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EU: European Parliament submits first proposals for reform of European treaties

Abolition of the veto of the Member States, expanded responsibilities for the Union in the field of health and defense, right of the European Parliament to propose legislation: MEPs table the first proposals for the reform of the treaties of the European Union.

With 355 votes in favor (154 against and 48 abstentions), the text adopted by the European Parliament in Strasbourg calls on the leaders of the 27 to start a process of reviewing the treaties through a conference.

Many MEPs are proposing that this decision be taken at the European Summit on 23 and 24 June in Brussels, the last session chaired by France.

The proposals came from the Conference on the Future of Europe, a one-year-old citizens’ dialogue platform that delivered around 300 proposals. Many of them require the reform of the European treaties for their implementation.

In the event of an agreement between the Member States to amend the Treaties which form the basis of the Union, a conference will be convened with the participation of MEPs, European Commissioners, members of national parliaments and leaders of European countries. Ratification of the reforms by each Member State will then be necessary, possibly through a referendum, if provided for by national law. The institution of the referendum killed the draft of the European Constitution in 2005.

MEPs cited recent and current crises calling for increased action and called for a change in the institutional balance within the European Union.

They believe that this will require the abolition, in some areas, of the principle of unanimity in decision-making in the European Council, which is a frequent source of immobility, as well as “the inclusion of social progress in the treaties”.

Reiterating an old claim of many MEPs, the European Parliament is calling for “the right to propose, amend or refer legislation”. At present, only the Commission proposes European legislation, the final formulation of which is the result of negotiations with the European Parliament and the European Council.

Source: AMPE

Source: Capital

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