The Constitutional Identity of European Micro States and the Continental Integration Mechanisms. The Influence of the Diminutive Size

IF 0.4 Q3 LAW
E. Bertolini
{"title":"The Constitutional Identity of European Micro States and the Continental Integration Mechanisms. The Influence of the Diminutive Size","authors":"E. Bertolini","doi":"10.1515/icl-2019-0055","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The article analyses the impact that the diminutive size of the four continental Europe micro states has upon their constitutional arrangements and their approach toward continental integration mechanisms. Generally speaking, the international commitment toward integration mechanisms is one of the distinguishing traits of micro states. It may seem a paradox, but actually the international dimension is much more strategic for micro than for macro states. However, being micro territorial enclaves demanded certain ability from the part of European micro states when managing foreign relations in order not to be swallowed by their macro neighbours. Therefore, they carried out for centuries a cautious policy of ‘guarded openness’, trying to strike a balance between the maintenance of their traditional institutions and the need to interact on a continental scale. Constitutional systems that at a first glance are unusual may be an obstacle to integration and thus have to be reformed. However, not too much, because otherwise the whole system may implode if deprived of its original constitutional balance. The protection of national tradition and identity is conservative, in the sense that it arises from the necessity of self-preservation, rather than from ideology. The article claims that the ambivalent approach of continental Europe micro states have when interacting with macro states within the Council of Europe and the EU directly derives from their diminutive size. Furthermore, the relevant role played by the diminutive size is proved by the fact that recently the EU adopted a specific micro states approach. Hence, the article also aims at investigating how they try to strike a balance between the commitment toward self-preservation – ie their constitutional identity – and the commitment toward continental integration mechanisms.","PeriodicalId":41321,"journal":{"name":"ICL Journal-Vienna Journal on International Constitutional Law","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.4000,"publicationDate":"2020-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"ICL Journal-Vienna Journal on International Constitutional Law","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1515/icl-2019-0055","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"LAW","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

Abstract The article analyses the impact that the diminutive size of the four continental Europe micro states has upon their constitutional arrangements and their approach toward continental integration mechanisms. Generally speaking, the international commitment toward integration mechanisms is one of the distinguishing traits of micro states. It may seem a paradox, but actually the international dimension is much more strategic for micro than for macro states. However, being micro territorial enclaves demanded certain ability from the part of European micro states when managing foreign relations in order not to be swallowed by their macro neighbours. Therefore, they carried out for centuries a cautious policy of ‘guarded openness’, trying to strike a balance between the maintenance of their traditional institutions and the need to interact on a continental scale. Constitutional systems that at a first glance are unusual may be an obstacle to integration and thus have to be reformed. However, not too much, because otherwise the whole system may implode if deprived of its original constitutional balance. The protection of national tradition and identity is conservative, in the sense that it arises from the necessity of self-preservation, rather than from ideology. The article claims that the ambivalent approach of continental Europe micro states have when interacting with macro states within the Council of Europe and the EU directly derives from their diminutive size. Furthermore, the relevant role played by the diminutive size is proved by the fact that recently the EU adopted a specific micro states approach. Hence, the article also aims at investigating how they try to strike a balance between the commitment toward self-preservation – ie their constitutional identity – and the commitment toward continental integration mechanisms.
欧洲微观国家的宪法认同与大陆一体化机制。小尺寸的影响
摘要:本文分析了欧洲大陆四个微型国家的规模之小对其宪制安排和大陆一体化机制路径的影响。一般来说,对一体化机制的国际承诺是微观国家的显著特征之一。这似乎是一个悖论,但实际上,国际层面对微观国家比宏观国家更具战略意义。然而,作为微型领土飞地,欧洲微型国家在处理外交关系时需要具备一定的能力,以免被其宏观邻国吞噬。因此,几个世纪以来,他们实行了一种谨慎的“谨慎开放”政策,试图在维护其传统制度和在大陆范围内进行互动的需要之间取得平衡。乍一看不寻常的宪法制度可能是一体化的障碍,因此必须进行改革。然而,不要太多,否则,如果失去了原有的宪法平衡,整个体系可能会崩溃。对民族传统和身份的保护是保守的,因为它是出于自我保护的需要,而不是出于意识形态。文章认为,欧洲大陆的微观国家在与欧洲委员会和欧盟内部的宏观国家互动时所表现出的矛盾态度,直接源于它们的微小规模。此外,最近欧盟采取了具体的微观国家方法,这一事实证明了小国家所发挥的相关作用。因此,本文还旨在研究他们如何试图在对自我保护的承诺(即他们的宪法认同)和对大陆一体化机制的承诺之间取得平衡。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
CiteScore
0.80
自引率
0.00%
发文量
13
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:481959085
Book学术官方微信