Already after the vote in the Constitutional Committee of the European Parliament in favor of changes to the EU Treaties on the European Union – TEU and on the functioning of the EU – TFEU, it was clear that there was also a majority in this country on this would be an issue. the plenary hall.
Role of changes in EU treaties
The vote in the Constitutional Committee took place in early November and twenty members of the EPP, Left, Renew (Liberals), Greens and Communists were in favor of these changes, while only five members of the ECR, ID and non-affiliated members were against. .
In this situation, some national delegations in individual EP groups could have voted against, especially when supporting these changes already at this stage could have a negative effect on their perception in their own country.
Delegations from the Platform and PSL have requested such permission within the European People’s Party (EPP) and received it from Manfred Weber, because supporting these changes would complicate the process of establishing Donald Tusk’s government in Poland.
Ultimately, the amendments to the Treaties were adopted in the plenary chamber by a small number of votes (291 votes in favour, 274 votes against, 44 abstentions), but this does not change this process. started rolling.
The Spanish Presidency has already stated that it will send the resolution adopted by the EP, together with annexes containing no fewer than 267 amendments to the Treaties, to the Council of the European Union (in this case the Ministers of European Affairs of the Member States). and on December 12, the Council can forward it further to the level of the European Council by a simple majority vote.
The European Council, in turn, can adopt the so-called Convention to Amend the Treaties (heads of government or state, representatives of national parliaments, the European Parliament and the European Commission) and then we still have a long way to go, which in extreme cases can take several years.
But the European Council can also choose the path set out in Article 48, point 6 – Simplified amendment procedures. You can dispense with the creation of the said Convention, and the changes will be adopted by the European Council and ratified by the Member States. then don’t ratify them, they can be found in the so-called EU second circle, without affecting EU decisions or access to EU funds.
Instead of sovereign states – a super state
Let us not forget that these – as experts call them – will ultimately lead to a “Copernican revolution” in the EU, as a result of which the Community of 27 sovereign states will be transformed into a centralized superstate with German-French domination, in which the Member States will only have the powers of the Länder (as in Germany). This includes the transfer of a further two areas to the EU’s exclusive competences: environmental protection and biodiversity (Article 3 TFEU), as well as seven other areas to so-called shared competences, i.e.: foreign and security policy, border protection, forestry, public health, civil defense , industry and education (Article 4 TFEU).
The functioning of shared powers in the EU means that in these areas only matters that have not been taken over by the EU institutions remain for the Member State.
Furthermore, the changes would also mean denying Member States the right of veto in as many as 63 areas, which would mean that this right would only remain when it comes to the admission of new members to the EU (even post-Treaty changes this reform). would not be adopted unanimously, but by 4/5 of the Member States).
It should be added that the approved proposals include a provision that the EU currency is the euro, so that all Member States should eventually adopt this currency, and therefore the seven countries currently outside the eurozone should quickly adopt it (Denmark , Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania).
The so-called record The heavy category also includes the EU’s so-called strategic autonomy, which in the longer term would mean that a broadly understood EU defense policy would have to be conducted independently, without the United States.
Tusk will agree to changes to the treaties
Manfred Weber’s permission for the Platform and PSL members to vote against changes to the Treaties will make it easier for Donald Tusk to form a government in Poland, but when he comes to Brussels as Prime Minister for a meeting of the European Council will of course agree to these changes.
It is also likely that in the negotiations at CoE level, some of the provisions of these changes, which most drastically limit the sovereignty of the Member States, will be relaxed, some of the least important will be deleted and then everyone will be able to declare success. Tusk will do the same and ultimately accept the changes on behalf of Poland, because he will have to repay the debts incurred in Brussels, and then we will be faced with the choice: either approve these changes in parliament, or Poland will become between the so-called countries. second circle, without influencing key EU decisions.
This is exactly the situation that the Brussels establishment wants to bring into countries where the parliamentary majority does not want to agree to changes, either you agree to it, or you are an EU member, but in the second category.
Source: wPolityce