Foreign Minister to call on Saeima members to ratify Treaty of Lisbon

 

Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will address members of the Latvian parliament on 10 April at a Saeima plenary session that will include the review of the draft law On the Treaty of Lisbon, which amends the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community. Minister Riekstins will call on the members of the Saeima to back the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon in the nearest future.    

"As a result of the Treaty of Lisbon coming into effect, the European Union will become more efficient and more united in its foreign policy; the adoption of decisions within the Union will become more democratic, and the responsibility of the community and the member states will be defined more clearly," notes the Foreign Minister. 

Addressing the members of the Saeima, Mr Riekstins will outline the role of national parliaments in the EU in the near future and their authority as envisaged in the Treaty of Lisbon. At present, the possible involvement of national parliaments in the preparation of EU legislation is limited, since they adopt EU documents which are already nearly final. The Treaty of Lisbon will involve national parliaments in this process at the first stage. From now on, these legislative bodies, over a period of eight weeks, will have the opportunity to submit a well-reasoned opinion regarding the proposal drafted by the European Commission  . It has to be noted that the opinion of one national parliament will not be enough to reject an initiative, the support of at least one third of all the national parliaments will be necessary.  

The Foreign Minister will make known that for the first time in the history of the EU, the Treaty of Lisbon will grant legislative initiative to the citizens of the Union allowing at least one million EU citizens, representing a significant part of EU member states, to call on the European Commission to draw up the necessary legislative acts.

Adoption of the Treaty will increase the efficiency of the functioning of EU institutions, reforming the composition of the European Parliament and the European Commission and also determining a new double majority voting system. The Treaty of Lisbon will strengthen, promote, and consolidate the external operations of the EU, by establishing a new post, the High Representative for the Union in Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the European External Action Service.

The Heads of State or Government of EU member states signed the Treaty of Lisbon on 13 December 2007. The Treaty amends two basic treaties of the EU currently in force: the Treaty on the European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community. For the Treaty of Lisbon to enter into force, it has to be ratified in all EU member states according to national procedures. It is anticipated that the Treaty will come into effect on 1 January 2009. Presently, it has been ratified by six EU member states.

 

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