EU and sovereignty

EU THREAT TO SOVEREIGNTY

• EU law has primacy over national law
• Factortame case
• UK has lost right of veto in areas where QMV applies
• EU acts in areas such as monetary policy, immigration and foreign policy
• Inability to throw the European Rascals out
• EC, ECB and ECJ are unaccountable to the electorate
• Inevitability of the ‘ever-closer’ union in the future (federalism)
• 80% of legislation emanating from the EU
• Charter of Fundamental rights
• EU Constitution will extend QMV is it happens.

NO LOSS OF SOVEREIGNTY

• Sovereignty is in terms of effective influence and capacity to act
• UK has not lost sovereignty rather it has ‘pooled’ it with the EU
• Pooling sovereignty has allowed for greater objectives to be achieved
• Single European Market
• Single Currency
• Globalisation has meant that no state can act independently on most issues anyway, so it is a fallacy to claim we still have legal sovereignty
• UK has much more power/influence on the world stage as a strong member of EU
• Parliament could still revoke membership (2years…)
• Still unanimity on certain things (taxation, defence)
• Key functions of a state;
• Own Currency (STILL HAVE)
• Raise/Lower Taxes (STILL CAN)
• Declare War (STILL CAN)

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