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STRONG BICAMERALISM IN USA AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY: SOURCES OF REFORM OF EU COUNCIL
Dario Čepo
orcid.org/0000-0003-1509-7020
; Pravni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
Institutions of the European Union have been reforming since the very first
moment of the EU’s existence. They have been adapting to the needs of time
and under the challenge of new political circumstances. Systematic reform
has been further encouraged by recent criticism of democratic deficit, the concept
that is often linked with the EU. This paper argues that by using the experience
and institutional structure of the upper houses of some national parliaments
this deficit could be lowered. The case-study in focus is the Council
(of the European Union). The author argues that the nearest possible sources
for reforms of the Council may be found in the practice of the US Senate and
German Bundesrat. In both American and German cases we are faced with the
parliaments with strong tradition of bicameralism. In both of them, the upper
house represents strong territorial units. In addition, the Senate and Bundesrat
are important actors in policy-making. Thus, they can serve as a good source
of ideas and institutional solutions that may be applicable to the Council too.
Ključne riječi
Strong Bicameralism; Upper House of Parliament; US Senate; Bundesrat; Council of the European Union
Hrčak ID:
111734
URI
Datum izdavanja:
5.12.2013.
Posjeta: 2.014 *