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The Concept of European Values: Creating a New Narrative for Europe offers a philosophical analysis of the concept of European values from its origin to the present day. This book rethinks European values in light of the crises—economic, political, migration, identity, and pandemic—that the European Union (EU) has faced from 2008 until today and analyzes EU initiatives to create a new narrative for Europe. Sanja Ivic reexamines the concept of European values as well as the philosophical and political assumptions on which this concept is based. In times of crisis, the EU has shown a lack of solidarity. As evidenced by Brexit, the migration crisis, and the pandemic crisis, the EU is experiencing a clash of national and postnational norms and values. Ivic argues that the EU did not react in accordance with the supranational values and principles on which it is based, as stated in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union: respect for democracy, human dignity, freedom, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. Its reaction to these crises shows a turn from postnational values (which the EU advocated as a supranational political community) to nationalist paradigms.

This book takes a wide-ranging approach to tackle the complex question of the current state of constitutional democracy in the EU. It brings together a broad set of academics and practitioners with legal and political perspectives to focus on both topical and perennial issues concerning constitutional democracy (including safeguarding the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights) in theory and practice, primarily at EU level but also with due regard to national and global developments. This approach underlines that rather than a single problématique to be analysed and resolved, we are presently facing a kaleidoscopic spectrum of related challenges that influence each other in elusive, multifaceted ways. Critical Reflections on Constitutional Democracy in the European Union offers a rich analysis of the issues as well as concrete policy recommendations, which will appeal to scholars and practitioners, students and interested citizens alike. It provides a meaningful contribution to the array of existing scholarship and debate by proposing original elements of analysis, challenging often-made assumptions, destabilising settled understandings and proposing fundamental reforms. Overall, the collection injects a set of fresh critical perspectives on this fundamental issue that is as contemporary as it is eternal.

The present collection of essays offers the reader a broad range of original perspectives on democracy and the rule of law in the European Union, approaching the existing policy area from new points of view. Leading experts from different countries and backgrounds focus on how democracy and the rule of law are related to topics like security, pension rights, judicial cooperation and human rights protection. Their expert views are based on a combination of theory and knowledge acquired in their practice as academics or practitioners in the field of European integration..The issue of the rule of law and democracy is close to the heart of Professor Jaap de Zwaan, a true European, building bridges between countries and peoples. He has written extensively on the subject of European integration. Therefore, this collection of expert views is not only an original and valuable contribution to the literature and discussion on the development and enlargement of the European Union, but at the same time it is a tribute to Jaap de Zwaan, whose academic and diplomatic career can be characterized as always serving “an ever closer Union”.Flora Goudappel is Jean Monnet Professor of EU Trade Law in the Overseas Territories at the Erasmus University Rotterdam and a consultant on European Union law Ernst Hirsch Ballin is Professor of Dutch and European Constitutional Law at Tilburg University and Professor of Human Rights Law at the University of Amsterdam.