2000年以来的欧盟条约改革进程--欧洲联盟宪政化进程中的曲折起伏

The EU Treaty Reform Process since 2000:The Highs and Lows of Constitutionalising the European Union

2000年至2008年期间,欧洲联盟付出了巨大努力以正式推进宪政化进程。基于欧洲一体化进程长期以来形成的传统,成员国在谈判《尼斯条约》的政府间会议的最后阶段首次提出了制宪这一议题,从而开启了所谓的"莱肯进程":就"欧洲的未来"展开正式而公开的辩论、设立"制宪大会",以及谈判起草一部《欧洲宪法条约》。然而,《欧洲宪法条约》遭遇否决使得整个改革计划受到质疑。经过一段时间的"反思"和重新谈判,各国政府就一部新条约达成了一致。该条约在很大程度上保留了原"宪法条约"的实质内容,但不再使用一些象征性用语。这次条约修改的成果《里斯本条约》自2009年12月1日生效。本文详尽列举了2000至2008年期间条约改革进程中的曲折起伏,提出应将欧盟的宪政化视为一个长期而渐进的过程。即使今后一段时间内不会重提通过一部欧盟宪法的正式计划,这一过程仍将继续。

The period from 2000 to 2008 has seen an extraordinary attempt to formally constitutionalise the European Union.Built on long-standing traditions within the European project,a constitutional discourse initiated in the final stages of the Intergovernmental Conference negotiating the Nice Treaty led to the so-called 'Laeken Process': the launch of a formalized,but open debate about the 'Future of Europe',the setting-up of a 'Constitutional Convention' to ratify this 'European Constitution' then threw the entire reform project into doubt.After a period of 'reflection' and subsequent re-negotiation governments agreed a new treaty that maintained much of the substance of the 'constitution',but avoided the symbolic language that it had contained.This article charts the highs and lows of this period of treaty reform,arguing that the constitutionalisation of the EU is best viewed as a long-lasting and gradual process that is set to continue even if the formal project to adopt a European Constitution will not be re-visited for some time to come.