Summary. This article draws from the experience of some prominent federal and confederal systems in order to shed light on the transformations of the EU that may be

This article draws from the experience of some prominent federal and confederal systems in order to shed light on the transformations of the EU that may be brought about by the Constitutional Treaty signed in October 2004. It focuses in particular on four broad issues that appear to me to have a particularly strong bearing on the evolution of the EU. The first is the significance of the Constitutional Treaty itself, and the impact it is likely to have on the nature of the EU’s political system. Secondly, there are questions of how the division of policy-making competences is likely to evolve and whether a dual or a co-operative form of con/federalism is taking roots. Here the evolving role of subsidiarity may be important, as several scholars have argued. Thirdly, how will dispute resolution between the two main levels of the EU system be managed and, in particular, is the balance between the judicial and the political elements likely to be altered? Lastly, how will the changing nature of the EU affect the practice of democracy in, and popular identification with, the Union, and what role will the evolution of collective identification with the individual European nations and with Europe as a whole play? The final section offers some reflections on the ratification process.

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