MPs discuss their new EU role

Members of national parliaments across the EU met on 7-8 May in Brdo, Slovenia to discuss their new role in the EU legislative process, as they will have a greater saying when the Lisbon Treaty comes into force.

The discussion about the new strategy that national MPs should adopt was held during the Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the EU (COSAC), a biennial meeting in which six members from each parliament discuss EU matters.

The Lisbon Treaty gives national parliaments a bigger saying, as the EU Commission is required to notify parliaments of a proposed law, and they have 8 weeks to discuss it.

More important is the introduction of so-called yellow card and orange card. If one third of national parliament oppose a proposal, the Commission has to decide whether to maintain or modify it (yellow card). But if half of the national parliaments are against, the Commission has to withdraw its proposal (orange card).

In particular, parliaments have the opportunity to stop a legislative process at a EU level if they feel that the matter could be better dealt at a national level (the principle of subsidiarity).

COSAC said in a statement it welcomed “the strengthened role of national parliaments as laid down in the Treaty of Lisbon, which enables their better involvement in the EU decision-making process”.

Janez Jansa, the Prime Minister of Slovenia, which holds the rotating Presidency of the EU until June, said: “In terms of enhancing efficiency and promoting democracy the Lisbon Treaty promises further progress. It will give additional decision-making levers to the representatives elected directly by the citizens of Europe.”

“In even more areas, at European level, you will have the right and the obligation to participate in co-decision. (…) The extent to which the role of national parliaments is enhanced by the Lisbon Treaty will depend largely on yourselves.”

What are the main changes of the Lisbon Treaty

The Lisbon Treaty will change how the EU works. It needs to be ratified by all member states to come into force. Ireland is the only country having a referendum.

Here is a short summary of the main changes:

- it amends existing Treaties to work more effectively in an enlarged EU of 27 states;

- it creates a permanent President of the Council (2,5 years renewable once, instead of the current 6-month rotation) giving greater continuity to the EU policies. Britain's former PM Tony Blair was one of the candidates, although some countries oppose this;

- it creates a High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (merging the existing posts of external relations Commissioner and High Representative for common foreign and security policy). Some argue this is the same post as the European Foreign Minister that had been rejected in the EU Constitution by French and Dutch voters in 2005;

- it reduces the size of the Commission from 27 to 15 (no longer one Commissioner for each country, in a move intended to make the Commission work more effectively). Some coutries are afraid that losing for one term their Commissioner will give them some disadvantages.

- it reduces the number of MEPs to 751;

- it increases areas where MEPs have their saying to approve EU legislation alongside national Ministers in the Council (known as codecision);

- it gives national parliaments a bigger saying in the making of the EU legislation. If one third disagrees with the Commission's proposal, this is sent back for revision (yellow card). If the majority of parliaments is against, it can be rejected (orange card). Some argue that these provisions are not enough to involve national parliaments in the EU legislative process;

- it simplifies rules on enhanced cooperation, giving EU countries the opportunity to work more closely on certain issues, without affecting other EU countries which do no want to do so;

- it incorporates the Charter of Fundamental Rights into EU law, so that EU institutions respect those rights. However the Charter doesn’t extend the powers of EU institutions and the UK has an opt-out on this part;

- the Qualified Majority Voting system will be extended in many new areas (immigration, police cooperation, climate channge, but NOT in foreign policy, tax and defence, where unanimity is needed) ;

- there will be a new system for voting, called Double Majority Voting (55 per cent of member states representing 65 per cent of EU legislation) which will begin in 2014.