The proposal for a EU constitution has both advantages and disadvantages. However any moves towards the creation of a "federalist superstate" should be strenuously opposed. Critically discuss

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The proposal for a EU constitution has both advantages and disadvantages. However any moves towards the creation of a “federalist superstate” should be strenuously opposed. Critically discuss

The European Union is a sovereignty-sharing association that exercises power over the citizens of Europe. This has a constitution in which contains the legal rules and practices which underlie the exercise and control of state power. From this we could define the European Union constitution to be a document, which contains the highest law in Europe. This document further regulates and defines everything the Union does, gives a minimum set of rights for the individual European citizen. It also defines and limits the Union authority in some areas. The Preliminary draft for a EU constitution was on the 28th of October 2002. In this draft, Articles 1-16 of draft treaty was published to all Member states. The draft contained what the convention discussed about the functioning of institutions and efficiency of enlarged European Union. And on the 20th and 21st of January 2003 the Treaty was adopted. This Treaty was published on 6th of February 2003 and it would be presented at the European Council Summit to be held in Thessaloniki in June 2003.

The proposal for EU constitution has both advantages and disadvantages. One of the major advantages is that the constitution would bring European citizens closer to the European Union by making the work it does clearer in a single document. Not only does this constitution bring it citizens closer to the Union, but it also give the citizens a greater deal of confidence in the work of the European Union. For instance in the new treaty it states that every national of a Member State shall be a citizen of the Union. This is contained in the Charter of Fundamental Human Rights, which is an integral part of the Constitution. Another advantage of this constitution is that it gives a much clearer definition of the nature and scope of powers between Member States and the Union. In this way we know the scope of powers given to European Court of Justice. We know that it is the highest court in Europe and that EU law from this court overrides any law from any national court.

Another advantage for the proposal of EU constitution is that it will lessen the confusing unwieldy structure of treaties. Since the treaty is in a simplified form and it consists of 3 parts. Part 1 of the treaty consists of the Constitutional Structure, part 2 has the Union Policies and Part 3 has general and final provisions. The treaty being broken down into three parts simplifies it for easy ready and more understanding for the European citizens. Furthermore the treaty aims to create a European social and employment Union whereby the fight against poverty and social exclusion would be better fought. The major objective of this is to attain full employment. This mostly refers to the rights of women to gainful employment, which will also be taken into consideration. The treaty also aims to further implement autonomous common and democratic foreign and security policy for the Union. This is a situation whereby the Member states shall have the duty to assist each other in a case of military attack from outside. The proposal for EU constitution has many advantages to all Member States.

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But this proposal also has its setbacks. A major disadvantage is that any attempt at change by any of the Member States will only result in greater change at EU level. This in effect means that if a Member State wanted to change part of this constitution it would definitely have to go the Union and ask for permission to change it and if the Union does not agree there will be conflict. Furthermore the operation of the European Union and its Institutions is to complex to reduce in one single document. There are already 15 Member States with ...

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