This year marks forty-five years since the Roquette Frères v Council judgment: a foundational decision that helped define the European Parliament’s role in the Community’s legislative process. In 1980, the Court of Justice of the European Union established through its ruling that the European Parliament’s consultation was not a mere procedural formality established by the Treaty but an essential step in the legislative process in order to ensure democratic participation in th

Cohesion Policy: an ever-present concern. Concerns regarding regional development, territorial cohesion and economic inclusiveness have always accompanied the process of European economic integration since the very first days of the European Communities. Following the downsizing of the coal and steel industries as a result of the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951 a special Fund for the   Retraining and Resettlement of Workers  was set up to minimi