Republican News · Thursday 29 May 2003

The EU Constitution - The good, the bad, the new?

Values

"respect for human dignity, liberty, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights".

Objectives

"offer citizens an area of freedom, security and justice.... and a single market where competition is free and undistorted".

"sustainable development based on balanced economic growth, with a social market economy aiming at full employment and social progress".

EU Commission president

The EU Parliament will elect the president of the EU Commission.

EU Council President

The EU Council will now elect its own president by qualified majority.

Foreign Minister

The EU parliament will now also elect a foreign minister by qualified majority. The holder of the post will be a Commission vice president and "conduct the Union's common foreign and security policy".

Public Prosecutor

This person would be responsible for tackling cross border fraud in the EU.

The Eurogroup

The 12 participating euro states get to elect a president and get new powers to set economic policy independent of the rest of the EU.

The veto

The right to veto, now gone in almost half of all EU decision making will go in 20 new areas, including taxation.

The Parliament

EU Parliament gets new powers in 36 new areas, including asylum policy, EU budget, energy and regional funds.