The Fundamentals of EU Law Revisited: Assessing the Impact of the Consitutional Debate

With the rejection of the Constitutional Treaty in French and Dutch referenda, the European Union received a severe blow. This precipitated a period of reflection. How far should the fundamental principles that shape the Union be re-assessed in the light of the Constitutional debate? Can the Constitutional Treaty be rescued from failure? If not what other options for constitutional reform are available? Does the Treaty's rejection signal the failure of the Union's goal of democratic governance?

The essays in this volume examine the impact of the debate surrounding the future of the European Constitution on the development of core areas of EU law and policy. Opening with a discussion of the shifting conceptions of European democracy, thi volume proceeds to look at key areas of substantive law against the backdrop of the Constitutional Treaty, from Foreign Relations to Fundamental Rights, Social Policy to Justice and Home Affairs. The book concludes with an examination of potential solutions to the constitutional crisis, and models for future constitutional reform.

Catherine Barnard is Fellow of Trinity College, Reader in European Union Law and Jean Monnet Chair of European Law, University of Cambridge