The Lisbon TreatyTaking Europe to 21st Century

Saragadam R V Vishwanath

Aditya Bharadwaj

Constitution• What is a constitution?

• Why was there a need for a constitution?

• Why was the constitution dropped?

Fear of supranational power?

The Lisbon Treaty• What is the Lisbon Treaty?

• Why is it important?

• In what way is it different from a constitution?

The Lisbon Treaty is no longer the “European Constitution”

Challenges to ratification• Irish referendum

Why only Ireland?

• Czechoslovakian Eurosceptism

Changes Introduced• The commission: One commissioner per member state

• A stabilized European Council

President of European Council

Voice and face to EU

Representative of EU in the international arena

Chair and coordination of European Council’s work

• A high representative of the Union for Foreign affairs and Security policy

Vice President of the European Commission

Changes Introduced• A new decision making process in the council of ministers

The concept of double majority

Approval from 55% of the member states which have more that 65% of the population

A blocking majority has to include at least 4 member states

• Council of ministers will meet in public when a law is debated

A move towards democratization of EU

Main role is to approve European laws

Changes Introduced• The European Parliament: A more influential institution

• Democratization of EU:

The Court of Justice

The “Ioannina Compromise”

Buys some time to oppose

• Extension of the qualified majority vote to new areas

• Greater say of national parliament

Citizen’s power in European Union• The strengthening of the role played by the European Parliament

Legislative domain

Extension of legislative codecision procedure to new areas

Budgetary area

Equal right to decision as the Council of Ministers

Political control

• Participative Democracy

A million signs

Dialog between citizens, civil society and Union institutions.

Council of ministers sit in public

Abolition of the Pillar system• Previous structure:

First pillar: The single market ( Supranational)

Second pillar: Common foreign policy(Inter-governmental)

Third pillar: Police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters

• Inter-governmental structure abolished

• Special voting procedure for common foreign and security policy retained

Replaces the second pillar

• Gives EU single legal personality

Competence sharing• Who is responsible for what?

• Sharing of competence between the European Union and the Member States

Principle of conferred powers

• Types of competence

Exclusive to Union

Shared

Exclusive to member states

• No new exclusive competences to Union

Charter of fundamental rights• Range of civil, political and social rights enjoyed by European Union’s

citizens

• Not legally binding due to too much opposition. A political declaration instead. UK the major opposing force.

Economic Issues• The recognition of the Eurogroup

• The stability and growth pact

Public deficit must be below 3%

Public debt must be below 60% of GDP

A very tight requirement?

• The European budget

Obligatory and Non-obligatory expenses

Unanimity needed in the financial framework

Bridging clause can transfer this to majority rule.

Enlargement policy• Accession to EU (Copenhagen criteria)

Political criteria

Economic criteria

Community Acquis

• Withdrawal from European Union

Introduced for the first time

UK might use it

European Union’s external action• Increase in EU’s international influence

Legal status

• European defense policy

Solidarity clause

European Defense Agency

No European Army

References1. The European Constitution and the Lisbon Treaty

http://carleton.ca/ces/eulearning/politics/government/extension-the-european-union-constitution-and-the-lisbon-treaty/

2. Europa – Treat of Lisbon http://europa.eu/lisbon_treaty/faq/index_en.htm

3. Wikipedia – Treaty of Lisbon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Lisbon

4. BBC News – Q&A: The Lisbon Treaty http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6901353.stm

5. BBC News – Q&A: Charter of fundamental rights http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6225580.stm

6. Foundation Robert Schuman: Understanding the Lisbon Treaty http://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/understanding-the-lisbon-treaty