Shifting competences to the European level needs to be accompanied by further political integration and democratic accountability. Ensuring that everyone plays by the same rules is an important component of our European democracy. The EU is built on the principles of equal and fair participation in economic and political life, which can only be guaranteed through strict enforcement of the rule of law.
Any shift in powers to the European level must not come at the expense of the representation of EU citizens. In particular, democratic participation at the national level cannot simply be replaced by indirect participation at the EU level.