Reforming the EU Treaties: experts present proposals for change

In the morning, MEPs will quiz experts on “The European Treaties’ implications for economic policy-making of the Member States”.

When: Tuesday 28 February 2023, 9:10 – 10:40 CET

Where: European Parliament in Brussels, József Antall building, room 4Q1

Who:

– (Mr) Professor Gabriel FELBERMAYR, Professor at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, and Director of the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO), Austria;

– (Ms) Dr. Thu NGUYEN, Policy Fellow for EU Institutions and Democracy at the Jacques Delors Centre, Hertie School (Berlin, Germany); and

– (Mr) Dr. M. Marijn van der SLUIS, Assistant Professor in Constitutional Law at Maastricht University, The Nederlands.

Studies on QMV and “passerelle” clauses

In the afternoon, MEPs will follow presentations and engage in Q&A sessions on the following studies:

– “Passerelle clauses in the EU Treaties – Opportunities for more flexible supranational decision-making”, by Silvia KOTANIDIS, European Parliament Research Service

– “The implementation of Article 31 of the Treaty on European Union and the use of Qualified Majority Voting” by Professor Ramses A. WESSEL and Dr. Viktor SZÉP, Department of European and Economic Law, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

When: Tuesday 28 February 2023, as of 16:00 CET

Where: European Parliament in Brussels, József Antall building, room 4Q1

In light of these exchanges with experts, MEPs will then discuss the draft report by Giuliano PISAPIA (S&D, IT) on the implementation of “passerelle” clauses.

You can follow all these debates on live on Parliament’s Multimedia Centre.

Background

The Greek financial crisis and EU’s political reaction to it marked a turning point in the economic policy making of the EU. As a reaction to the pandemics, SURE and NewGenerationEU allowed for new forms of common financing. In the aftermath of the Conference on the Future of Europe which advocated for swifter EU decision-making processes and in the light of the current challenges (pandemic’s economic impact, Russia’s war against Ukraine, rising inflation etc), it is now important to assess the pertinence of the current EU “constitutional” framework and its implications for economic policy-making of the Member States.

Passerelle clauses are a mechanism for introducing Treaty change of a very specific nature. They modify the decision-making rules that affect acts of the Council, by allowing a shift from unanimity to qualified majority voting or from a special legislative procedure to the ordinary legislative procedure.