The Legal Character of the European Union on the Basis of the Constitutional Treaty for Europe

Abstract

The Convension establishing the Constitution for Europe puts forward a single text to replace all the existing Treaties in the interests of clarity. It establishes the European Union. The Union has a legal personality to assert its values and interests in the international arena. The Constitution sets out the values on which the Union is based: respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. The Union respects the national identity of its Member States, including with regard to local and regional autonomy. The Constitution introduces a classification of the Union's powers – the exclusive powers and the shared powers. The Constitution for the first time defines the democratic bases of the Union and consolidates its tangible expression.