Lisbon Treaty

THE UNITED SOCIALIST PARTY

A Party that always campaigns for a fair and just society for all in Britain

The Treaty at a glance (Summary)

On 13 December 2007, EU leaders signed the Treaty of Lisbon, thus bringing to an end

several years of negotiation about institutional issues.

The Treaty of Lisbon amends the current EU and EC treaties, without replacing them. It will

provide the Union with the legal framework and tools necessary to meet future challenges and

to respond to citizens' demands.

A more democratic and transparent Europe, with a strengthened role for the European

Parliament and national parliaments, more opportunities for citizens to have their voices

heard and a clearer sense of who does what at European and national level.

A strengthened role for the European Parliament: the European Parliament, directly

elected by EU citizens, will see important new powers emerge over the EU legislation, the

EU budget and international agreements. In particular, the increase of co-decision

procedure in policy-making will ensure the European Parliament is placed on an equal

footing with the Council, representing Member States, for the vast bulk of EU legislation.

A greater involvement of national parliaments: national parliaments will have greater

opportunities to be involved in the work of the EU, in particular thanks to a new

mechanism to monitor that the Union only acts where results can be better attained at EU

level (subsidiarity). Together with the strengthened role for the European Parliament, it will

enhance democracy and increase legitimacy in the functioning of the Union.

A stronger voice for citizens: thanks to the Citizens' Initiative, one million citizens from a

number of Member States will have the possibility to call on the Commission to bring

forward new policy proposals.

Who does what: the relationship between the Member States and the European Union will

become clearer with the categorisation of competences.

Withdrawal from the Union: the Treaty of Lisbon explicitly recognises for the first time the

possibility for a Member State to withdraw from the Union.

A more efficient Europe, with simplified working methods and voting rules, streamlined

and modern institutions for a EU of 27 members and an improved ability to act in areas of

major priority for today's Union.

Effective and efficient decision-making: qualified majority voting in the Council will be

extended to new policy areas to make decision-making faster and more efficient. From

2014 on, the calculation of qualified majority will be based on the double majority of

Member States and people, thus representing the dual legitimacy of the Union.A double

majority will be achieved when a decision is taken by 55% of the Member States

representing at least 65% of the Union’s population.

A more stable and streamlined institutional framework: the Treaty of Lisbon creates the

function of President of the European Council elected for two and a half years, introduces

a direct link between the election of the Commission President and the results of the

European elections, provides for new arrangements for the future composition of the

European Parliament and for a smaller Commission, and includes clearer rules on

enhanced cooperation and financial provisions.

Improving the life of Europeans: the Treaty of Lisbon improves the EU's ability to act in

several policy areas of major priority for today's Union and its citizens. This is the case in

particular for the policy areas of freedom, security and justice, such as combating

terrorism or tackling crime. It also concerns to some extent other areas including energy

policy, public health, civil protection, climate change, services of general interest,

research, space, territorial cohesion, commercial policy, humanitarian aid, sport, tourism

and administrative cooperation.

A Europe of rights and values, freedom, solidarity and security, promoting the

Union's values, introducing the Charter of Fundamental Rights into European primary law,

providing for new solidarity mechanisms and ensuring better protection of European

citizens.

Democratic values: the Treaty of Lisbon details and reinforces the values and objectives

on which the Union is built. These values aim to serve as a reference point for European

citizens and to demonstrate what Europe has to offer its partners worldwide.

Citizens' rights and Charter of Fundamental Rights: the Treaty of Lisbon preserves

existing rights while introducing new ones. In particular, it guarantees the freedoms and

principles set out in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and gives its provisions a binding

legal force. It concerns civil, political, economic and social rights.

Freedom of European citizens: the Treaty of Lisbon preserves and reinforces the "four

freedoms" and the political, economic and social freedom of European citizens.

Solidarity between Member States: the Treaty of Lisbon provides that the Union and its

Member States act jointly in a spirit of solidarity if a Member State is the subject of a

terrorist attack or the victim of a natural or man-made disaster. Solidarity in the area of

energy is also emphasised.

Increased security for all: the Union will get an extended capacity to act on freedom,

security and justice, which will bring direct benefits in terms of the Union's ability to fight

crime and terrorism. New provisions on civil protection, humanitarian aid and public health

also aim at boosting the Union's ability to respond to threats to the security of European

citizens.

Europe as an actor on the global stage will be achieved by bringing together Europe's

external policy tools, both when developing and deciding new policies. The Treaty of

Lisbon will give Europe a clear voice in relations with its partners worldwide. It will harness

Europe's economic, humanitarian, political and diplomatic strengths to promote European

interests and values worldwide, while respecting the particular interests of the Member

States in Foreign Affairs.

A new High Representative for the Union in Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, also Vice-

President of the Commission, will increase the impact, the coherence and the visibility of

the EU's external action.

A new European External Action Service will provide back up and support to the High

Representative.

A single legal personality for the Union will strengthen the Union's negotiating power,

making it more effective on the world stage and a more visible partner for third countries

and international organisations.

Progress in European Security and Defence Policy will preserve special decision-making

arrangements but also pave the way towards reinforced cooperation amongst a smaller

group of Member States.

The official view of the Lisbon Treaty

Alternative views on the Lisbon Treaty

European Union's Lisbon Treaty fuels flames

of dissent across continent

The Lisbon Treaty expects to take a key step towards to

becoming law across the European Union when Germany's

highest court rules that it is broadly compatible

with the country's constitution.

A group of hooded people burn flags of Spain and France at the end of one of the pro-

independence rallies celebrated on occasion of Catalonia's Day Photo: EPA

The much-anticipated judgment will mean that only three out of the EU's 27 member states will

still have to complete formal ratification of the treaty - Poland, the Czech Republic and Ireland.

The former two countries merely need their presidents' signatures on the legislation to finalise

the process. Ireland, where voters rejected the Treaty last year, will stage a new referendum in

October - with the government increasingly confident of a "Yes" vote this time round after the

EU assured Ireland of its independence over taxation, security, defence, abortion, and workers'

rights.

Politicians across Europe are now looking forward to a day when the controversial treaty gives

the EU more streamlined institutions - with greater central power and, for the first time, a new

"President of Europe" to represent all the member states around the world.

In Britain, the government has refused demands for a referendum - despite a pledge in

Labour's 2005 general election manifesto to hold a public vote on the Lisbon Treaty's

predecessor, the European Constitutional Treaty, which collapsed after being voted down

in France and the Netherlands.

Recently, however, it has been the Conservatives who have faced difficulties on the treaty. Both

David Cameron and William Hague, the Eurosceptic shadow foreign secretary, have publicly

pledged that, even if the treaty completes its ratification process in October with an Irish "Yes"

vote, they "will not let matters rest."

Kenneth Clarke, the pro-Brussels shadow business secretary, stirred up a hornets' nest by

claiming that his party's "settled policy" was not to reopen the treaty once it became law. His

comments led to Mr Cameron privately reassuring Tory backbenchers that the party was not

softening its tough line on Europe, as revealed by The Sunday Telegraph last week.

Internal Tory troubles over Europe were also heightened last week when the party announced

details of its new allies in a new "anti-federalist" group in the European parliament which sees

the Tories sitting alongside politicians from a range of parties - mainly from Eastern Europe -

some of which have uncomfortable views on homosexual rights and immigration.

Tory group's Polish leader 'a homophobe with fascist links'

Flanders encouraged to seek independence from Belgium by EU's growing power

Catalonia pays homage to the EU, not Spain, as push for independence grows

The group represents eight countries - above the seven-nation threshold required to receive

funding and staffing from the parliament.

The announcement was made on the same day as the election of the new Speaker of the House of

Commons - attracting criticism that Mr Cameron was seeking to divert attention away from his

new alliance in Strasbourg.

Last week a Finnish Euro-MP pulled out of the 55-strong grouping, which includes 26 Tories

and is expected to be the fourth biggest alliance in the newly elected parliament, because some of

its members were "too extreme."

Hannu Takkula told The Sunday Telegraph that his British colleagues were not the problem and

added: "Some other groups have policies that are too extreme and policies that are too much

against Europe."

Two of the parliamentary grouping's members used to belong to the far-right League of Polish

Families, which supports capital punishment, and whose youth wing has been accused of

attacking gay rights marches. Another MEP in the group, from Latvia, belongs to a party which

supports an annual march commemorating former Latvian members of the Waffen-SS.

While the Tories ponder their uncomfortable new European bedfellows, leaders of some of

Europe's separatist movements are celebrating the progress of the treaty towards full ratification.

They are convinced that the more powerful the EU's own institutions become, the weaker the

nation state - and the stronger the case for granting breakaway regions their independence.

The European Union has always had a strong hold over regional policy - including supplying

funding - and regional leaders across the continent sense a fresh shift towards breakaways.

Regions will have, for example, powers to challenge decisions at the European Court of Justice

for the first time, rights which have so far been the preserve of national parliaments. Some 300

different regions already have offices in Brussels.

As well as these greater powers, the proliferation of even smaller states among some of the EU's

newer members - including Slovakia and Slovenia - is encouraging those fighting for local

independence elsewhere.

Our view on the Lisbon Treaty - Support NO2EU

Stand up for workers’ rights

The social dumping of exploited foreign workers in Britain is being carried out under EU rules

demanding the “free movement of capital, goods, services and labour” within the EU. Successive

EU Directives and European Court of Justice decisions have also been used to attack trade union

collective bargaining, the right to strike and workers’ pay and conditions.

We say ‘Equal Pay for men and women and trade union rates of pay not poverty wages’

Keep your public services public

The Lisbon Treaty and the EU’s privatisation agenda represent a significant threat to working

class communities and to the services we all rely on. We say ‘Nationalise Public Service and

end Privatisation accross all Public services’

Defend your civil liberties

Human rights organisations such as Statewatch and Liberty have consistently warned that the

European Union is accumulating a vast range of powers that pose a threat to civil liberties across

the continent of Europe. ‘’We Say ‘Remove the Anti Trade Union Laws in Britain’

The economic crisis and the EU

In efforts to resolve the finanical crisis a recapitalisation of banks has taken place in EU Member

States using taxpayers’ money. The Hungarian government has been helped out by the IMF to

the tune of £11.2 billion ‘We say ‘ Nationalise all the banks and ensure we have agreements

in place for them to pay back the loans’

What do we get out of the EU?

We pay at present in to the EU £16.3 billion of which £9.8 billion is recovered annually.

‘We say’ Is it worth it to be in the EU? Our losses are:

£6.5 billion per annum sufficient to build NHS hospitals without PFI involvement.

Loss of Civil Rights and Workers Rights under current EU legislation and

Anti Trade Union Laws.

Loss of additional World Trade and Diplomatic links.

Loss of direct action to intervene in local and national interests.

The rights of the people to have a Referendum on the EU/Lisbon Treaty.