A treaty not a constitution

An attempt to give the European Union its first constitution, which would have replaced the EU's key treaties -- the 1957 Treaty of Rome and the treaties of Maastricht (1992), Amsterdam (1996) and Nice (2000) -- was foiled in 2005 when Dutch and French voters rejected the idea in national referendums. The new "Reform Treaty" will complement and amend its predecessors, rather than replace them.

New rights for EU citizens

The treaty makes binding the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights; 54 articles on the rights of the citizen (freedom, equality, economic and social rights). London and Warsaw have obtained an opt-out from the charter.

A million European citizens will be able to "invite" the European Commission to submit a legislative proposal in a given area.

Institutions, posts

In place of the rotating presidency, under which member states take six-month turns at the helm, a president of the European Council (which comprises the 27 European leaders) will be elected by the leaders to a two-and-a-half-year term.

The rotation system will be retained for the councils of ministers (finance, agriculture, etc.)

The president will prepare summits and represent the European Union on the world stage without, hopefully, treading on the toes of the new "High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy".

The High Commissioner's post will combine the roles of the current EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (Javier Solana) and the Commissioner for External Relations (Benita Ferrero-Waldner). The postholder will then also be a vice-president of the European Commission and coordinate all EU external action.

The Commission -- the EU's unelected executive arm -- will from 2014 cut down the number of policy commissioners in order to increase efficiency. While currently all EU nations are given a commissioner's post, the future number will be equal to two-thirds of member states.

The treaty also increases the number of policy areas where elected members of the European Parliament have to approve EU legislation, along with the member states, particularly in the sensitive areas of justice, security and immigration.

Meanwhile it reduces the number of members of the European Parliament from the current 785 to 750.

National parliaments will be given a voice in EU-law making for the first time. Each national parliament will receive proposals for new EU legislation directly to judge whether a proposal impinges on its competencies.

If one third of national parliaments object, then the proposal will be sent back for review by the Commission.

Voting systems

The areas of decision-making which can be approved through majority voting, rather than unanimity, is increased, largely to the areas of justice and police affairs.

Britain and Ireland have secured the power to apply decisions in these areas as they wish, but may not hold back their EU partners.

The treaty also introduces a new system of voting. Under the new "double majority" qualified voting system, a minimum of 55 percent of member states (currently 15 of 27 countries) representing at least 65 percent of the EU's population must vote in favour of new European legislation for it to be passed.

The new system will start to come into force in 2014, with a complicated transition period to 2017 granted at Poland's request. The new system is more strongly based on population size.

New policies

The treaty introduces new objectives such as a common energy policy and strategy on fighting global warming.

On trade policy, fair competition becomes a requirement to assure the proper functioning of the internal market.

On security matters, a "solidarity" clause is introduced in the case of terrorist attacks, under which a member state which falls victim to a terrorist attack or other disaster will receive assistance from other member states, if it requests it.

Get-out clause

The treaty introduces the possibility for a country to leave the European Union under conditions to be negotiated with its partners.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links