Do all bridges collapse? Possibilities for democracy in the European Union

It is tempting, but wrong, to infer from the failures of the EU draft constitution that all reforms based on increasing citizen participation in the European Union are doomed to fail. Andrew Moravcsik’s trenchant dismissal of the constitutional project commits this error. Moravcsik’s sweeping claims, based on what he calls empirical social science, speak well beyond the evidence on democratic institutional innovations. Participatory measures such as consultative Citizens’ Assemblies may articulate a citizens’ perspective that can help to anchor the democratic legitimacy of the EU. We do not know if such innovations can resolve the problems of the democratic deficit, but we do know that empirical social science has not spoken decisively on the issue. It is worth examining their democratic potential rather than dismissing them outright. This article develops and draws on ideas we first expressed in an online symposium with Andrew Moravcsik and others, hosted by Notre Europe (Culpepper/Fung 2006b).     

宪政视野里的主体行为范式解读——关于合法与违法概念的辩证及其在宪政话语里的特殊蕴涵

合法性所强调的是行为主体的行为有法律的根据,违法所表达的是主体的行为违背了法律的规定。在宪政体制下,对主体行为的法律评价因主体的性质不同而有区别,对公权主体的行为范式的要求是行为合法,对私权主体的行为范式的要求是行为不违法。     

Re-centralizing subsidiarity: Interpretations by the Italian Constitutional Court

Subsidiarity has become one of the key principles of European Union law since its introduction in the Treaty of Maastricht, but in recent years other federal or decentralized systems have cemented this principle into their constitutions: one example is Italy, where subsidiarity was encapsulated in art. 118 of the constitution as amended in 2001. This article surveys some of the contributions coming from Italian constitutionalism and adds to the debate on subsidiarity, especially with regards to the stimulating, yet controversial, interpretation of the principle offered by the Italian constitutional court, which permeated it with a “centralist” essence. The article explores how subsidiarity is construed beyond EU law and argues that, while revealing all the elasticity of this principle, the interpretation offered by the Italian constitutional judges presents some risky consequences.     

Back to first principles: a new model for the regulation of drug promotion

The US Food and Drug Administration''s (‘FDA’ or the ‘Agency’) current regulatory framework for drug promotion, by significantly restricting the ability of drug manufacturers to communicate important, accurate, up-to-date scientific information about their products that is truthful and non-misleading, runs afoul of the First Amendment and actually runs counter to the Agency''s public health mission. Our article proposes a New Model that represents an initial proposal for a modern, sustainable regulatory framework that comprehensively addresses drug promotion while protecting the public health, protecting manufacturers’ First Amendment rights, establishing clear and understandable rules, and maintaining the integrity of the FDA approval process. The New Model would create three categories of manufacturer communications—(1) Scientific Exchange and Other Exempt Communications, (2) Non-Core Communications, and (3) Core Communications—that would be regulated consistent with the First Amendment and according to the strength of the government''s interest in regulating the specific communications included within each category. The New Model should address the FDA''s concerns related to off-label speech while protecting drug manufacturers’ freedom to engage in truthful and non-misleading communications about their products.     

宪政与和谐社会的构建

宪政,是和谐社会的基石。没有宪政,就没有民主、法治,公平正义、诚信友爱、充满活力、安定有序、人与自然和谐相处等和谐社会的价值目标就丧失了政治基础。     

行政法律裁判中的合宪性解释与价值衡量方法——对一个行政案件法律推理过程的具体考察

行政诉讼制度运行良好的一个重要指针就是法官能够在行政诉讼案件中运用正确的法律推理思维与方法而得到“正当的个案裁判”。法律推理具有不同于形式逻辑推理的重要特征。从一个具体行政案件的判决论证过程中,可以发现合宪性解释对于“作为具体化之宪法”的行政法来说具有重要的作用,而行政争议中复杂的价值冲突也使得价值衡量的推理方法尤为值得关注。     

仲裁司法监督再探

本文在对我国仲裁司法监督的立法、司法及理论研究状况介绍与评析的基础上，对仲裁司法监督制度改革和仲裁法修订提出三点展望：结束国内仲裁和涉外仲裁司法监督的“分轨制”，实现并轨；对仲裁的司法监督应以程序监督为原则，以实体监督为例外；对仲裁司法监督范围的立法应改强行规则为任意规则，增强灵活性。     

宪法学教学如何适应国家司法考试——以西北政法大学宪法学教学改革为例

西北政法大学宪法学教学内容基本涵盖司考大纲的知识点,但是教学重点与司考命题重点存在不同。以司法考试新政策的出台为背景,宪法学教学应以规范与实践为重心,进一步整合完善宪法学必修课与选修课的课程体系及教学内容,进行教学环节和考核方式的完善与改革,从而建立起司法考试和宪法学教学的良性互动关系。     

违宪审查司法化的中国式改造

违宪审查制度具有维护宪法权威、保障公民人权、制约国家权力和化解权力冲突的基本功能。但是,我国现行违宪审查制度在审查的主体、范围、程序等方面却存在着诸多缺陷,没能发挥其应有的作用,已不能适应我国法治发展的需要。当今世界主流的违宪审查制度分为三种模式,各有优点和不足,而违宪审查机关的专门化、司法化已成为一种发展趋势,结合我国基本国情,在现行政治体制下应采取在全国人大下设立宪法仲裁委员会专司违宪审查的模式、方案。     

构建中国式的违宪审查制度——代议机关至上为前提

违宪审查制度是宪政国家的基本制度之一,是实现宪政的制度保障。随着中国法治进程的向前推进,建立高效的违宪审查制度成为当务之急。但是西方违宪审查模式一方面与中国代议机关至上的基本国情相悖,同时另一方面其自身也存在着难以解决的缺陷。因此,中国违宪审查制度必须围绕代议机关至上这一基本国情,尊重全国人民代表大会的最高地位,走一条务实与创新之路。