Supranationalism is a method of decision-making in multi-national political communities, wherein power is transferred or delegated to an authority by governments of member states.

The concept of supranational union is sometimes used to describe the European Union, as a new type of political entity.
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The EU is the only entity which provides for international popular elections, going beyond the

level of political integration normally afforded by international treaty. The term "supranational" is sometimes used in a loose, undefined sense in other contexts, sometimes as a substitute for international, transnational or global. Another method of decision-making in international organizations is intergovernmentalism, in which state governments play a more prominent role.
Contents
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1 Origin as a legal concept 2 Distinguishing features of a supranational union 3 Supranationalism in the European Union

3.1 Categorising European supranationalism

4 Comparing the European Union and the United States 5 "Democratic deficit" 6 Other international organizations with some degree of integration 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit]Origin

as a legal concept

The Council of Europe created a system based on human rights in its founding Statute and its Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Robert Schuman, French Foreign minister, initiated the debate on supranational democracy in his speeches at the United Nations,
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at the signing of the

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Council's Statutes and at a series of other speeches across Europe and North America.

The term "supranational" occurs in an international treaty for the first time (twice) in the Treaty of Paris, 18 April 1951. This new legal term defined the Community method in creating the European Coal and Steel Community and the beginning of the democratic re-organization of Europe. It defines the relationship between the High Authority or European Commission and the other four institutions. In the treaty it relates to a new democratic and legal concept. The Founding Fathers of the European Community and the present European Union said that supranationalism was the cornerstone of the governmental system. This is enshrined in the Europe

Declaration made on 18 April 1951, the same day as the European Founding Fathers signed the Treaty of Paris.
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' By the signature of this Treaty, the participating Parties give proof of their determination to create the first supranational institution and that thus they are laying the true foundation of an organised Europe. This Europe remains open to all nations. We profoundly hope that other nations will join us in our common endeavour. ' This declaration of principles that included their judgement for the necessary future developments was signed by Konrad Adenauer (West Germany), Paul van Zeeland, Joseph Meurice (Belgium)Robert Schuman (France) Count Sforza (Italy) Joseph Bech (Luxembourg) and Dirk Stikker, Jan van den Brink (The Netherlands). It was made to recall future generations to their historic duty of uniting Europe based on liberty and democracy under the rule of law. Thus they viewed the creation of a wider and deeper Europe as intimately bound to the healthy development of the supranational or Community system.
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This Europe was open to all nations who were free to decide a reference, or rather an invitation and encouragement of liberty to the Iron Curtain countries. The term supranational does not occur in succeeding treatings such as the Treaties of Rome, the Maastricht Treaty, the Treaty of Nice or the Constitutional Treaty or the very similar Lisbon Treaty. [edit]Distinguishing

features of a supranational union

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A supranational union is a supranational polity which lies somewhere between a confederation that is an association of States and a federation that is a state. The European Economic Community was

described by its founder Robert Schuman as midway between confederalism which recognizes the complete independence of States in an association and federalism which seeks to fuse them in a superstate. The EU has supranational competences, but it possesses these competences only to the extent that they are conferred on it by its member states.
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{Komptenz-Komptenz} Within the scope of these

competences, the union exercises its powers in a sovereign manner, having its own legislative, executive, and judicial authorities. The supranational Community also has a chamber for organized civil society
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including economic and social associations and regional bodies.

Unlike states in a federal super-state, member states retain ultimate sovereignty, although some sovereignty is shared with, or ceded to, the supranational body. Supranational agreements encourage stability and trust, because governments cannot break international accords at a whim. The supranational action may be time-limited. This was the case with the European Coal and Steel Community, which was agreed for 50 years with the possibility of renewal. Supranational accords may be permanent, such as an agreement to outlaw war between the partners. Full sovereignty can be reclaimed by withdrawing from

the supranational arrangements but the member state would also lose the great advantages offered by mutualities, economies of scale, common external tariffs and other commonly agreed standards such as improved international trust and democracy and common external positions.
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A supranational union, because it is an agreement between sovereign states, is based on international treaties. The European treaties in general are different from classical treaties as they are constitutionalizing treaties, that is they provide the basis for a European level of democracy and European rule of law. They have something in the nature of a constitution and like the British constitution, not necessarily a single document. They are based on treaties between its member governments but have normally to undergo a closer democratic scrutiny than other treaties because they are more far-ranging, affecting many areas of citizens' lives and livelihoods. This is why citizens often demand referendums.
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Decision-making is partly intergovernmental and partly supranational within the Community areas. The latter provides a higher degree of institutional scrutiny both via the Parliament and through the Consultative Committees. Intergovernmentalism provides for less democratic oversight, especially where the institution such as the Council of Ministers or the European Council takes place behind closed doors, rather than in a parliamentary chamber.
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A supranational authority can have some independence from member state governments in specific areas, although not as much independence as with a federal government.
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Supranational

institutions, like federal governments, imply the possibility of pursuing agendas in ways that the delegating states did not initially envision. Democratic supranational Communities, however, are defined by treaty and by law. Their activity is controlled by a Court, democratic institutions and the rule of law.
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The union has legal supremacy over its member states (only) to the extent that its member state governments have conferred competences on the union. It is up to the individual governments to assure that they have full democratic backing in each of the member states. The citizens of the member states, though retaining their nationality and national citizenship, additionally become citizens of the union.
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