impact of the Treaty of Lisbon

The first 200 words of this essay...

Critically evaluate the impact which, if ratified, the proposed Lisbon Reform Treaty would have on the constitution of the European Union

It has been suggested that the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon would lead to a more "transparent, effective and democratic" Europe.1 The Treaty, which came about following a period of reflection and the failure to bring into force the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (Constitutional Treaty or CT), is set to make significant reforms to the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty Establishing the European Community - the latter of which is to be renamed the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). This paper will examine the key amendments to the TEU and the TFEU before going on to discuss whether these amendments will serve to aid and increase the transparency, efficiency and democracy and, in turn, aid the integration process of the European Union. The changes that are to be investigated lie predominantly in the areas of constitutional and institutional reform, and will focus on such matters as the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality in the legislative procedure; the "intergovernmental vs. supranational" debate; and the proposed use of qualified majority