The procedure for the participation of regional parliaments in the European Union

Abstract

This paper analyzes the participation of regional Parliaments in the European integration process. The research starts from the theoretical study of the claims of subsidiarity by the German Länder, in order to limit the growing process of expansion of competence of the community sphere and thus be able to overcome the democratic deficit that some territories suffered. The article opens the debate on the participation of autonomous entities in European decision-making, especially in those that directly affect them. To this end, a comparative constitutional analysis is made of the autonomous legislative assemblies, determining the subsidiarity control mechanisms. In the first part, the presence of regional institutions in European decision-making is investigated, followed by an in-depth look at the legal nature of the principle of subsidiarity and its introduction in the Statutes of Autonomy. The final part of the text reflects on the participation of the regional Parliaments in the formation of the Autonomous Commissions for European Affairs, analyzing the obligation of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate to refer any legislative initiative of the European Union to the Legislative Assemblies of the Autonomous Communities.