TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword............................................................................................................................ v

Acknowledgements............................................................................................................

Introduction...................................................................................................................... 1

1. The Development of the Role of the Venice Commission......................................... 8

I. The Transition to Democracy and Rule of Law

in Central and Eastern Europe................................................................................... 8

II. The Take-Off of the Activity of the Venice Commission................................... 10

III. Rule of Law and Separation of Powers............................................................ 13

IV Forms of Government...................................................................................... 15

V Judicial Review................................................................................................ 18

2. European Conditionality, Living Constitution and Constitutional Drafting 21

I. The Many Faces of Conditionality................................................................... 21

II. From the Council of Europe

to the EU - The Living Constitution......................................................................... 24

III. Accession of New Member States to the EU.................................................... 27

IV Post-Accession Conditionality and Compliance.................................................. 29

V Constitutional and Legislative Drafting............................................................ 31

3. The European Constitutional Heritage as a Yardstick for

the New Democracies...........................................................................................................................................

I. The Research of a Parameter 33

II. Paradoxes and History of the Concept

of the European Constitutional Heritage........................................................................................................................................... 34

III. Comparing Western and Eastern Europe Traditions....................................... 38

IV The Impact of the Western Tradition................................................................... 42

4. The Epiphany of the International Constitutional Law........................................ 43

I. Constitutionalism and International Law......................................................... 43

II. International Law, Transnational Law and National Law................................ 45

III. The Making of International Constitutional Law:

The Role of the Venice Commission......................................................................... 47

IV Precedents and Examples.................................................................................... 51

5. International Constitutional Law: Sources and Materials..................................... 57

I. International Law and Transnational Law 57

II. The Research of the Historical Roots 60

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III. The Dubious Contribution of the Central and Eastern

European Countries.................................................................................................. 63

IV. Conclusions...................................................................................................... 65

6. The Venice Commission’s Contribution to the Internationalisation of

Constitutional Law Regarding States’ Judicial Organisation............................... 69

I. Introduction: The Separation of Powers and Its Implementation............................. 69

II. Judicial Councils and Other Solutions............................................................. 74

III. The Functions of Judicial Councils...................................................................

IV Budgetary and Financial Matters...................................................................... 81

V. The Prosecution Service................................................................................... 82

VI. Crises and Difficulties of the Mediterranean Model.......................................... 83

VII. Corruption, Miscarriages and Vetting Procedures......................................... 86

VIII. Conclusions................................................................................................... 88

7. Constitutional Justice in the Frame of the Rule of Law 91

I. Setting the Scene............................................................................................... 91

II. Institutional Position and Composition of Constitutional Courts.................... 93

III. Jurisdiction and Functions................................................................................ 96

IV. Effects of the Decisions of the Constitutional Courts....................................... 98

V. Tensions between Constitutional Courts and Other Branches of the State 99

VI. Constitutional Justice, Rule of Law and Dialogue between the Courts........... 103

8. Conclusions and Perspectives................................................................................ 106

I. The Conclusions of the Research.................................................................... 106

II. Tensions in the European Union and Symptoms of Backsliding................... 108

III. The Reaction of the European Judges............................................................. 111

IV. International Constitutional Law: Principles, Norms or Standards?.............. 113

V. European or Universal Perspectives?............................................................. 117

Appendix 1: Monitoring Committee and Venice Commission: 27 Years of Growing Interaction......................................................................................................... 119

Appendix 2: Comparative Constitutional Law - An Indispensable Tool for the Creation of Transnational Law........................................................................ 123

Index.............................................................................................................................. 133