National Parliaments in the European Union – Toward a More Active Role?

The Lisbon Treaty created different possibilities for national parliaments to secure their greater involvement in the overall functioning of the EU and in the law-making process at the European level. Moreover, it was the first time that an EU Treaty specifically acknowledged the role of national parliaments in the EU. Among these novelties probably the most important concerned the Early Warning Mechanism that offers to national parliaments the possibility of examining new legislative proposals from the EU for compliance with the concept of subsidiarity through the so-called yellow card and orange card procedures. The possibility for national parliaments to make more active contributions at the European level also exists inside the informal political dialogue framework that is an important channel of cooperation among EU institutions.