Democracy Impacts

Ireland Resists EU Tax Centralization Proposal

September 22, 2017

Reuters reports that Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has objected to a proposal announced by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in his recent "State of the Union" speech to consolidate EU authority over tax policy by permitting a "qualified majority" of EU members to adopt bloc-wide tax measures.
NGO Warns that Brexit May Diminish Rights

September 21, 2017

Benjamin Ward of Human Rights Watch has expressed concern that UK citizens’ rights may not be protected if the UK Parliament follows through with its current proposal not to incorporate the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in domestic law after Brexit.
Commentator: EU Investment Will Drive Integration

September 21, 2017

Columnist Leonid Bershidsky writes that, while nationalist politicians in Central and Eastern European EU member states may threaten to flout decisions of EU institutions and courts, their actual impact on continued EU integration will be limited because they cannot weather a withdrawal of Western investment from their economies.
Top Official Opposes Multi-Speed EU

September 21, 2017

Politico reports that, in his recent "State of the Union" address, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker opposed calls from Western European countries for a "multi-speed EU" in which some countries could transfer sovereignty to the bloc at a faster pace than others and included a "strong invitation" for all EU members to join the euro.
Kelly: The New Romantic Nationalism

September 20, 2017

In recent remarks at the Annual Meeting of the Federalist Society's European Judicial Network, Jim Kelly described a New Romantic Nationalism.
EU Negotiator: Brexit Security Deal Will Not Ease Trade Terms

September 20, 2017

Business Insider reports that chief Brexit negotiator for the European Parliament Guy Verhofstadt has warned that the EU will not permit the UK to secure a favorable trade deal after Brexit in return for Britain's pledge of continued collaboration on security issues.
Scholar: Poland Moves Toward "De-Europeanisation"

September 19, 2017

Piotr Buras of the European Council on Foreign Relations has produced an article asserting that recent developments in Poland concerning the country's courts and parliamentary procedure, along with criticism of EU institutions, signal an attempted "de-Europeanisation" by the ruling party that could harm the internal cohesion of the EU.
UK MPs: EU Owes Britain €10 Billion

September 19, 2017

Business Insider reports that over 100 UK Members of Parliament (MPs) who form the euroskeptic European Research Group have produced a report asserting that the UK has no legal obligation to pay a "divorce bill" to the EU upon leaving the bloc, and instead could claim €10 billion from the EU for the country's share in the European Investment Bank.
UK Paper Seeks Continued EU Science Ties

September 19, 2017

The UK government has published a position paper stating that British officials involved in Brexit negotiations will seek to agree "a far-reaching science and innovation agreement with the EU that establishes a framework for future collaboration" and permits the UK to continue to receive billions of pounds in research funding from the bloc.
ECJ Limits National Options in GMO Debate

September 19, 2017

The Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) has ruled that EU member states may not take emergency measures to prohibit the cultivation of genetically modified food that has been approved by the European Commission without evidence of “serious” health or environmental risk.