Over a year ago, in June 2022, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for a Convention to reform the treaties. This was the first time that the European Parliament had activated the article 48 of the Treaty on the European Union. This call was launched on the basis of the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe and Renew Europe’s wish to strengthen the European Union.
A new step has been taken today, following the vote by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs in favour of amending the EU Treaties and launching a Convention to do so. EU Member States, who have so far done little to honour the Parliament’s request, used the lack of a report from the Parliament on this as a justification for inaction. Renew Europe wants to put an end to the unanimity rule and deliver the geopolitical Union we urgently need. We expect a discussion in the European Council before the end of this year.
Guy Verhofstadt (Belgium, Open VLD), Renew Europe MEP and co-rapporteur on this report, has declared:
“When times change, Europe needs to change too. With the Conference on the Future of Europe, we outlined what kind of EU citizens believe we need going forward. The war in Ukraine, questions of enlargement and geopolitical pressures all around us all raise challenges. We need a Convention to finally debate what Europe’s answer will be. Parliament is ready."
Background:
Key proposals:
A better European Democracy
- A reform of the Article 7 to better protect our common values, by ending unanimity to activate it, adding clear deadline for the Council and making the European Court of Justice the arbiter of violations.
- An introduction of an EU referendum
- The right of initiative for the European Parliament
New competences
- Establishment of the Defence Union and the Energy Union
- New exclusive competences, such as environment and biodiversity and the negotiation of climate change agreements
- New shared competences such as public health, civil protection, industry and education
EU institutions
- The end of unanimity rule in the Council
- A new Qualified majority vote (QMV): 2/3 of the Member States representing 50% of the population (instead of 1/2 of the Member States representing 65% of the population). The QMV should be used only for decisions previously adopted by unanimity (Council).
- A reform of the Commission, that should be renamed ‘Executive’ with 15 members. The president of the ‘Executive’ should be proposed by the European Parliament and confirmed by the European Council.