[Yorick]

Originally posted by Mouse: The whole point of the ECSC, the EEC and the EC and the EU is that they have evolved by the gradual secession of some aspects of national sovereignty to their institutions. Sovereignty is like virginity, once you give it away, it's virtually impossible to get it back, and even if you say you still have it, people know what you've done Personally speaking, I don't fear closer European integration. Anything that breaks down the national barriers and prejudices that lead (to a large extent) to two World Wars should be supported. I also believe that the European Court (which is an organ of the EU) and the European Court of Human Rights (which is not) are useful in enforcing minimum agreed standards of behaviour against national governments. In a country where there is no written constitution, it is a powerful deterrant against the exercise of unreasonable powers by the Executive. Finally, it is often forgotten that the supreme legislative body in the EU is still the Council of Ministers and that consists of elected representatives of member governments. The European Parliament (a directly elected body) still only has limited autonomous powers. As for the often reviled Commission and it's President, unless they are acting under treaty powers in strictly proscribed areas, all they do is carry out the Parliament's and the Council of Minister's instructions. Here in the UK, we love to rail against the "Brussels Bureaucrats" when in effect, we should be directing our criticism against the elected representatives who gave them the briefs and authority to come up with some of their more unpalatable plans. Just so you know, all the above is dredged from a year of study of European Law and Institutions that I undertook as part of a degree about 8 years ago, so I apologise for any factual innacuracies and misremembered notions. I am, after all, a confirmed Eurotwit

Great post Mouse. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Consider this a response.