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PAGE EUROPEAN REVIEW
We have another stab at explaining things European in
In our last issue we found that the Maastricht social contract was absorbed into this, what else did it do?
As well as incorporating the social contract, Amsterdam revised several other clauses of the Maastricht 'Treaty of European Union' and the other EU treaties.
Which ones did it change ?
Let's start with foreign affairs and security. Because the EU is supposed to be moving towards a common policy in these areas a mechanism was set up to agree policy 'where Member States share important interests'.
How about Human Rights ?
The treaty did include a charter of human rights which has since been updated twice but more relevant was the provision (article 13) for the EU to legislate against discrimination on grounds of race, origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability. This has now been followed up with new laws.
Wasn't Britain keen on something called subsidiarity?
Yes, the U.K. backed the adoption of rules confining EU action to topics that can not be dealt with by national governments and designed to simplify and justify EU legislation.
What did the treaty say about the European Parliament?
Its powers were generally beefed up with the aim of making the EU more democratic. The co-decision process was extended to wider areas of policy as was parliament's ability to reject proposals from the Council of Ministers.
What was the most important change?
In the future it could be that the most important will prove to be the ability for Member States to progress towards unity at different rates, the so-called 'two speed Europe'. In principle this allows the majority to agree on further measures while a minority are left out whilst retaining their EU membership, rights and obligations.
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