The EU is designed so that democratic votes cannot override what the "executive" wants. Between quotes because it's the executive, the EU commission, not the EU parliament, that has legislative powers, as well as direct power over the judiciary. The EU commission, and council (which are the same people) hold ALL powers, legislative, executive and judiciary in the EU. The parliament cannot even start discussing a subject without asking the commission first.

It's frankly a miracle that it took so long.

Oh and this is by design, because the EU's existence has been put up for a vote 3 times now. 3 times the people of the EU voted against (first time indirectly, by electing and supporting Charles De Gaulle, second and third time directly. And that's being generous because in total there were more than 3 actual votes). So as you can imagine, being an organization that's been asked to disappear by voters 3 times now, they're ... how to put this ... not fans of elections anymore. Hell, the first vote against the EU involved the French state trying to execute the leader of the EU. Not once, twice (Robert Shuman was a Vichy Nazi collaborator, and the president of France was the guy who defeated the Nazis, as a president he was ... less than enthousiastic about "European unification" efforts by ex-Nazi collaborators for reasons that I imagine even your cat understands)

Of course the "statesmen" case to have the EU is pretty damn strong. It essentially boils down that in a world with China, Russia, US and the muslim block having separate small EU countries will lead to disaster. I imagine most people here will agree. But if history made one thing clear ... the EU citizenry really fucking damn doesn't want to.

So the EU has mechanisms to override democratic votes and they are VERY opposed to changing that, especially after the EU tried to "be more in line with democratic principles" in trade for more support and legitimacy, with the Lisbon treaty. The outcome of that boondoggle was yet another vote that the EU shouldn't exist, which of course means the EU now has less power, less support and less legitimacy. To add serious insult to brutal injury, as far as Brussels/Strasbourg is concerned, the list of misbehaving member states is now about half the total (meaning member states directly violating EU legislation. Examples: France, borders, Germany, borgers, Netherland, immigrants, Poland, judiciary reform, Hungary, uh, everything? Greece, budget + Turkey issues immigrants and Cyprus, Italy, immigrants, Spain, budget, Sweden and Switzerland, currency, UK, Brexit + Northern Ireland + customs union, ...)

I hope so and I don't believe people can rely on the EUGH to defend civil rights.

We need a law to box law drafts that failed multiple times. Suggesting new forms of surveillance month after month isn't feasible.

Also, my country is not competent enough to really look at internet comments in a detached manner. The society just doesn't have the necessary maturity. And even then, it is nothing anyone should strive for.