05/04/24 EU Constitution #2, links, novel progress #50
05/04/17 EU Constitution #1, links, tarot progress #7
05/04/10 Links
05/04/24 EU Constitution #2, links, novel progress #50
05/04/17 EU Constitution #1, links, tarot progress #7
05/04/10 Links
(Still looking at the European Constitution. Still no lawyer. You know the drill.)
Question: what's worse than having to look at a long and complicated document?
Answer: having to look at a long and complicated document of which there are several versions, without being sure you're looking at the right version.
When it comes to the European constitution, at least to the Dutch version, the question unfortunately isn't hypothetical.
The version (of both the English and the Dutch texts) that I've been looking at, so far, is the one linked from the Constitution web pages of the European Union. The Dutch text that's linked from here has version date December 16th, 2004. In the introductory note to the English version on the EU site, also dated December 16th, it is stated that this version contains the text that was signed in Rome on October 29th, 2004. So far, so good.
Europa.eu.int: Constitution
Dutch text
But here's where it gets complicated. There's an official website for the Dutch referendum on the Constitution which, naturally, has a version of the full text in Dutch linked from it. However, this is a different version, dated October 29th, 2004. You'd assume this, too, to be the text as signed in Rome on October 29th, 2004. However, this looks like it might be a different text. One obvious difference is that the Preamble in the version on the EU website lists the names of the representatives, while this version doesn't. (Maybe they were still busy tracking down the name of the foreign affairs minister of Belgium when this version was published.)
ReferendumEuropeseGrondwet.nl
Dutch text (PDF)
So, we have two websites, both belonging to governmental organisations, linking different versions of the Dutch text. Nice. Just to be clear: here I'll be using the English and Dutch versions that are linked from Europa.eu.int.
In these articles we're starting off with some 'mission statement' stuff that's nice to read, and that nobody's probably going to mind much. One interesting bit is in article I-3: The Union shall offer its citizens an area of freedom, security and justice without internal frontiers, and an internal market where competition is free and undistorted. This is, I think, quite central to the Europe of the future as the authors of the Constitution see it. There's again emphasis on the internal market in the next paragraph, where 'a highly competetive social market economy' is mentioned. (And please don't ask me what a social market economy is.)
(To be continued.)
Looking for more?
All entries about the European Constitution
New perspectives on ancient history.
The Independent: decoded at last - the 'classical holy grail' that may rewrite the history of the world
Oxyrhynchus papyri project
(via Metafilter)
Were they there? Will we ever know?
CIA: Comprehensive report of the special advisor to the DCI on Iraq's WMD
Travelling through history.
Ancient routes
(via Metafilter)
Inside look.
InternetNews: Peeking into Google
Inside taste.
Google gulp!
One new episode in the past week, 569 new words, 66,170 words total.
Introduction
Introduction and start of part 3
After the war (98)
(I'm one of the many Europeans who get to participate in a referendum on the European Constitution in the coming months. Since I'm supposed to have an opinion about it, I decided to have a go at reading the thing and reporting my findings here. Note: I'm not a lawyer, just a concerned citizen.)
I downloaded the English and Dutch (my native language) versions of the constitution from the internet. First impression: it's very, very long. It's also crammed with complicated legalese that may give even lawyers a hard time assessing the consequences.
At first sight this seems odd. The constitutions that I've read so far (admittedly, not a large sample) read like mission statements rather than manuals. For instance, you can read and understand the Dutch constitution well within thirty minutes.
In view of the public debate that's supposed to happen in the coming months, it's also unfortunate. It may mean that the public debate will largely reflect pre-existing attitudes toward Europe, with all sides cherry-picking the text for bits and pieces that prove their point. It may also mean that the public at large won't bother getting informed and voting.
The thing's called: Treaty establishing a constitution for Europe. Question number one: is this the European constitution or isn't it? Well - let's just ignore that for now.
This bit isn't that interesting, unless you're dying to know the name of, let's say, the Belgian minister of foreign affairs. It does, sort of, answer the question about the nature of the document. It states that the document has been drafted by representatives of the member states who have agreed that this - everything following the Preamble - is their proposed text for the European constitution. At least, that's how I read it.
One thing: the fourth paragraph mentions the peoples of Europe forging a common destiny. Now, I always get a bit nervous when heads of state start throwing words like "destiny" around, since it usually means that common sense has gone out of the window and fuzzy feelings have taken over. Then again, I may be reading too much into this.
(To be continued.)
Looking for more?
All entries about the European Constitution
Older stuff. Still catching up.
Extensive site about some of Europe's most notorious heretics.
Peter Vronsky: Montsegur and the Cathars
Lost in the dark.
Stefan Mart: Homage to an unknown artist
(via Metafilter)
Life in 1944.
Blogspot: Filboid Sudge
(via Metafilter)
The mind is an undiscovered country.
The Guardian: A genius explains
(via Metafilter)
Busted.
Snopes: Change is in the air
More work on III The Empress
Current
Archive
We still have a government (see previous post for background). Well, yay us, I guess.
Strangers in a strange land.
F*cked Gaijin
Law and the Internet.
Gigalaw
Latest news.
Daypop
Religion for the uninitiated.
Killing the Buddha
Daily reading.
Blog of the day.
Permanent link.
05/04/10
On this page Transitional HTML 4.01 and CSS 1 are used. If you're seeing this text you either have CSS switched off in your browser, or you're using a browser that can't handle CSS. If you're using an older browser version, you might want to consider upgrading.