Proposed amendments to the European Constitution

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Since the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was rejected by referenda 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.

1 Trappings of statehood
2 Subsidiarity
3 Enlargement
4 Charter of Fundamental Rights
5 Policies
6 Passerelle
7 Christianity
8 References

[edit] Trappings of statehood

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 ^[1]

[edit] Subsidiarity

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 ^[1].

[edit] Enlargement

Bot called for concerns about enlargement of the European Union to be answered by incorporating the Copenhagen Criteria for new members into the treaty^[1]. This call has been echoed by Liberal MEP Andrew Duff, who also called for a new category of Associate Members to be introduced. ^[2]

[edit] Charter of Fundamental Rights

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 ^[2]

[edit] Policies

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. ^[2]

[edit] Passerelle

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. ^[2]