John dalli

The world has changed. Since the end of the last world war we have seen a massive shift in the balance of political, military and economic power around the globe. Countries like Russia have subsided in importance and are coming back to reclaim their role as a major world power. China has emerged as an Asian focal point as its patient silent diplomacy is paying off in the developing and emerging countries, and its massive industrial and economic power is causing major shifts in the global economic state of play.
Especially since the collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War, the United States has assumed the dominating role of world power, dispensing favourable or rogue status to various countries as it suits its interests.

Europe transformed
Europe, born out of the ashes of a devastating war, and set to organise itself to avoid at all costs a repeat of that disastrous megalomaniac adventure, has grouped, expanded and forced a widening of its unified borders as it is realised that the various European countries cannot face the challenges and opportunities of today’s world alone, but that they will be better armed if they face them collectively.
Surely, Europe is not the same place it was some decades ago. Counting 27 members, the European Union had to have effective, coherent tools so it could function efficiently in the political, economic and social changes taking place, enhance the democratic process to live up to the hopes and expectations of the European public, and respond to the vast developments and constant changes in the global scenario.

Enhanced democracy
The treaty signed on13 December is a step in this direction. It amends the current EU and EC treaties, without replacing them and will provide the Union with the legal framework and tools necessary to meet future challenges and to respond to citizens’ demands.
The negotiations that have taken place over the past years, first leading to the draft constitution and then to iron out the amendments perceived to be needed to placate the public demands that have stopped the ratification of that exercise, targeted the development of a more democratic EU that can meet its citizens’ expectations for high standards of accountability, openness, transparency and participation. By changing the institutions, their practices and procedures, it is hoped that the EU will be better able to serve its core values.
In real terms, Europe will be more democratic and transparent by establishing a clearer sense of who does what at European and national level through a categorisation of competences which makes the relationship between the Member States and the European Union much clearer.
On the one hand this will be achieved by strengthening the role for the European Parliament by giving it new powers over the EU legislation, the EU budget and international agreements and by placing it on an equal footing with the Council, for the vast bulk of EU legislation.
Subsidiarity
On the other hand this added transparency will be achieved through a greater emphasis on subsidiarity through the setting up a new mechanism empowering National Parliaments to monitor that the Union only acts where results can be better attained at EU level. National parliaments are for the first time fully recognised as part of the democratic fabric of the European Union. Added to this, the European Citizens are also being empowered through the provision that one million citizens from a number of Member States will have the possibility to call on the Commission to bring forward new policy proposals.
Apart from this, the new Treaty explicitly recognises the possibility for a Member State to withdraw from the Union.

Improved efficiency
Another important target was an improvement of the efficiency of the EU throughout all its organisation and institutions. The overly bureaucratic and never ending discussions have been addressed so that the EU becomes more efficient and better able to tackle the global challenges we are facing today such as globalisation, demographic shifts, climate change, the need for sustainable energy sources and new security threats.
Efficiency is being enhanced through simplifying working methods and introducing qualified majority voting in a wider sphere of issues. An EU expanded to 27 members required this. The six month presidency practice will be abolished in favour of more practical and democratic election of a president who reflects the results of the European elections, for a term of two and a half years.

Enshrined liberties
The values of freedom, solidarity, justice and security are now better safeguarded in the treaty and the EU should be better equipped to implement cross-border initiatives to combat terrorism and tackle crime. The enshrining of the Charter of Fundamental Rights gives it provisions concerning civil, political, economic and social rights a binding legal force.
The reorganisation of EU representation in relation to its partners worldwide through the establishment of the position of a High Representative for the Union in Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, should give Europe a stronger and a clear voice and will increase the impact, coherence and visibility of the EU’s external action. It will strengthen the Union’s negotiating power as it will harness Europe’s economic, humanitarian, political and diplomatic strengths to promote European interests and values worldwide.

A constant process
This development has long been overdue. It is hoped that it will be ratified by all member states by the end of next year. It is also hoped that the process of review and change. It needs to be a constant process as we cannot stop adapting to the ever changing world we live in.