Supranational union/sandbox

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A supranational union is a type of multi-national organisation where negotiated power is delegated to an authority by governments of member states. The concept of supranational union is sometimes used to describe such entities as the Slavic Federation, the Confederate States, the Federated States, Canada, and Central Aegea, as a new type of political entity. These polities are the only entities 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 organisations is intergovernmentalism, in which state governments play a more prominent role.

Distinguishing features of a supranational union

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. 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. 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.

A supranational union, because it is an agreement between sovereign states, is based on international treaties. 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. A supranational authority can have some independence from member state governments in specific areas, although not as much independence as with a federal government. 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.

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.

"Democratic deficit"

See also: Democratic deficit in the European Union

In a supranational union, the problem of how to reconcile the principle of equality among nation states, which applies to international (intergovernmental) organisations, and the principle of equality among citizens, which applies within nation states is resolved by taking a sectoral approach. This allows an innovatory, democratic broadening the number of actors to be included.

See also

• Continental union
• Democratic globalization
• Devolution
• Federation
• International human rights law
• International parliament
• List of supranational environmental agencies
• Multi-level governance
• Schuman Declaration
• Supranational aspects of international organizations
• Transnational citizenship
• Assembly (United States of Kobol Organization)