Democracy Impacts

ECJ Chief Foresees Involvement in Brexit Issues

November 22, 2016

In a recent interview, President of the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ), Koen Lenaerts, suggested that many different issues involved in the UK's negotiation of its exit from the EU could end up before his Court, including the triggering of negotiations as provided under EU treaties.
EU Advances Plan for Traveler Security Checks

November 22, 2016

The European Commission has approved a plan, which would be implemented "by early next decade," to charge visitors from countries with a visa-free travel agreement with the EU, such as the US, Canada, and Japan, €5 to complete an online security check before arriving in the bloc.
EU Council Approves Schengen Border Controls

November 16, 2016

The Council of the EU has approved a recommendation from the European Commission extending the time during which it would permit certain EU member states to maintain controls along limited stretches of their borders to the next three months and calling for these countries to limit these controls to what is "strictly necessary."
EU Calls for More Action on Migrant Resettlement

November 16, 2016

In a recent progress report on the implementation of its mandatory program to resettle migrants in EU member states, European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos has called on countries to step up their resettlement efforts and "fully comply with their obligations" under the bloc-wide plan.
Hungarian Amendment Against EU Resettlement Fails

November 10, 2016

The Hungarian Government's proposed constitutional amendment seeking to counter the EU's migrant resettlement policies by establishing that immigration policy is a national competence has failed to secure the necessary number of votes for adoption in the country's Parliament.
German Minister Details EU Defense Plans

November 09, 2016

Amid concerns by US and British officials regarding what they perceive to be the duplicative nature of EU defense institutions, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen has called for the EU to bolster its support to a "European security and defence union" that "should work in a complementary fashion" with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
UK Court: Parliament Must Trigger Brexit Process

November 03, 2016

The UK High Court has held that the decision of the country's electorate to leave the EU, as expressed in the outcome of Britain's June referendum, did not grant the UK government authority to trigger Brexit without parliamentary approval.
Swiss Officials Reject Second Immigration Referendum

October 31, 2016

The Local reports that the Swiss Government has rejected a petition for a second referendum on whether the country should limit migration from the EU, as campaigners seek to nullify the results of a 2014 vote in favor of renegotiating agreements with the bloc to return control of the country's migration policy to national institutions.
EU Prepares to Ramp up Defense Spending

October 31, 2016

As EU leaders call for greater military cooperation following the UK's exit from the bloc, CNBC reports that the European Parliament is preparing to vote on a "Preparatory Action for Defense Research" budget plan that would allocate, for the first time, EU funds for military research over the next three years.
British MP Proposes Sunset Clause for EU Laws

October 26, 2016

In response to the UK Prime Minister's "Great Repeal Bill," which would translate EU laws into UK law following the UK's exit from the bloc, British Member of Parliament Grant Shapps has proposed a "sunset clause" that would automatically end the application of EU law in the UK five years after Brexit.