THE HISTORY AND IMPACT OF THE EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION ON THE EUROPEAN UNION
THE HISTORY AND IMPACT OF THE EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION ON THE EUROPEAN UNION

Summary/Abstract: In the European Union, although there is no "European Constitution" in the sense of a single constitution governing the entire Union, in a similar way to the national constitutions of its member states, there is a complex legal framework that is formed by treaties and intergovernmental agreements that governs its operation. The Union operates on the principles of the rule of law and respect for human rights. However, the idea of a "European Constitution" was a highly discussed and controversial one, especially in the 2000s. Although it was not adopted in the form of a proper Constitution, the Treaty of Lisbon introduced numerous reforms and changes in the structure and the functioning of the EU, largely reflecting the initial objectives of the European Constitution. Thus, the term "European Constitution" remains an important one in the history of European integration, even if the initial project was not implemented in its original form. In this paper we will try to present an overview of the history of the EU Constitution, as well as the structure and supporting pillars of the European legal order.

• Details
• Contents