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Europe’s centralising dynamic must be checked
By Prof Roland Vaubel

Published: March 23 2005 02:00

From Prof Roland Vaubel on behalf of the European Constitutional Group.

Sir, The signatories to this letter - more than 100 from universities and think-tanks in Europe - unite in rejecting the agreement reached by heads of state or government on the proposed constitution for the European Union. We call on the peoples of the Union to withhold ratification through their parliamentary representatives or through referendums.

First, the proposed constitution paves the way for ever-more matters to be decided at an ever-increasing distance from the citizen. Instead of trying to provide a clear focus on what the Union can do best and leave the rest to member states and their regions, the constitution opens doors for the Union to pre-empt the role of other jurisdictions in an increasing number of fields.

Second, the proposed constitution opens up numerous new avenues for increased regulation in Europe. It would undermine Europe’s competitiveness in the world economy. Europe needs less regulation, not more.

Third, by centralising policymaking the proposed constitution gives the state more power over the citizens and suppresses international differences in preferences and needs. The centralising dynamic has to be checked by institutions that do not have a vested interest in centralisation.

Fourth, the fundamental purpose of a constitution to base the rules of political association on popular assent cannot be achieved with such a complicated and ambiguous document.

Crucially important matters such as whether or not the Union has the power to tax or how the charter of rights is to be applied have been left deliberately obscure or have become hopelessly over-complicated.

We do not deny that the proposed constitution costitution contains some positive elements. But on balance it clearly makes things worse. It pushes people still further away from those who exercise power in their name. It must be rejected.

Roland Vaubel, Professor of Economics, University of Mannheim, D-68131 Mannheim, Germany

For the complete list of signatories and their affiliations see the website http:// admin.fnst.universum.de/uploads/1207/ LetterDD.pdf