Normsetzungsdelegation zwischen parlamentarischer Steuerung und legislativer Effizienz auf dem Weg zu einer dritten Form der Gesetzgebung?

Modern legislation is a balancing act between finding efficient solutions to a growing range of regulatory tasks and the need for parliamentary control. In this tension, delegated legislation is gaining an increasing role in the system of legal sources. A general tendency towards combining legislative forms can be observed, such as through procedural involvement by Parliament or Acts of Parliament altering executive order law (so called "verordnungsändernde Gesetze"). This article explores the legitimate position of delegated legislation in a system of legislatory choice. It compares the constitutional program of delegated legislation in Constitutional and Community Law with the constitutional reality, and looks for ways to reconcile both. The article further raises serious doubts regarding the recent Federal Constitutional Court decision downgrading "verordnungsändernde Gesetze" to executive order law within the regulatory hierarchy.