The Lisbon Reform Treaty at a Glance
The main purpose of the Lisbon Reform Treaty is to enable the enlarged European Union (EU) consisting of 27 Member States to function more effectively and more democratically. The current structures of the EU were designed for 12 or 15 Member States. They now need to be adapted to take account of the large increase in the number of Member States. The proposed reforms are framed to ensure that the EU will better serve the interests of the people of Europe and will be better able to respond to the needs and challenges of today's European Union.
Main Provisions
The Treaty restates the original values of freedom, democracy, equality and pluralism and the rule of law which underpinned the earlier Treaties. It further states the objectives of the EU to be peace, free movement of people and goods, an internal market and a common currency, the combating of poverty and social exclusion and the sustainable development of the planet.
Charter of Fundamental Rights
From Labour's viewpoint one of the most significant sections of the Treaty is that dealing with fundamental rights. The Charter of Fundamental Rights will be legally binding on Member States if the Treaty is ratified. The comprehensive list of rights in the Charter fall under the headings of dignity, freedom, equality, solidarity, citizens' rights, including workers' rights, and justice. It is probably the most extensive and succinct statement of human rights and citizens' entitlements ever to be given legal form.
In addition the European Trade Union Congress succeeded in having a new Article 136a inserted in the Treaty which makes legal provision for social dialogue and for recognition of the social partners.
The Treaty contains a new commitment to tackle worldwide environmental problems and contains new proposals for the eradication of world poverty. These were issues championed by the Labour Party so as to make the EU the leading world player in the area of climate change and global poverty and to give it a new international focus.
Addressing the Democratic Deficit
The Treaty contains some important measures to bring the workings of the EU closer to the Member States and to make them more accessible. There are new proposals establishing permanent structures to involve civil society and the churches in dialogue. There is the Citizen's Initiative whereby one million citizens from 15 or more Member States can initiate policies.
But most importantly there is a new role for National Parliaments in the legislative process. Under the Lisbon Treaty all EU legislative proposals must be forwarded to national parliaments at the same time as they are sent to the EU Parliament and to the Council from the Commission.
Each National Parliament can offer its own considered opinion to the Commission on whether an individual proposal complies with the principle of subsidiarity. One third of National Parliaments can cause a legislative proposal to be reviewed (the yellow card); one half of National Parliaments can cause a legislative proposal to be amended or withdrawn; and as a last resort each National Parliament can appeal against a legislative proposal to the European Court of Justice.