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2 See for example Sommermann, Karl-Peter, Offene Staatlichkeit, 2 Handbuch Ius Publicum Europaeum 3, 6 (2008); Kammerentscheidungen des Bundesverfassungsgerichts [Chamber Decisions of the Federal Constitutional Court], Case No. 2 BvE 2/08, June, 30, 2009, 9 BVerfGK 174, 186, para 222 (Ger.) [herinafter Lisbon ruling]; Christian Joerges, The Lisbon Judgment, in The German Constitutional Court's Lisbon Ruling 27, 30–31 (ZERP-Diskussionspapier, Andreas Fischer-Lescano, Christian Joerges & Arndt Wonka eds., 2010).Google Scholar

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4 See Lisbon, supra note 3.Google Scholar

5 See infra, Section C.I.3.Google Scholar

6 C.f. infra, Section C.Google Scholar

7 See Bundesverfassungsgericht [BVerfG - Federal Constitutional Court], June 19, 2012, 2 BvF 4/11, June 19, 2012, 2012 Die Öffentliche Verwaltung (DÖV) 605 (Ger.); Bundesverfassungsgericht [BVerfG - Federal Constitutional Court], Case No. 2 BvR 1390/12, Sep. 12, 2012, 2012 Neue Juristische Wochenschrift (NJW) 3145 (Ger.)Google Scholar

8 See Scholz, Rupert, Art. 23, in Grundgesetz. Kommentar, Loseblattsammlung (Theodor Maunz & Günter Dürig eds., 56th instalment, 2009); Wolff Heintschel von Heinegg, Art. 23, in Grundgesetz Beck'scher Online-Kommentar (Volker Epping & Christian Hillgruber eds., 2010).Google Scholar

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11 See Schweitzer, Michael, Staatsrecht III 23 (2008); Rudolf Streinz, Art. 23, in Grundgesetz. Kommentar (Michael Sachs ed., 5th ed. 2009).Google Scholar

12 See Bundesverfassungsgericht [BVerfG - Federal Constitutional Court], Case No. 2 BvL 52/71, May 29, 1974, 37 BVerfGE 271 (Ger.) [hereinafter Solange I].Google Scholar

13 See Schweitzer, , supra note 11, at 23; Christian Hillgruber, Art. 23, in Kommentar zum Grundgesetz (Bruno Schmidt-Bleibtreu, Franz Klein, Hans Hofmann & Axel Hopfauf eds., 2008).Google Scholar

14 See infra, Section C.I.2.Google Scholar

15 For a sceptical view see Pernice, supra note 9.Google Scholar

16 See Hillgruber, , supra note 13; Streinz, supra note 12; Pernice, supra note 9.Google Scholar

17 See Streinz, , supra note 11.Google Scholar

18 Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, 2007 O.J. (C 306).Google Scholar

19 In the 2012 ruling on the ESM and the Fiscal Compact (FCC, 2 BvE 4/11, 19 June 2012), the FCC clarified that international treaties that are closely related to EU law constitute matters of EU integration in the sense of Article 23 II, thus triggering the German Government's obligation to comprehensively inform the German Bundestag in due time so as to enable the latter to effectively exercise its rights to participation in EU affairs.Google Scholar

20 See Heinegg, Heintschel von, supra note 8; Act of 26, August 2006 [BGBl. I] at 2034 (Ger.).Google Scholar

21 See e.g. Pernice, , supra note 9.Google Scholar

22 On the other paragraphs of Article 23 and the federalism reform see e.g. Scholz, supra note 8; Heintschel von Heinegg, supra note 8; Stefanie Schmahl, Art. 23, in Grundgesetz. Beck'scher Kompakt-Kommentar (Helge Sodan ed., 2009).Google Scholar

23 See, e.g., Hillgruber, , supra note 13.Google Scholar

24 See Lisbon ruling, supra note 2, at para 225; Sommermann, supra note 2, at 30.Google Scholar

25 See infra, Section C.Google Scholar

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27 See Pernice, , supra note 9; Heintschel von Heinegg, supra note 8.Google Scholar

28 This follows inter alia from the fact that the objective of EU integration can only be realized in cooperation with the other EU Member States. See, e.g., Classen, supra note 26.Google Scholar

29 This appears to be the unanimous view in academic writings. See, e.g., Scholz, supra note 8; Heintschel von Heinegg, supra note 8; Streinz, supra note 11; Hillgruber, supra note 13.Google Scholar

30 On these barriers see infra, Section C.Google Scholar

31 See Lisbon ruling, supra note 2; Streinz, supra note 11.Google Scholar

32 See Classen, , supra note 26.Google Scholar

33 See, e.g., Schweitzer, , supra note 11 at 23; Streinz, supra note 11.Google Scholar

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35 See Bundesverfassungsgericht [BVerfG - Federal Constitutional Court], Case No. 2 BvR 687/85, Apr. 8, 1987, 75 BVerfGE 223 (Ger.).Google Scholar

36 See Streinz, , supra note 11.Google Scholar

37 See Dreier, Horst, Grundlagen und Grundzüge staatlichen Verfassungsrechts: Deutschland, in Handbuch Ius Publicum Europaeum (Armin von Bogdandy et al. eds., 2008).Google Scholar

38 According to Schweitzer and Streinz, these fields are only indirectly regulated by the Basic Law. See Schweitzer, supra note 11, at 23; Streinz, supra note 11.Google Scholar

39 Article 23 I 2 states that “the Federation may transfer sovereign powers by a law with the consent of the Bundesrat.”Google Scholar

40 On this double function of federal laws in the sense of Article 23 I 2, see Streinz, supra note 11. On the legal questions raised in this context, see Streinz, supra note 11.Google Scholar

41 C.f. infra, Section C.I.3.d.Google Scholar

42 See infra Subsection 3.Google Scholar

43 Id. Google Scholar

44 See Solange I, supra note 12.Google Scholar

45 See Solange I, supra note 12.Google Scholar

46 See e.g., Griller, Maislinger & Reindl, , supra note 10, at 19.Google Scholar

47 See Bundesverfassungsgericht [BVerfG - Federal Constitutional Court], Case No. 2 BvR 197/83, Oct. 22, 1986, 73 BVerfGE 339 (Ger.) [hereinafter Solange II].Google Scholar

48 See Griller, Maislinger & Reindl, , supra note 10, at 21.Google Scholar

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50 See Maastricht ruling, supra note 34.Google Scholar

51 See Bundesverfassungsgericht [BVerfG - Federal Constitutional Court], Case No. 2 BvE 2/08, June 30, 2009, 123 BVerfGE 267. On this ruling see also the many contributions in the German Law Journal. See, e.g., Christian Wohlfahrt, The Lisbon Case: A Critical Summary, 10 German L.J. 1277, 1286 (2009); Matthias Niedobitek, The Lisbon Case of 30 June 2009, 10 German L.J. 1267, 1267 (2009); Christoph Schönberger, Lisbon in Karlsruhe: Maastricht's Epigones at Sea, 10 German L.J. 1201, 1201 (2009); Alfred Grosser, The Federal Constitutional Court's Lisbon Case: Germany's “Sonderweg”: An Outsider's Perspective, 10 German L.J. 1263 (2009); Daniel Halberstam & Christoph Möllers, The German Constitutional Court Says “Ja zu Deutschland!”, 10 German L.J. 1241, 1241 (2009); Frank Schorkopf, The European Union as An Association of Sovereign States: Karlsruhe's Ruling on the Treaty of Lisbon, 10 German L.J‥ 1219, 1219 (2009); Armin Steinbach, The Lisbon Judgment of the German Federal Constitutional Court–New Guidance on the Limits of European Integration?, 11 German L.J. 367, 367–90 (2010); Philipp Kiiver, German Participation in EU Decision-Making after the Lisbon Case, 10 German L.J. 1287, 1287 (2009); Christian Tomuschat, The Ruling of the German Constitutional Court on the Treaty of Lisbon, 10 German L.J. 1260, 1260 (2009).Google Scholar

52 Furthermore, the Maastricht judgment contains important barriers for secondary EU law. These are analyzed below. See infra, Section II.3.Google Scholar

53 See Grundgesetz fur die Bundesrepublik Deutschland [Grundgesetz] [GG] [Basic Law], May 23, 1949, BGBI. I (Ger.).Google Scholar

54 See Lisbon ruling, supra note 2.Google Scholar

55 See Scholz, , supra note 8; see Heintschel von Heinegg, supra note 8 (arguing that the term “Europe” does not cover Turkey, thus posing a constitutional obstacle for Turkey's accession to the EU. This viewpoint is not shared by other commentators). See Pernice, supra note 9 (emphasizing the semantic openness of this term.)Google Scholar

56 See Streinz, , supra note 11.Google Scholar

57 See Lisbon ruling, supra note 2; see Hillgruber, supra note 13; Armin von Bogdandy, Prinzipien der Rechtsfortbildung im europäischen Rechtsraum. Überlegungen zum Lissabon-Urteil des BVerfG, Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 1, 3 (2010) (according to whom the Basic Law only contains a duty of integration, no obligation to withdraw from the EU.)Google Scholar

58 See Lisbon ruling, supra note 2 (with regard to the democratic principle).Google Scholar

59 See Streinz, , supra note 11; Pernice, supra note 9; Lisbon ruling, supra note 2.Google Scholar

60 C.f. infra, Section II.Google Scholar

61 See Grundgesetz fur die Bundesrepublik Deutschland [Grundgesetz] [GG] [Basic Law], May 23, 1949, BGBI. I (Ger.) (“Members of the German Bundestag shall be elected in general, direct, free, equal and secret elections. They shall be representatives of the whole people, not bound by orders or instructions, and responsible only to their conscience”).Google Scholar

62 See Maastricht ruling, supra note 34.Google Scholar

63 See Grundgesetz fur die Bundesrepublik Deutschland [Grundgesetz] [GG] [Basic Law], May 23, 1949, BGBI. I (Ger.) (“Amendments to this Basic Law affecting the division of the Federation into L nder, their participation on principle in the legislative process, or the principles laid down in Articles 1 and 20 shall be inadmissible.”).Google Scholar

64 See Lisbon ruling, supra note 2; Andreas Voßkuhle, Der europäische Verfassungsverbund, Neue Zeitschrift für Verwaltungsrecht 1, 1 (2010); on the notion of constitutional identity see also Dreier, supra note 37; to an introductory overview of the Lisbon ruling see e.g. Christian Wohlfahrt, The Lisbon Case: A Critical Summary, 10 Ger. Law. J. 1267, 1277–86 (2009).Google Scholar

65 See Lisbon ruling, supra note 2.Google Scholar

66 See id. Google Scholar

67 See id. Google Scholar

68 See id. Google Scholar

69 See id.; Everling, Ulrich, Europas Zukunft unter der Kontrolle der nationalen Verfassungsgerichte, Europarecht 97, 97 (2010).Google Scholar

70 See Lisbon ruling, supra note 2.Google Scholar

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76 The restrictive wording is noteworthy: “Taking into account the provisos that are specified in the grounds, there are no decisive constitutional objections. …” See Lisbon ruling, supra note 2. On this, see Everling, supra note 69 at 93, who points out that the extent of the binding effect of grounds of a FCC ruling are disputed; see also the critical remarks by Peter-Christian Müller-Graff, Das Karlsruher Lissabon-Urteil: Bedingungen, Grenzen, Orakel und integrative Optionen, integration 331 (2009); Matthias Niedobitek, The Lisbon Case of 30 June 2009, 10 German L.J. 1267, 1267 (2009).Google Scholar

77 See Müller-Graff, supra note 76 at 331. For a critique of this part of the judgment, see Arndt Wonka, Accountability Without Politics?, in The German Constitutional Court's Lisbon Ruling: Legal and Political Science Perspectives 55 (Andreas Fischer-Lescano, Christian Joerges & Arndt Wonka eds., 2010).Google Scholar

78 See, e.g., Everling, , supra note 69, at 98. But see Christian Joerges, The Lisbon Judgment, in The German Constitutional Court's Lisbon Ruling: Legal and Political Science Perspectives 27, 30 (Andreas Fischer-Lescano, Christian Joerges & Arndt Wonka eds., 2010) (arguing that this focus on citizens and individual rights is e.g. in line with Kantian and Habermasian premises, according to which those subject to the law must be able to understand themselves as its authors).Google Scholar

79 Müller-Graff, supra note 76, at 331. The first premise is also questioned by Wonka, supra note 77, at 47, 55.Google Scholar

80 See, e.g., Bogdandy, Von, supra note 57, at 1, 3; Everling, supra note 69, at 92, 97.Google Scholar

81 See, e.g., Everling, , supra note 69, at 98.Google Scholar

82 On this, see Classen, supra note 26, at margin number 35.Google Scholar

83 Classen supra note 26, at margin number 35; Streinz supra note 11, at margin number 27; Pernice, supra note 9 at margin number 56; Hillgruber, supra note 13, at margin number 10 (pointing out that it is problematic that EU competences are interpreted extensively); von Heinegg, supra note 8, at margin numbers 11–11.1.Google Scholar

84 Lisbon ruling, supra note 2, at para. 359.Google Scholar

85 See e.g., Pernice, , supra note 9, at margin number 64.Google Scholar

86 Lisbon ruling, supra note 2, at paras. 257–59; see also Streinz, supra note 11, at margin numbers 30; Classen, supra note 26, at margin number 40.Google Scholar

87 Lisbon ruling, supra note 2, at para. 257–59.Google Scholar

88 See, e.g., Pernice, , supra note 9, at margin number 64.Google Scholar

89 Id. at margin number 65.Google Scholar

90 Id. at margin number 65; see also Christoph Schönberger, Lisbon in Karlsruhe: Maastricht's Epigones At Sea, 10 German L.J. 1201, 1201–18 (2009).Google Scholar

91 Classen, , supra note 26, at margin number 42.Google Scholar

92 See, e.g., Streinz, , supra note 11, at margin number 32.Google Scholar

93 Streinz, , supra note 11, at margin number 33.Google Scholar

94 See, e.g., Pernice, , supra note 9, at margin number 14.Google Scholar

95 Pernice, , supra note 9, at margin number 14; Streinz, supra note 11, at margin number 37; Hillgruber, supra note 13, at margin number 13.Google Scholar

96 Classen, , supra note 26, at margin number 45.Google Scholar

97 See Streinz, , supra note 11, at margin number 51.Google Scholar

98 See Solange II, supra note 47.Google Scholar

99 Maastricht, supra note 50.Google Scholar

100 Lisbon ruling, supra note 2, at para. 243Google Scholar

101 See the following section.Google Scholar

102 See, e.g., Hillgruber, , supra note 13, at margin number 26.Google Scholar

103 Sommermann, , supra note 2, at 3, 21.Google Scholar

104 Hillgruber, , surpa note 13, at margin number 27. Contra Pernice, supra note 9, at margin number 92.Google Scholar

105 See, e.g., Sommermann, , supra note 2, at 3, 24.Google Scholar

106 See id. Google Scholar

107 Hillgruber, , supra note 13, at margin number 29.Google Scholar

108 See, e.g., Degenhart, Christoph, Staatsrecht I. Staatsorganisationrecht 82–83 (24th ed. 2008).Google Scholar

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110 Id. at margin number 31. Contra Classen supra note 26, at margin number 23.Google Scholar

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112 Lisbon ruling, supra note 2, at para. 231.Google Scholar

113 See id. at para. 226–27.Google Scholar

114 See id. at para. 228.Google Scholar

115 See id. at para. 229–31.Google Scholar

116 See id. at para. 233.Google Scholar

117 See id. at para. 244.Google Scholar

118 See id. at para. 249.Google Scholar

119 See id. at para. 253. On this aspect of the ruling, see, for example, Frank Meyer, Die Lissabon-Entscheidung des BVerfG und das Strafrecht, Neue Zeitschrift für Strafrecht 657 (2009).Google Scholar

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121 Lisbon ruling, supra note 2, at para. 256.Google Scholar

122 See id. at para. 312.Google Scholar

123 See id. at para. 313–14.Google Scholar

124 See id. at para. 319.Google Scholar

125 See id. at para. 320, 401.Google Scholar

126 See id. at para. 235–328, 401.Google Scholar

127 See id. at para. 351.Google Scholar

128 See id. at para. 358.Google Scholar

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130 On this, see also the comment by the President of the FCC, Voßkuhle, supra note 64, at 1, 2.Google Scholar

131 Bogdandy, Von, supra note 57, at 1; see also Alfred Grosser, The Federal Constitutional Court's Lisbon Case: Germany's “Sonderweg”: An Outsider's Perspective, 10 German L.J. 1263, 1263–66 (2009); Daniel Halberstam & Christoph Möllers, The German Constitutional Court says “Ja zu Deutschland!,” 10 German L.J. 1263, 1241–58 (2009); Frank Schorkopf, The European Union as An Association of Sovereign States: Karlsruhe's Ruling on the Treaty of Lisbon, 10 German L.J. 1219, 1219–40 (2009).Google Scholar

132 Bogdandy, Von, supra note 57, at 1.Google Scholar

133 Isensee, See Josef, supra note 120, at 34, 35–36, who argues that the eternity guarantee has always had a broader thrust than the protection against dictatorship, which was due to Germany's historic experiences.Google Scholar

134 Chalmers, Damian, A Few Thoughts on the Lisbon Judgment, in The German Constitutional Court's Lisbon Ruling: Legal and Political Science Perspectives 7 (Andreas Fischer-Lescano, Christian Joerges & Arndt Wonka eds., 2010).Google Scholar

135 Jörg Philipp Terhechte, Anmerkungen zum Lissabon-Urteil des BVerfG, Europäische Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsrecht 724 (2009); Frank Schorkopf, Die Europäische Union im Lot–Karlsruhes Rechtsspruch zum Vertrag von Lissabon, Europäische Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsrecht 718, 720 (2009).Google Scholar

136 Müller-Graff, supra note 76, at 331.Google Scholar

137 Nettesheim, Martin, Ein Individualrecht auf Staatlichkeit? Die Lissabon-Entscheidung des BVerfG, Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 2867, 2868 (2009).Google Scholar

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139 Isensee, Josef, supra note 120, at 33.Google Scholar

140 See also Terhechte, , supra note 138, at 724.Google Scholar

141 Isensee, , supra note 120, at 36; a similar critique has been voiced by Wonka, supra note 77, at 47, 60; on this debate see also Matthias Ruffert, An den Grenzen des Integrationsverfassungsrechts: Das Urteil des Bundesverfassungsgerichts zum Vertrag von Lissabon, Deutsche Verwaltungsblatt 1197, 1204–05 (2009); Everling, supra note 69 at 92, 100; Schorkopf, supra note 135, at 718, 721; Armin Steinbach, The Lisbon Judgment of the German Federal Constitutional Court – New Guidance on the Limits of European Integration?, 11 German L.J. 367, 367–90 (2010).Google Scholar

142 Bogdandy, von, supra note 57, at 1, 3.Google Scholar

143 See, e.g., Bogdandy, von, supra note 57, at 1, 4; Isensee, supra note 120, at 33.Google Scholar

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145 See e.g., Hillgruber, , supra note 13, at margin number 30; Classen, supra note 26, at margin number 39; Hillgruber and Classen id. with further references. As indicated above, the Lisbon judgment has stressed, however, that the Member States must retain sufficient space for the political formation of the social circumstances of life, including social security; cf. also Lisbon ruling, supra note 2, at para. 249.Google Scholar

147 See Hillgruber, , supra note 13, at margin number 31; Classen, supra note 26, at margin number 44.Google Scholar

148 Maastricht ruling, supra note 50.Google Scholar

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151 Bundesverfassungsgericht [BVerfG - Federal Constitutional Court], Case No. 2 BvR 1390/12, Sept. 12, 2012, 2012 Neue Juristische Wochenschrift (NJW) 3145, para. 212 (Ger.).Google Scholar

152 Id. at para. 216.Google Scholar

153 This section draws on Erich Vranes, European Human Rights Protection and the Contested Relationship of the ECJ and National Courts - Convergent Solutions under International, European and National Law? in The EU Banana Dispute - An Economic and Legal Analysis 195 (Fritz Breuss, Stefan Griller & Erich Vranes eds., 2003). It is an abbreviated version of the respective subsections in the latter contribution, which was updated in 2012 so as to take into account the legal developments in Germany between 2000 and 2012.Google Scholar

154 See, e.g., Fontanelli, Filippo et al., Shaping The Rule of Law Through Dialogue (2010).Google Scholar

155 See Solange I, supra note 12.Google Scholar

156 For critical reviews of this ruling see e.g. Meier, Annotation to the Solange I decision, Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 1705 (1974); Riegel, Annotation to the Solange I decision, Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 2176 (1974); Hans Georg Rupp, Annotation to the Solange II decision, JZ 241 (1987); see also the analysis in the broader context of Solange I, Solange II and Maastricht judgment in the following sections.Google Scholar

157 See Solange I, supra note 12.Google Scholar

158 Id. at 581.Google Scholar

159 Cf. Schmid, Christoph, Ein enttäuschender Rückzug. Anmerkungen zum Bananenbeschluss des BVerfG, Neue Zeitschrift für Verwaltungsrecht 249, 253; Peter M. Huber, Das Kooperationsverhältnis zwischen BVerfG und EuGH in Grundrechtsfragen, Europäische Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsrecht 159 (1997).Google Scholar

160 Cf. e.g., Streinz, Rudolf, Bundesverfassungsgerichtlicher Grundrechtsschutz und Europäisches Gemeinschaftsrecht 283–284 (1989); see also Classen, supra note 175, at 1158 with further references.Google Scholar

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162 See in the following text.Google Scholar

163 See Bundesverfassungsgericht [BVerfG - Federal Constitutional Court], Case No. 2 BvR 2134/92, 2 BvR 2159/92, Oct. 12, 1993, 1993 Neue Juristische Wochenschrift (NJW) 3047 (Ger.); The Maastricht Judgment of the German Federal Constitutional Court and its Significance for the Development of the European Union, Yearbook of European Law 1 (1994); Matthias Herdegen, Maastricht and the German Constitutional Court: Constitutional Restraints for an “Ever Closer Union” 31 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 235 (1994);Günther Hirsch, Europäischer Gerichtshof und Bundesverfassungsgericht—Kooperation oder Konfrontation?, Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 2457 (1996); Reimer Voss, Das Maastricht-Urteil und die Folgen, RIW 324 (1996); Ulrich Everling, Will Europe slip on bananas? The Bananas Judgment of the Court of Justice and National Courts, 33 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 401 (1996); Gert Nicolaysen, Der Streit zwischen dem deutschen Bundesverfassungsgericht und dem Europäischen Gerichtshof, in Welche Verfassung für Europa? 91, 101 (Thomas Bruha, Joachim Hesse & Carsten Nowak eds., 2001); Joseph H. H. Weiler, European Democracy and its Critics: Polity and System, in The Constitution of Europe: “Do the New Clothes Have an Emperor?” And Other Essays on European Integration 238 (Joseph H. H. Weiler, 1999).Google Scholar

164 Article 38 on elections stipulates:Google Scholar

1. (1)

   (1) The deputies to the German Bundestag are elected in universal, direct, free, equal and secret elections. They are representatives of the whole people, are not bound by orders and instructions and are subject only to their conscience.Google Scholar

2. (2)

   (2) Anyone who has attained the age of eighteen is entitled to vote, anyone who has attained the age of twenty-five is eligible for election.Google Scholar

3. (3)

   (3) Details will be regulated by a Federal law.Google Scholar

165 See Herdegen, , supra note 163, at 235, 239; similarly e.g. Gert Nicolaysen and Carsten Nowak, Teilrückzug des BVerfG aus der Kontrolle der Rechtmäßigkeit gemeinschaftlicher Rechtsakte: Neuere Entwicklungen und Perspektiven, Neue Juristische Wochenschrift 1233, 34 (2001).Google Scholar

166 Huber, , supra note 159, at 159.Google Scholar

167 See e.g. Hoffmeister, Frank, Annotation to the Alcan and Bananas Decisions of the German Constitutional Court, 38 Common Mkt. L. Rev. 791 (2001).Google Scholar

168 “Es ist nicht erkennbar, dass durch diese Vorentscheidung der vom Grundgesetz als unabdingbar gebotene Grundrechtsschutz generall in Frage gestellt würde.” Id. at II.1.a.Google Scholar

169 “Even if one scrutinized the (lower court's decision which relies on the ECJ's judgment) under German Constitutional. …” Id. at II.1.b.Google Scholar

170 On the extent of control that is legally permissible see the following.Google Scholar

171 Bundesverfassungsgericht [BVerfG - Federal Constitutional Court], Case No. 2 BvL 1/97, June 7, 2000, 102 BVerfGE 147 (Ger.).Google Scholar

172 Id. Google Scholar

173 See, for example, the 1995 decision on the grant of interim relief for German banana importers, which indicated that the banana market regulation 404/93 is flexible enough to enable interim relief measures in hardship cases. See Bundesverfassungsgericht [BVerfG - Federal Constitutional Court], Case No. 2 BvR 2689/94, 2 BvR 52/95, Jan. 25, 1995, 1995 Europäische Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsrecht (EuZW) 126 (Ger.).Google Scholar

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175 See e.g. Classen, Claus Dieter, Annotation to the 2000 Banana Decision of the German Constitutional Court, JZ 1158 (2000); Nicolaysen & Nowak, supra note 165, at 1233, 1234, 1236; Josef Franz Lindner, Annotation to the 2000 Alcan and Banana Decisions of the German Constitutional Court, Bavarian Official Gazette 758, 759 (2000); Hoffmeister, supra note 167, at 791, 802; Franz C. Mayer, Grundrechtsschutz gegen europäische Rechtsakte durch das BVerG: Zur Verfassungsmäßigkeit der Bananenmarktordnung, Europäische Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsrecht 685 (2000). But see Schmid, supra note 159, at 249 (speaking of a “disappointing retreat” of the Bundesverfassungsgericht); see also Angelika Emmerich-Fritsche, Annotation to the 2000 Banana Decision of the German Constitutional Court, Bavarian Official Gazette 758 (2000) (providing a very trenchant critique and bemoaning the “retrogression of the attainments of the Maastricht judgment.”).Google Scholar

176 See the Solange I and Solange II decisions which also emphasized that they were to apply “provisionally”; on this see the preceding analysis.Google Scholar

177 See B.I.:Google Scholar

178 This view has recently also been taken by the President of the FCC. See Voßkuhle, supra note 64, at 1, 6; see also e.g. Classen, supra note 175, at 1158; Nicolaysen & Nowak, supra note 165, at 1233, 1234, 1236; Lindner, supra note 175, at 758, 759; Schmid, supra note 159, at 249; Hoffmeister, supra note 167, at 791, 802; Mayer, supra note 175, at 685; Emmerich-Fritsche, supra note 175, at 758; Rudolf Streinz, Verfassungsvorbehalte gegenüber Gemeinschaftsrecht—eine deutsche Besonderheit? Die Schranken der Integrationsermächtigung und ihre Realisierung in den Verfassungen der Mitgliedstaaten, in Tradition und Weltoffenheit des Rechts: Festschrift für Helmut Steinberger (Hans-Joachim Cremer et al. eds., 2002).Google Scholar

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183 See id. Google Scholar

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208 Id. at para. 339.Google Scholar

209 Id. at para. 340.Google Scholar

210 See, e.g., Bogdandy, von, supra note 57, at 1, 4.Google Scholar

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215 Id. at 7 (“theoretisch Rechtsakte aller Gemeinschaftsorgane … auch Entscheidungen des EuGH”).Google Scholar

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223 See Pernice, , supra note 9, at margin numbers 29 (referring to “constitutional necessity”).Google Scholar

224 This approach is taken by Schmid, supra note 197, at 415. A similar approach was proposed by Gerhard Eibach, Das Recht der Europäischen Gemeinschaften als Prüfgegenstand des Bundesverfassungsgerichts 107 (1986).Google Scholar

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229 See the possible judicial re-orientation as regards fundamental rights in the data retention case in Section C.II.3.a.Google Scholar

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