Comments on the Representation of Romania in the European Council and on its Consequences for Democratic Accountability

Abstract

The article approaches issues concerning the representation of Romania in the European Council, question that has received significant attention in recent years. Several decisions handed down by the Constitutional Court of Romania were meant to clear up to a certain degree the division of roles between the President of Romania and the Prime Minister in representation in the European Council meetings, while other matters are still waiting for a clearer answer. These developments occurred with parliamentary debates on what is today the Act no 373 of 18 December 2013 on cooperation between the Parliament and the Government in the field of European affairs. The article aims to assess this case-law of the Constitutional Court in the broader framework of EU affairs.

Keywords: EU affairs, Constitution of Romania, Constitutional Court of Romania, Act on cooperation in European affairs, European Council, President of Romania, Prime Minister, Parliament