Schuessel Criticizes EU Centralization

DENNIS: I told you. We're an anarcho-syndicalist commune. We take it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week.
ARTHUR: Yes.
DENNIS: But all the decisions of that officer have to be ratified at a special biweekly meeting.
ARTHUR: Yes, I see.
DENNIS: By a simple majority in the case of purely internal affairs --
ARTHUR: Be quiet!
DENNIS: -- but by a two-thirds majority in the case of more --

European heads of state take turns at the EU presidency, rotating every six months. British PM Tony Blair just finished out the UK's term at the end of 2005, whose performance ranged from anemic to disgraceful. Now it's Austria's turn, and they're showing some backbone.

Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schussel has kicked off his country's presidency of the EU with criticism of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for systematically expanding EU powers through its rulings.

The Austrian leader called for the debate on the future of the EU to focus not only on the fate of the EU constitution, shelved after French and Dutch voters rejected the text, but also on the role of the EU’s top court.

Mr Schussel said "the ECJ…has in the last couple of years systematically expanded European competencies, even in areas, where there is decidedly no [European] community law."

"Suddenly, judgements emerge on the role of women in the German federal army [mandated by a 2001 ECJ ruling], or on access of foreign students to Austrian universities – that is clearly national law," he added.

The chancellor referred to a judgement by the EU court of last July, when judges ruled that Austria could not restrict access of foreign students to its universities, many of whom are Germans.

Mr Schussel also reiterated that his government during its stint at the helm of the EU will not press the ratification of the EU constitution, which Austria itself supports.

In June 2005, European leaders agreed upon a "reflection period" on the constitution, in response to negative outcomes of referendums on the charter in France and the Netherlands.

I think it's better termed a "cooling-off period." The proles had their chance, and they gave the wrong answer. Some members, at least, are likely to let the rabble die down, then sneak it through parliament. A parliamentary vote, rather than a popular referendum, was the original plan in 15 states anyway, including Austria.

Vienna’s strategy to resuscitate the constitutional debate will first see a discussion on identity, kicked off by a major conference called "The Sound of Europe" at the end of this month.

As a further sign of the Austrian presidency’s concern about a centralised EU, Mr. Schussel indicated deregulation and subsidiarity (the principle that political decisions should be taken at the lowest possible level) should be "taken seriously."

Constitution or not, the EU juggernaut has taken on a life of its own by now. But it's good of him to make the effort.