Evropeizace německého parlamentu: Adaptace Spolkového sněmu a Spolkové rady na požadavky procesu evropské integrace
The Europeanization of German Parliamentarism: The Adaptation of the German Bundestag and Bundesrat to the European Integration Process

Summary/Abstract: This article deals with the europeanization of the German parliament as a difficult process of finding a relationship between the German government (Bundesregierung), upper chamber (Bundesrat) and lower chamber (Bundestag) concerning EU-related affairs. One of the results of the recent process of europeanization is the loss of influence of parliaments in EU member countries. The decision-making process within the Council of the EU can hardly be followed by parliaments and parliamentary committees. This has led to adaptation processes within the polities of EU member countries. This article follows the development of EC and EU-related institutions and committees in both chambers of the German parliament, as well as agreements and changes to the German constitutions adopted in order to assure that the parliament would not lose its influence in EU-related affairs during the period from 1957 to 2006. The conclusion is that there were differences between both chambers of parliament in the way they tried to secure their interests. However, both chambers partly lost their influence although they changed their structures and negotiated new agreements trying to secure their positions.

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