Launch of the preliminary version of the 2nd revised and updated edition of the Constitutional Codex

The Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE), in partnership with the Center for Constitutional Law and Political Institutions within the Faculty of Law at the University of Bucharest, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of Romania and the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, announces the publication of the preliminary version of the revised and updated 2nd edition of the Constitutional Codex.

This work includes the Romanian translation of the Constitutions of the EU Mmember states, the Republic of Moldova, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This book is a revision and update of the first edition of the Constitutional Codex, which was launched in 2015 by the Center for Constitutional Law and Political Institutions within the Faculty of Law of the University of Bucharest, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice of Romania and under the aegis of the Official Gazette of Romania

Prof. Dr. Ștefan Deaconu, the coordinator of this edition, stated: “This edition of the Codex Constitutional represents an essential tool for those interested in constitutionalism and the functioning of democratic institutions. A significant aspect of this edition is the inclusion of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, a country that has recently begun negotiations for accession to the European Union.”

The Codex provides access to fundamental texts, facilitating the understanding of legal systems across Europe and serving as a reference framework for potential constitutional reforms in both the Republic of Moldova and Romania.

In the Foreword, the Minister of Justice of Romania, Alina-Ștefania Gorghiu, and the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, Veronica Mihailov-Moraru, emphasized: “The publication of this volume of the Codex Constitutional, which includes the Romanian translation of the Constitutions of the EU Member States and the Constitution of the United Kingdom, comes at a historic moment for the Republic of Moldova, as the country prepares for a referendum to revise the Constitution and join the European Union. Both Romania and the Republic of Moldova share the same European values and aspirations and deserve a common future within the European legal culture.”

Iulian Groza, Executive Director of IPRE and lector of this edition, added: “This edition is published at a significant time for the Republic of Moldova, given the start of EU accession negotiations in June 2024. The final version of the Codex will be updated based on the results of the constitutional referendum on EU accession, scheduled for October 20, 2024, highlighting the link between constitutional developments and Moldova’s European future.”

Special thanks to all the authors of this edition of the Codex: the President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova, Domnica Manole, the Judge of the Constitutional Court of Romania, Prof. Dr. Elena Simina Tănăsescu, Senator Robert Marius Cazanciuc, Prof. Dr. Ștefan Deaconu, and Prof. Dr. Silviu Gabriel Barbu. Additionally, we pay a respectful tribute to Prof. Dr. Ioan Muraru, former President of the Constitutional Court of Romania, for his contribution to the first edition of the Codex.

We thank all our partners from the Republic of Moldova and Romania for their invaluable support in realizing this project. Special thanks are extended to Cartier Publishing House for their support and exceptional professionalism in publishing the work to high graphic standards.

For more information about the printed version and upcoming presentation events, we invite you to follow us in the coming months.

The preliminary electronic version of the Codex Constitutional can be accessed here in Romanian: Volume I here and Volume II here.