EU Future Conference: European Parliament votes in favor of Constitutional Convention
Dear Europeans,
Today (Wednesday 4th of May) the European Parliament decided to move towards treaty change in response to the recommendations of the Conference on the Future of Europe. In its resolution, the plenary gave the Constitutional Committee a mandate to formulate concrete amendments to the EU Treaties based on the proposals of the conference. These amendments will then have to be voted on first by the Constitutional Committee, then by the EP Plenary – presumably in June. In order to convene an EU Convention to amend the Treaties, a simple majority in the European Council would then be needed. The vote on this could still be held under the French Presidency at the last EU summit on 23 and 24 June.
MEP Daniel Freund, representative of the Greens/EFA Group in the Executive Committee of the Future Conference, Member of the Constitutional Committee of the European Parliament, comments:
“Cosmetic reforms will not bring Europe forward. We want to better position the EU for the future. To do this, we have to work on the EU Treaties. This is also the clear mandate of the citizens. It would be fatal if the Member States now step on the brakes.
The European Parliament is ready to implement the citizens’ demands. We must abolish national vetoes. Because: We no longer want Viktor Orban to block the entire EU when a war breaks out on our doorstep. We want real European elections instead of 27 national ones. We need more European investment in the European future, not in corrupt autocrats. We want a Europe that defends its values and punishes those who dismantle democracy.
It was the broad participation of citizens, pushed by us Greens, that made the success of the conference possible. It is important that today the Parliament has recognised the citizens’ achievement and wants to involve them further.”
EP-RESOLUTION of today: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2022-0228_EN.html
- Believes that an increased role in the EU’s decision-making process goes hand in hand with more democratic, transparent and accountable EU institutions; supports, moreover, the continuous involvement of citizens’ participation and consultation in this process;
- Believes that deeper political integration and genuine democracy, as highlighted in the conclusions of the Conference, can be achieved through a right of legislative initiative for the European Parliament and the abolition of unanimity in the Council;
- Acknowledges that the conclusions of the Conference require Treaty changes, inter alia, concerning the simplification of the EU institutional architecture, more transparency and accountability in the decision-making process and a new reflection on EU competences;
- Stands ready to play its role and ensure proper follow-up to the Conference outcome; calls, therefore, for the convening of a Convention by activating the procedure for the revision of the Treaties provided for in Article 48 of the Treaty on European Union, and calls on its Committee on Constitutional Affairs to launch the necessary procedure accordingly;
OUR COMMENT ON THE CONCLUSIONS: https://danielfreund.eu/future-conference-reforms-agreed/?lang=en
LAST TREATY AMENDMENTS: The last Constitutional Convention had met from 2002 to 2003. The failed Constitutional Treaty became today’s valid Lisbon Treaty. It was signed in 2007 and has been in force since 1.12.2009.
Cosmetic reforms will not bring Europe forward.