TREATY OF AMSTERDAM

What are its provisions?

CONTEXT:

1997
-globalising economy
-terrorism
Threats: public health, consumer and environment
 QMV – employment, incentives
PESC/ CFSP- troika, peace, humanitarian aid
INTERNAL SECURITY- police
INSTITUTIONS -
SOCIAL QUESTION
MIGRATION – migration, criminal law
PROTECTION -environment, consumer,
health
TREATY OF NICE
 What are its provisions?

CONTEXT:

-deal with new member states

2001
 NEW ENLARGEMENT
PROTOCOL
QMV – migration, financial aid
ENHANCED COOPERATION
1. MS create groups of 8, go further in certain
areas of policy than the rest (conditions:
further EU objectives, respect- treaties/ EU
institutions and law, MS- competences/ rights
and responsabilities, open to all MS
2. new institutions- Eurojust
3. new procedures- setting political parties
4. institutional changes – EP- 750 MPs,
Commission: 27 members, no more,
Council- meetings hold in Brussels (18 MS +)
TREATY ON EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION
 What are its provisions?

CONTEXT:

Signed by all MS, but not ratified by all of them

Ratification process
a) parliamentary votes (most countries)
b) referendum + parliamentary votes (Ireland)
Referendums: UK, France, NE/LUX
 INSTITUTIONS:

1. The Council renamed- The Council of Ministers

2. Treaty recognignition: flag, anthem, motto

EU AS A WHOLE:

1. Common values – free market, rule of law

C 2. Common principles:
a) conferral principle- MS delegate competences voluntarily to
P the EU
b) subsidiarity principle- decisions that are effective at EU level,
P taken at the lowest level
S
c) proportionality principle- action taken by the EU only until the
objectives are achieved
d) primacy of EU law- for areas in which there are legally binding
agreements with the EU the EU law is superior to National law
3. EU defines+ implements CFSP
4. Legal personality (represent itself as a single body in
international law)
5 Competences- energy, space
THE LISBON TREATY
 What are its provisions?

CONTEXT:

Complement the existing treaties

 PRINCIPLES:

1. Democratic equality – all citizens are = in front of EU institutions

2. Representative democracy
a) NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS:

Rights – access to Council's decisions and who took them

Responsabilities – monitor subsidiarity (1/3 of MS think a proposal does
not respect it,

Comm can maintain it but it explains it and

C + EP decide upon its addoption or not

b) EP:

co- decision procedure extended to all policy areas

751 MPs
c) COUNCIL: d) EU COUNCIL:
QMV extended
Blocking minority Presedent of the EU Council

e) COMMISSION:
1. President:
Nomination: proposed by the Council
Approved by the EP
Choosen based on the EU elections
Functions: dismiss Commissioners
2. Vice- president:
Function: HRCFSP – representative of the Council
Commissioner- external relations
3. Commissioners:
Nomination: proposed by Comm President + Council
Approved by EP
STEPS:

1. CV examination

2. written questions- objectives

3. oral hearing – responsibilities

4 skills evaluation and portfolio knowledge

5. Conferences – Presidents
- Committee Chairs

6. plenary sitting – TRIO (Comm+ EP + Council)

– Commission's president presents
College + program

7. EP approval vote
 3. Participatory democracy
Citizens' initiative -1 million citizens may ask the Commission to
formulate a proposal)