National parliaments eclipsed by EU powers

The EU financial crisis has prompted centralisation of economic and budgetary powers in the EU institutions in Brussels, while national parliaments struggle to fulfil their role as democratic watchdogs.

The risk for national parliaments was that if they were not entirely on top of the EU debate then significant economic decisions would simply be taken without their input. Contributions from MPs serving on Europe Committees in the national parliaments of Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands.

On the 11 June 2013 the EUObserver reported that the EU had long had a problem of legitimacy, but the euro crisis had made it worse. Several member states of the European Union (EU) don't trust the EU anymore.

• Primary Source

European Commission: RAPID: MEMO/11/14: European semester: a new architecture for the new EU Economic governance http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-11-14_en.pdf

Council of the European Union: Special Reports: The European Semester http://www.consilium.europa.eu/special-reports/european-semester

European Commission: Europe2020: Making it happen: Country-specific recommendations http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/making-it-happen/country-specific-recommendations/

European Commission: Europe2020: Europe 2020 in a Nutshell: Priorities: Economic governance http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/europe-2020-in-a-nutshell/priorities/economic-governance/index_en.htm

ESO: Background information: Europe’s new balance – necessary EU reforms http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-europes-new-balance-necessary-eu-reforms/

ESO: Background information: Accountability, Parliamentarism and Transparency in the EU: The Role of National Parliaments http://www.europeansources.info/record/accountability-parliamentarism-and-transparency-in-the-eu-the-role-of-national-parliaments/

EUObserver, 11.06.13: Can national parliaments make the EU more legitimate? http://euobserver.com/opinion/120438

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