Reformed Institutions
The
strengthening of the European Union's efficiency in
terms of the decision-making process poses a major
challenge: strengthening Europe's ability to make
decisions and act as a Union that welcomed ten new
members on May 1, 2004. At the same time, it must guarantee
the legitimacy of those decisions and actions, a
necessary condition to bring Europe closer to its
citizens.
A smaller
more efficient European Commission
The
European Constitution will maintain the rule of equal
representation of States until 2014, in order to satisfy
the claims of small and medium size countries that
wish to be represented in a very influential institution
that monopolizes the proposal of European laws,
the Commission.
Nevertheless, from this date forward, the Constitution
plans for a reduction in the size of the Commission to
18 members (representing two thirds of the States since
Bulgaria and Romania will probably have joined the EU by
that time). This is to prevent the Commission from
becoming an "intergovernmental institution" simply
responsible for the defense of national interests, and
representing an institution that resembles a "college
with a collective responsibility".
Facilitation
of the Decision Making Process
Concerning
the "qualified majority" voting rule within the Council
of Ministers, the Constitution
provides great improvements
since the
Nice Treaty. It introduces the rule of "dual majority,"
whereby a decision will be made if it wins the approval
of 55% of the number of States representing 65% of the
Union's population. This new rule will facilitate
decision-making while acknowledging that the European
Union finds its basis in dual legitimacy: that of the
States and of the citizens.
The
increased efficiency of the decision-making process also
extends the use of majority voting (defined above) to
new areas, especially to legal co-operation in the
civilian sector as well as to political asylum and
immigration. This development respects the new goal that
must be attained in order to establish Europe’s
political union, especially in terms of the completion
of the European area as one of free movement of European
citizens.
The
majority vote would replace unanimity in 25 areas. This
new measure will affect the decisions concerning issues
on citizens’ needs, such as external borders, asylum and
immigration, social security, and the free movement of
European employees throughout the Union.
In certain areas where the unanimity rule
is upheld, the Council of Ministers may decide to
utilize the qualified majority rule (these are the
so-called "bridge clauses").
Towards
greater coherence of work undertaken
The third
major element that will strengthen the decision-making
capacities of the European Union is the creation of a
presidential position of the European Council and a
European Foreign Affairs Minister.
A full
time President of the European Council, elected by this
institution via a qualified majority vote, for a two
year, renewable term, will provide greater continuity
and coherence to the European Council’s work. The
President will provide the Union with a face and a voice.
The European Minister of Foreign Affairs, a position
that combines that of the High Representative of the
CFSP and of the Commissioner of External Affairs, will
unify the Union’s foreign policy. This person will be
appointed by the European Council and will preside over
the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs while
simultaneously assuming the role of Vice President of
the European Commission.
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