Europees Parlement vindt nieuwe Verdrag verbetering van democratische gehalte EU (en)

The Lisbon Treaty would give the European and national parliaments a bigger role in the decision-making process, and thus raise the EU's democratic profile, says the report.

In fact, with just a few exceptions, it would place the Council and the European Parliament would on an equal footing as lawmakers, notably in the budgetary procedure and in justice and home affairs. National parliaments would gain the right to object to a proposal if they felt the subsidiarity principle had not been respected, noted MEPs.

Moreover, the President of the Commission, proposed by the European Council on the basis of the European election results, would be elected by the European Parliament.

The report also welcomes the fact that the Lisbon Treaty would strengthen citizens' rights. For example, the binding nature of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights offers greater certainty that citizens' rights will be fully respected, because any action taken by the EU institutions would have to pass this test.

Introducing a right of initiative for EU citizens, by enabling them to put proposals to the Commission, would step up their participation in the EU decision-making process.

Finally, the new treaty would also improve clarity and allow citizens better to understand the EU's role and functions. The Constitutional Committee, believes that the Lisbon Treaty provides adequate guarantees that the EU will not become a centralised "superstate" - it points out that new provisions confirm the specificity of the Union, whose powers are conferred by the Member States, and reaffirm the obligation to respect national identities.

Committee members also welcomed the provisions that seek to improve the Union's ability to act, noting that greater use of qualified majority voting, replacing unanimity, would facilitate agreements in the Council, and that the new European Council President and High Representative for foreign policy High Representative should improve the coherence of EU action.

Abolishing the pillar structure and better defining EU aims in the fields of climate change, children's rights, energy, space, tourism, sport, public health and civil protection would also enhance the EU institutions' capacity to deliver and address people's concerns, said the committee.

Members nonetheless voiced some concerns about the new Treaty. First, they regretted that the "constitutional approach" had been abandoned, whilst acknowledging that this had been necessary to secure agreement among Member States. They also criticised the special arrangements made for some Member States in the field of police co-operation and criminal law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

MEPs reiterated their appeal to Member States to guarantee maximum political commitment to ensure that the new treaty enters into force well before the EP elections in June 2009.

Finally, the report calls on national authorities and EU institutions to do their best to inform citizens about the Lisbon Treaty's aims and content. To this end, committee members asked that a consolidated version of the treaties be published as soon as possible.

23/01/2008

Committee on Constitutional Affairs

In the chair: : Jo Leinen (PES, DE)

Procedure: own initiative

Plenary vote: February (Strasbourg)