Define and analyse the principal amendments proposed by the new constitution for the EU

Résumé du document

The new Constitution has raised several debates across EU Member States. On the one hand, concerning institutional aspects of the Constitution, smallest countries feared that amendments support big countries such as France, Germany or United Kingdom. On the other hand, other countries feared that too much power be handed to Europe, especially UK about the Charter of Fundamental Rights. But it is undeniable that Europe needed a new Constitution especially with the recent enlargement. Institutions had to be reformed such as the European Commission or the Parliament. Institutions needed to be reformed, procedures had to be simplified, so we can say that the Convention worked in that way and this perhaps a step forward a more democratic Europe
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Extraits

[...] will be responsible for security and defence policy and will replace both the Commissioner for External Affairs Chris Patten and EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security policy Javier Solana. So, the post will be more prominent, especially in negotiating trade and aid agreements. He will be also one of the vice-presidents of the Commission but he will be answerable to the Council of Ministers. What is important is the fact that he will be especially representative on foreign policy. [...]

[...] http://www.ladocfrancaise.gouv.fr/dossier_actualite/constitution_europeenn e/index.shtml .Europa : salle de presse. http://europa.eu.int/comm/press_room/presspacks/constit/index_fr.htm EU business : Key sticking points over EU constitution http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/031213184630.cipzed4f/view?searchterm=main%2 0points%20of%20draft Elections2004 : Le nouveau visage des acteurs européens. http://www.elections2004.eu.int/highlights/fr/203.html Gmb.org.uk : GMB special briefing. http://www.gmb.org.uk/shared_asp_files/uploadedfiles/%7BFF4B65D8-19BD- 467D-B06E-001A8CE7FE56%7D_Summary%20- %20Charter%20of%20Fundamental%20Rights.pdf Pluralism.org : international news http://www.pluralism.org/news/intl/index.php?xref=Christian+References+in+ EU+Constitution&sort=DESC Euractiv.com: EU security and defence policy. http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-117486-16&type=LinksDossier Cer.org.uk: Who's afraid of the Charter of Rights? By Monica Roma http://www.cer.org.uk/articles/36_roma.html BBC news: EU constitution. 19/06/04. [...]

[...] A compromise was made and they will be represented until 2014. Besides, the composition of the Commission would be likely to weaken the institution work if commissioners couldn't have the right to vote. According to the Commission, by separating voting commissioners and others in an outer circle, result would be a loss of legitimacy and reduced effectiveness for the EU as a whole” (Europa). So, the new version of the Commission could penalize large countries which were used to have two commissioners. [...]

[...] A defence policy will not be imposed on member states. All countries will have a right of veto and could go its own way. Several governments, especially the British, are insisting on retaining a national veto over issues pertaining to foreign policy and defence. However, the aim is to agree as much as possible to avoid divisions such as Iraq ones for example. Besides, if a EU Member State is attacked, the mutual defence clause obliges others EU nations to help the country military. [...]

[...] There is also a possibility that it will not be ratified by one or more of the 25 states. In this essay, I will firstly explain and analyse the principal amendments of the EU Constitution which especially concern institutional and political aspects of the EU. After having explained how the new Constitution deals with values shared across Europe with the incorporation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the Union, I will analyse what the Constitution says about foreign and defence policy. [...]