Treaty of Lisbon: The Start of the EU Union Process - Essay Sample

Introduction

The Treaty of Lisbon, also called the Reform Treaty, is an amendment to two treaties that form the EU (European Union). EU refers to the Union, which unites the twenty-eight Member States in Europe both economically and politically (McCormick 26). This unique Union traces its roots the ECSE (European Coal and Steel Community), which was formed in 1952. The establishment of the ECSE was the start of the complex process of a union in which would take care of the member states' interest correctively (McCormick 11). European Union aimed at reuniting the European nations after the devastating World War II and aiding in economic recovery. The goals of the European Union include the promotion of peace, offering freedom, justice, and security, development of economic growth and stability, combating social exclusion and discrimination, promotion of science and technology, and establishment of monetary Union (European Union). The Union functions under a series of treaties and agreements: The Lisbon Treaty is one of the many treaties.

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The Treaty of Lisbon is an amendment to two previous treaties one being the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the other the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union(TFEU). Both the amended treaties had been signed in 2007. This essay will explore the Lisbon Treaty In terms of how it was designed and its Impacts on EU.

The process of establishing the Lisbon Treaty started towards the end of 2001 as a constitutional project and was followed by the European convention in 2002 and 2003, which drafted the Constitutional Treaty. Lisbon Treaty was formed after the Constitutional Treaty failed to pass a referendum in 2005 (European Parliament). After the failed referendum, the European Council members met in Belgium capital, Brussels, and agreed on the need to replace the rejected Treaty. In 2007, under the Portuguese presidency, the European Council finally decided on the final reform treaty as a replacement of the rejected constitution. The Treaty was signed in 2007 in Lisbon, hence the name, and by the end of 2009, it was ratified by all member states.

The Lisbon Treaty established several changes on the mandate and the organization of the European Union, which aimed at streamlining the operation of the Union. The Treaty did not transfer more powers to the Union. However, it brought changes to the way Union would exercise its powers by enhancing citizens' participation and protection (European Parliament). The Lisbon Treaty replaced the six-month rotational position of the president to the European with a permanent position, where Members States governments are tasked with appointing the European Council President (Sieberson 551). The Lisbon Treaty further elucidated the powers of the EU and declared three competences

Exclusive competence - this competence gave the legislation power exclusively to the Union, and the Member State could only legislate what the Union has legislated,

Shared competence - this competence allows the Members to constitute and adopted legally binding agreements in case the EU does not choose them,

The supporting competence - this competence enables the European Union to choose protocols in support of the rules developed by the Member States.

According to Sieberson, the Treaty further gave the EU a full legal responsibility, meaning that the European Union can represent member states and sign international accords within the powers of the Union (450). However, giving the full legal obligation to the European Union meant the governments of the Member States could only sign transnational treaties or agreements that are within the Union's law. The Treaty further provided the clause, which provided a legal process through which a Member State can withdraw from the Union. This clause has already been put into use by the British government as they have expressed their wish to leave the Union. UK (United Kingdom), through a referendum, voted to leave the EU in 2016 (BBC). The citizens have nicknamed the process as 'Brexit.'

The Treaty of Lisbon included the need for cooperation on matters of policing and justice delivery on criminal cases into its third pillar, which is, the FSJ (Freedom, Security, and Justice) pillar. With its enforcement, the Lisbon treaty gives the European Parliament power to recommend changes to agreements just like Member State governments, European Council, or the European Commission can do (European Parliament). Before the Lisbon Treaty, signing a contract or Treaty required the convocation of a convention, which would then endorse the proposals to the Intergovernmental Conference. Thus, the Lisbon Treaty has simplified the procedures.

Conclusion

In conclusion, signing and ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by the EU Member States was a wise decision. This is because the Treaty includes shared power which meant that the Member States and citizens could participate more in the Union's decision making processes. The Treaty further improved the security within the boundaries of the member states through advocating for cooperation in criminal matters. The exiting procedures also give freedom to the Member States by offering the options if they feel the Union are not serving their interests well. Thus, the Lisbon Treaty was a great treaty as it encourages economic and political growth of the European Union.

Works Cited

BBC. "Brexit: All you need to know about the UK leaving the EU." BBC news. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-32810887. Accessed on 24 September 2019.

European Parliament. "The Treaty of Lisbon."http://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/5/the-treaty-of-lisbon. Accessed on 24 September 2019.

European Union. "The EU in Brief."https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/eu-in-brief_en. Accessed on 24 September 2019.

McCormick, John. Understanding the European Union: a concise introduction. Palgrave, 2017.

Sieberson, Stephen C. "The Treaty of Lisbon and its impact on the European Union's democratic deficit." Colum. J. Eur. L. 14 (2007): P. 445 - 465.https://dspace2.creighton.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10504/58846/Sieberson_14ColumJEurL445.pdf;sequence=1. Accessed on 24 September 2019.