ensures that all interests, especially the common
European interest, are taken into account; understands
by ‘Union method’ the legislative procedure in which the
Commission, as part of its competence as the executive,
initiates legislation, Parliament and the Council representing
respectively citizens and the states decide in codecision by
majority voting while unanimity obligations in the latter
become the absolute exceptions, and the Court of Justice
oversees and provides ultimate judicial control; insists that
even in cases of urgency the ‘Union method’ should be
respected.” See: European Parliament resolution of 16
February 2017 on possible evolutions of and adjustments
to the current institutional set-up of the European Union
points 6 and 7:
However, the current overwhelming majority
of Heads of State and of Government with a
more Europeanist than nationalist stance allows
us to keep believing that it is possible to revive
the process of integration towards a European
Political Union.