Jonathan Bullock EU debates Lisbon Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights

Jonathan Bullock EU debates at European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg on 18th December. Commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Lisbon Treaty and the legally binding Charter of Fundamental Right.
10th anniversary of the #LisbonTreaty
The European Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, as laid down in Article 2 TEU. In order to make sure these values are respected, Article 7 TEU provides for an EU mechanism to determine the existence of, and possibly sanction, serious and persistent breaches of EU values by a Member State, and has been activated for the first time recently. The EU is also bound by its Charter of Fundamental Rights, which sets out those rights that must be respected both by the European Union and the Member States when implementing EU law. The EU is also committed to acceding to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

The Treaty of Lisbon is an international agreement that amends the two treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union. The Treaty of Lisbon was signed by the EU member states on 13 December 2007, and entered into force on 1 December 2009.

The Lisbon treaty, which came in force in late 2009, brought new law-making powers to the European Parliament and put it on an equal footing with the Council of Ministers in deciding what the EU does and how money is spent. It also changed the way the Parliament works with other institutions and gave MEPs more influence on who runs the EU. All these reforms ensured that by casting your vote in the European elections, you get to have an even greater say on where Europe is heading.
#Bullock
#JonathanBullock EU debates Lisbon Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights


Mr President, if it hadn’t been for the Lisbon Treaty it is quite possible that we would not have Brexit now. So perhaps we should be grateful that you decided to expand your power, you started creating an EU super-state and you ignored nation-states’ democracy and voters.

Indeed, the Labour Party at the time didn’t give us a referendum on it, they probably regret that now, and Ireland of course had a referendum, got the wrong results and had to vote again.

Let’s remember what Margaret Thatcher said in her Bruges speech, that Europe shouldn’t be an institutional device to be constantly modified according to some abstract intellectual concept. But that is what it has become. That is what it has become.

However, of course, the Lisbon Treaty did contain Article 50, the means of leaving the EU, and even that was a trap, designed to frustrate an exiting nation until they reversed their decision.

But Britain has voted free of that, thanks to the pressure of Nigel Farage and Brexit party, which led to a reformed Tory party under Boris Johnson. We will be leaving the EU on 31 January. So by all means, celebrate your Lisbon Treaty, but we will be celebrating the regaining of our sovereignty, independence and democracy as a free country once again.

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