Proposed amendments to the European Constitution

Since the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was rejected by referendums in France and the Netherlands, various proposals have been made to how it should be amended. This article attempts to summarise those proposals by theme.

uggestions by the Amato group

uggestions by Mirek Topolanek

The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Mirek Topolanek, has called for the proposed constitution to be replaced by a simpler and more "comprehensible" treaty [ [http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1169397037.12/view Czech PM attacks moves to revive stalled EU constitution] , "EU Business", 2007-01-21, accessed on 2007-01-23] .

uggestions by Hans Blokland

Some eurosceptic politicians, including Dutch ChristianUnion MEP, Hans Blokland, have called for the idea of a permanent Presidency of the Council of the European Union to be scrapped and the current system of rotation to be retained. [ [http://www.nisnews.nl/public/160107_1.htm Dutch MEPs Want Limited European Constitution] , "NIS News Bulletin", 2007-01-16, accessed on 2007-01-23 ]

uggestions by Günter Verheugen

Under the European Constitution, the European Parliament would have had a greater say in the election of the Commission President, and the size of the commission would have been reduced with individual commissioners rotating between countries. Current European Commission Vice-president, Gunter Verheugen has proposed that the Constitution should go further and that the Commission President should be elected by the European Parliament, rather than the European Council of heads of state as present. The President should then pick his own commissioners having due regard for geographical and political balance, rather than having them appointed by national governments. Smaller countries would no longer get their own Commissioner, but instead would get a Deputy Commissioner. [ [http://euobserver.com/9/23188 Small EU states do not need full commissioners, Verheugen says] , "EU Observer", 2007-01-04, accessed on 2007-01-07.]

uggestions by Bernard Bot

The treaty introduced a number of elements such as a flag, motto, anthem that have been described as "trappings of statehood". The Dutch Foreign Minster, Bernard Bot, from the Christian Democratic Appeal party called for them to be scrapped as they gave rise to fears of an EU superstate. [http://euobserver.com/18/22843 The Hague wants safeguards against EU powers in new treaty] , "EU Observer", 2006-11-13.]

Bot also called for a clearer separation of competencies and more subsidiarity and proportionality when deciding which areas should be decided on at an EU-level.

Bot called for concerns about enlargement of the European Union to be answered by incorporating the Copenhagen Criteria for new members into the treaty.

uggestions by Andrew Duff

The call by Bernard Bot top include Copenhagen Criteria in the text has been echoed by Liberal Democrat MEP Andrew Duff, who also called for a new category of "Associate Members" to be introduced. [http://www.notre-europe.eu/uploads/tx_publication/Etud52-en_01.pdf Plan B: How to Rescue the European Constitution] , "Notre Europe", 2006-11-01.]

Duff has called for the Charter of Fundamental Rights to be taken out of the treaty and made into a separate annex, with a separate revision procedure.

Duff called for the policies and functioning section, part III, to be made "clearly subsidiary" to Part I, and to have an easier revision clause.

Duff called for the "Passerelle Clause", which allows for irreversible movement from unanimous to qualified majority voting, to be made easier. The current treaty requires unanimity among national governments, parliaments and the European Parliament, and he suggests removing the requirement for national parliamentary consent, instead allowing parliaments to veto the clause if one third or more national parliaments objected.

uggestions by Jarosław Kaczyński

The Kaczyński government in Poland has proposed adding a reference to Christian heritage in the treaty, a stance which has been backed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel [ [http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=319152007 Merkel wants EU to be vocal about Christian roots] , "The Scotsman", 2007-02-28, accessed on 2007-03-02] but she has now backed down over this due to the low chances of it being included. [ [http://euobserver.com/9/24066 Merkel gives up on God in EU treaty] "EU Observer", 2007-05-15, accessed on 2007-05-18]

uggestions by Ségolène Royal

The French Socialist Presidential candidate, Ségolène Royal, has proposed that a new social contract be incorporated into the Constitution to counter fears that the Constitution would be used to enforce a neoliberal economic model. These fears played an important role in the rejection of the Constitution in the French referendum. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6400525.stm The European Constitution returns] , "BBC", 2007-02-27, accessed on 2007-03-02]

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