The Competence Question in the (Con)Federal European Union

Almost every legal dispute, political controversy, or policy debate in the EU ultimately comes down to this question: Who gets to decide? In her new book: The Competence Question in the (Con)Federal European Union, Sacha Garben argues that the current architecture of the European Union (EU) is fundamentally “un-settled”: stuck between two models — that of a confederation and of a federation. This makes questions about what the EU can or should do (its competences) difficult, unpredictable — and often contested which undermines the legitimacy, clarity, and stability of EU authority. She further argues that this conundrum can only be overcome by a new constitutional in initiative that openly addressed what the EU is, what its powers are and how these are grounded.

A panel discussion with the following participants will follow the book presentation:

• Prof. mr. dr. Ton van den Brink - Professor EU legislative Studies
• Dr. Jan Pieter Beetz - Assistant Professor in Political Theory and European Integration
• Dr. Lavina Kortese - Assistant Professor EU Law
• Mr. dr. Nathan Meershoek - Assistant Professor of EU Law and Public Procurement Law