EU law lecture two notes, Lecture notes of European Union law

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3/8/25, 1:38 AM about:blank EU law lecture two (1 Abolition of the pillar structure. (Single legal framework. Single ‘European Union’ with legal personality (European Community no longer exists). 1 Though with special procedures in relation to Common Foreign and Security Policy. (1 New competences- e.g. energy, intellectual property, space, humanitarian aid, sport, civil protection and climate change. a Citizens angry because it seemed similar to constitutional treaty however, Lisbon treaty tried to change things to help people. (1 Central focus= institutional reform (similar to the constitutional treaty). E.g. Formal recognition of the European Council (formal institution of the EU). Establishment of the President of the European Council. They are appointed to act as a figure head of the European Council but not the represent the individual state. Introduction of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Extension of qualified majority voting for the adoption of EU legislation. Greater powers for the European Parliament. Greater involvement of national parliaments. Alterations to size and shape of the European Commission and the European Parliament, BUT: Loss of some of the more federal aspects of the Constitutional treaty e.g: ‘Loss of mention of the flag, anthem, motto and holiday in the Treaty text. “Primacy clause’ moved to a Declaration. Union legislative instruments ‘(re)re-labelled’ regulations, directives ete. “EU Foreign Minister’ which seemed too much like a nation state, becomes ‘High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy’. Union Charter of Fundamental Rights removed from main Treaty text as a bill of human rights (though given equal legal force as the treaties in Art. 6 TEU). Also: Increase in differentiated participation. Ireland & UK removed themselves from some legislation that they disliked. However, the treaty tried to bring Europe closer to its citizens e.g. Statement that the functioning of the union is founded on a representative democracy (Art.10 TEU)- EU citizens are directly represented in the European parliament and indirectly represented in the council of ministers as it is made up of members of member state governments, voted in, In all its activities, the union shall respect the principle of equality between its citizens (Art.9 TEU). Introduction of the European citizens” initiative (Art.11(4) TEU). If one million citizens from a significant number of member states signed a petition, they can invite European commissions to make a legislative proposal. Charter of Fundamental Rights the same legal force as the Treaties (Art.6(1) TEU). 15