The role of national parliaments in decision-making process of the European Union

Abstract

Lisbon treaty from 2009 opened door for the more active role for national parliaments in decision-making process of the European Union. The intention of the authors of the Treaty was to suppress criticism of the democratic deficit of the Union by involving national parliaments in the EU decision-making process. Since the EU began to behave more as political player influencing more than just steel and coal industry, it has often been criticized for manipulating the lives of millions of Europeans, not on the basis of democratic rules and principles. This article describes and analyzes the way and level of involvement of national parliaments in the EU decision-making process. It argues that the method applied does not in any way eliminate the phenomenon of a democratic deficit and underlines the decision-making in an undemocratic way on EU level. Thus, this method is rather ignored by national parliaments.