Europe on the move Treaty of Amsterdam: what has changed in Europe Europ.!an COmm ll>lOn This booklet is published in all the official EU languages of the European Union Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spani sh and Swedish. A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet It can be accessed through the Europa server (http!/europa.eu.int). Manuscript completed in June 1999 Cover © Nutan Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1999 ISBN 92·828·7400·1 © European Communities, 1999 Reproduction is authorised. Printed in Belgium Pili TE D ON WHITE CHlORIN H RH PAPER Treaty of Amsterdam: what has changed in Europe Contents The European Union and its citizens 9 Citizens' rights 9 Responding to citizens' concerns 10 Employment and social affairs 11 Security, freed om and justice 12 The environment, health and consumers' rights 13 People's values and aspirations 14 Citizens' political influence 16 The identity of the Union on the international stage 17 The common foreign and security policy 17 Decisio n-making procedures 18 Structures 19 Defe nce 19 The common commercial policy 20 The EU institutions 21 The European Parliament 21 National parliaments 22 The Council 23 The European Commission 24 The Court of Justice 24 The Court of Auditors 25 The Economic and Social Committee 25 The Committee of the Regions 26 Decision-making procedures 26 'Committee procedures' 27 Closer cooperation 27 What next? 28 Signing of the Treaty ofAmsterdam, 2 October 7997. On 1 May 1999 the Treaty of Amster­ efficiency and democracy, and the dam came into force and the Euro­ EU's place in international affairs. pean Union has emerged somewhat altered. It now has new responsibil­ The Maastricht Treaty had created ities, its citizens have a greater say in European citizenship, introducing a its affairs, and its institutions are set of rights and obligations for citi ­ more democratic. In the past, Euro­ zens of the Member States. But it did pean integration had mainly centred not offer much real substance. Public on economic goals, but now the reaction when the Treaty came to be emphasis has shifted to the EU's poli­ ratified, especially in countries where tical responsibilities at home and on a referendum had to be held, clearly the wider international stage. showed that people would not go along with any further moves towards The origins of the new Treaty go back closer European integration unless to June 1994, when EU leaders sum­ more account was taken of their moned together a special Reflection concerns, hopes and criticisms. Group to consider future reforms. Eventually, after an intergovernmen­ Maastricht had also taken the earlier tal conference lasting over a year, the reforms of 1986 a step further, improv­ Treaty of Amsterdam was finalised on ing the way the Community institu­ the night of 17 to 18 June 1997 and tions worked and strengthening the signed on 2 October later that year. European Parliament's powers, both Why a new Treaty, so soon after two in law making and as a watchdog. other major reforms of the EU's But it still did not go far enough, powers and institutions in 1986 especially now that the EU faced two (Single European Act) and 1992 new challenges: the introduction of (Maastricht Treaty)? The fact is that a the euro, with close economic policy number of issues had still been left coordination; and the prospect of unresolved-issues such as citizens' enlargement to embrace almost the rights and influence, institutional entire continent. \ ___' 1_reaty of Amst erdam : wh at ha .. (h ang ed I II Eu rope Lastly, the cold war was over and the world no longer divided into two Maastricht in brief opposing camps. Europe had to rethink its approach to international The Maastricht Treaty amended affairs in a rapidly changing world. the original treaties setting up the The Maastricht Treaty had set about European Communities, dating defining new structures and proce­ back to the 1950s. It brought to­ dures, but there was still room for fur­ gether in a single text (the Treaty ther reform in foreign policy and on European Union) all the exis­ defence. ting Treaty provisions, plus two major new sections covering foreign policy coordination and cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs. These are the three 'pillars' on which the Union is built, each with its own rules and procedures, but all coming under a single 'roof. The Treaty of Amster­ dam retained the same overall architecture. Treaty on European Union Common provisions and final provisions Common foreign Justice European and and Communities security policy home affairs (European Community, European Coal and Steel Community, European Atomic Energy Community) The three 'pillars' of the European Union Like Maastricht, the Treaty of Amster­ vants - generally met once a week dam amends the EU's founding trea­ throughout the conference. ties (as revised by Maastricht). Once the initial preparations were complet­ • The foreign ministers themselves ed, the Member States had to follow met as a rule once a month. the formal amendment procedure required by Community law. • The government leaders (Heads of State or Government) met on several As the timetable shows, the negotia­ occasions to settle key sticking points. tions were long and complex. Around the table were representatives of the The negotiations were much more 15 Member States and the European open to public scrutiny than at the Commission, with obseNers from Par­ time of Maastricht Lobby groups, liament often also present. The nego­ trade unions, and non-governmental tiations went ahead on three levels. organisations followed their progress, submitted proposals and ideas, and • Foreign ministers' personal repre­ even held public demonstrations . sentatives - ministers or top civil ser­ - '\ 1rea t)' of Amsterda m what IJilS c·l ange d in Eu rope / ./ Reflecting the 'three-pillar' structure, Amsterdam: this description of the Treaty of Amsterdam is divided into three main timetable sections: • the European Union and its citi­ • June 1994: zens; the European Council in Corfu calls together a Reflection • the identity of the Union on the Group comprising 15 representatives of the Member international stage; States' foreign ministers, one Commission representative, and two observers from Parliament. • the EU institutions. • June 1995: first meeting of the group. • December 1995: report submitted to the European Council in Madrid. • January 1996: decision to convene an intergovernmental conference. • February to March 1996: Commission and Parliament deliver their opinions. • March 1996 EU Heads of State or Government open the conference in Turin. • June 1997: closing session of the conference with EU leaders in Amsterdam. • October 1997: signature of the Treaty of Amsterdam. • November 1997: Parliament resolution on the Treaty. • 1998-99: ratification by the 15 Member States. • May 1999: the Treaty enters into force . The European Union and its citizens Citizens'rights The new Treaty concentrates on three main areas. The first European treaties gave citi­ zens a range of individual rights • The EU's obligation to obseNe fun­ based essentially on freedom of damental rights, in particular those movement between the Member enshrined in the European Conven­ States. The Trea ty of Maastricht tion for the Protection of Human added the right to vote and stand as Rights and Fundamental Freedom s a candidate in European and local adopted by the Council of Europe i~ elections. The Treaty of Amsterdam, 1950. Any Member State guilty of on the other hand, focuses on funda­ serious and systematic infringements mental rights - rights underlying the will be liable to penalties, going as Member States' constitutions ­ far as having its right to vote in the which affect everyone. The result is a Council suspended. Equally, respect fairly extensive system of individual for fundamental rights is a precondi­ righ ts. tion for applicant countries to join the EU . To combat discrimination based on sex, race or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. \ __,_Tr c .a ty 01 Arn s Crd41 rn . Whill ha s cha nged I n Elrru pe • The EU's right to act against any Responding to citizens' kind of discrimination based on sex, race or ethnic origin, religion or concerns beliefs, disability, age or sexual orien­ tation. The Treaty of Amsterdam does not confine itself to dealing with citizens' • The EU's obligation to promote rights in the abstract. It also responds equa l opportunities for men and to people's practical concerns where women in all its policies, above and their rights are under threat and cor­ beyond the existing treaty rules on rective action is needed. The new EU equality in the sphere of social affairs rules can be grouped under four head­ and employment. In employment, the ings: new Treaty opens the door to 'positive discrimination' if one of the sexes is • employment and social affairs; clearly disadvantaged . • security, freedom and justice; In addition, the Treaty recognises the • the environment, health and right to privacy where personal data consumers' rights; held by the institutions are con­ people's values and aspirations. cerned . This is a right that is beco­ ming increasingly important with advances in information technology. The result is a rich and open structure that will allow and encourage the fur­ ther extension and protection of citi­ zens' rights. It represents an initial response to the wish voiced by some Member States and many individuals for the EU to have its own system of fundamental rights, complementing the rules already established by the European Court of Justice. Two out­ standing questions remain.