Friedrich Moser: “There’s a democratic deficit in the EU”

PressEurop ^ | 8 February 2013 | Gian Paolo Accardo

[Olog-hai]

The Brussels Business, to be broadcasted on Arte on 12 February, explores the shadowy universe of the powerful lobby groups at work behind the scenes of the European Union institutions, revealing their opaque and crucial influence on decisions that affect the daily lives of Europe’s citizens. The film’s co-director, Friedrich Moser, tells Presseurop how the idea of making a movie on such a touchy subject came to him, how he managed to persuade the lobbyists to take part, and his ideas on the EU and its future. …

(T)here is a democratic deficit compared to the member states. Firstly because, in the member states, the Parliament is involved in the legislative process from the very beginning. This means you have a debate from the start. In Brussels it is not the case. This is why we demand that the European Parliament is given the right to initiate legislation. It will be beneficial on both sides because presently, the Parliament can only block the Commission’s or the Council’s proposals.

Secondly, there’s no public debate on European topics because the press does not talk about them: 80 percent of what controls our daily life starts out as a legislation in Brussels. So, it should be treated as an internal politics by the media. But the media treat it as external affairs, or say “European affairs are so complicated that people are not interested.” So people are not aware of what happens in Brussels. …

[Olog-hai]

Looks like this Moser fellow doesn’t realize, or doesn’t want to admit to himself, that the EU is designed exactly the way the elites wanted it to be and is never going to give legislative power to the Parliament. He goes on to say this:

We have to go back to the early days of the European construction: the European Community was an elite project by the political and economical European leadership after WW2. In those years, it was probably not possible to have a debate involving all the European citizens. As an elite project, it has been successful. But as the Single Market and the European Union as we know it today went on, the economic cooperation organization became a political power. But now we don’t have the level of public involvement that a political power should have. This is the main problem and the reason why so many European citizens are turning their back on Europe: they don’t feel represented. …

Does it really take Captain Obvious to explain things here?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Olog-hai.

Firstly because, in the member states, the Parliament is involved in the legislative process from the very beginning. This means you have a debate from the start. In Brussels it is not the case... Secondly, there’s no public debate on European topics because the press does not talk about them...

No wonder there's a drive afoot to make criticism of their dictates illegal.