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A Constitution for Europe
The thematic fact sheets contained in this guide set out to summarise the main changes introduced by the new Constitutional Treaty and to present it as clearly as possible. Their sole purpose is to inform members of the public.
The fact sheets are not legally binding on the European Commission. They do not claim to be exhaustive and do not represent an official interpretation of the text of the Constitution.
In each fact sheet, links to a guide on the Treaty of Nice, the propositions of the European Convention and the work of the Intergovernmental Conference 2003-2004, are suggested.
Further summaries concerning the following treaties : ECSC, CEE, Euratom, the Single Act, Maastricht and Amsterdam.
The Union's founding principles
- The Union's values and objectives
- Classification and exercise of competences
- Membership of the Union
- Legal acts
- Democratic life
The Institutions of the Union
- Institutional framework
- European Parliament
- European Council
- Council of Ministers
- Commission
- Minister for Foreign Affairs
The Union's decision-making procedures
- Legislative procedures
- Union finances and budgetary procedure
- New system of qualified majority voting
- Extension of qualified majority voting
- Principle of subsidiarity and role of national parliaments
The policies of the Union
- Internal policies and action
- Economic and monetary policy
- Justice and home affairs
- External action
- Common foreign and security policy
- Defence policy
The fact sheets are not legally binding on the European Commission. They do not claim to be exhaustive and do not represent an official interpretation of the text of the Constitution.