EUROPE AND ITS CONSTITUTIONS: 20 YEARS LATER

The topic of the workshop should be somewhat clarified. Which Europe is at stake: the European Union, the Council of Europe or the OSCE? Is it about constitutions from the 19th century, those from the late 20th century or "midway" constitutions? To which events does the allusion to 20 years refer? Notwithstanding these discrepancies, three permanent features can be discerned. They highlight a convergence of the European constitutional laws. Firstly, it must be noticed that standardized constitutional patterns tend to be molded. Secondly, as a result of the malleability of such patterns, the courts construe these constitutions in a more and more uniform way, among others in the field of human rights. Thirdly, the above parallel can also be observed with respect to provisions devoted to the review of constitutions. Tomorrow's Europe must go on with these efforts, and build unity from States with various histories and experiences.