The EU parliament (the supposed democratic heart of the EU) can’t propose its own legislation. It can only approve, reject or make minor adjustments to legislation handed down by the unelected European Commission. The European Commission itself gets its instructions from the “Eurogroup” which consists of a few unelected wealthy finance ministers that offer no transparency of their meetings.

##A “competitive free market economy” is mandatory for EU member states (https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/international-economic-relations/candidate-and-neighbouring-countries/enlargement/economic-accession-criteria_en)

##Neoliberal TFEU (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) articles:

Article 81 Prohibits government intervention in the economy “which may affect trade between member states”

Article 107 Prohibits state aid to strategic national industries

Article 121 Gives the European Council and European Commission the right to “Formulate … the broad guidelines of the economic policies of the member states and of the union”

Article 126 Regulates the disciplinary measures to be adopted in case of excessive deficit

Article 151 Says that the EU’s Labour and Social Policy shall take account of the need to “Maintain the competitiveness of the union economy”

“There can be no democratic choice against the European treaties”

  • Jean-Claude Juncker (Former president of the European Commission)
  • knfrmity@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
    17·
    9 months ago

    • Some member states have held referendums on proposed EU treaties. The people reject the treaty, yet it is ratified regardless (or renamed/written into other EU legislation).

    • Member states must have a “private option” for health insurance, unless they had a single payer social system before joining the union.

    • Maintains a central bank (ECB) which dictates monetary policy for Euro members supernationally. There can be no sovereign decision making vis a vis currency revaluation or floating of bonds. Economically weaker countries (basically all ex-Germany) are automatically exploited by the stronger countries (Germany) by virtue of having zero monetary sovereignty.

    • The freedom of movement for people (citizens), goods, and most importantly capital locks in unequal exchange between periphery and core, regardless of the currencies in question.

    • Laws ratified by the EU are not laws as such, for the EU doesn’t govern anything directly. Yet EU laws must be implemented in national law very quickly.

    • To pacify France, Strasbourg is part-capital along with Brussels. The entire parliament moves once a month to do their work from Strasbourg for a week, wasting a huge amount of time and resources.

    • 7bicycles [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
      5·
      9 months ago

      Laws ratified by the EU are not laws as such, for the EU doesn’t govern anything directly. Yet EU laws must be implemented in national law very quickly.

      There’s both (and some other minor types nobody gives a shit about) - Regulations are immediatly binding when they come into effect, usually they come with some opening clauses so every member state can adopt some regulation to national laws and structure, i.e. most states have one data protection authority and germany has 18.

      Then there’s directives, which must be codified into national law within the given time limit. If they aren’t they also become directly applicable though and the EU will start a breach of contract procedure and eventually fine you per each day you ballsed it.