Limited treaty change ‘a possibility’
March 20, 2020 | News | No Comments
Van Rompuy says treaty change to strengthen governance of the eurozone ‘should not be taboo’.Limited treaty change ‘a possibility’
The European Council has agreed to allow the countries of the eurozone to explore “the possibility of limited treaty changes” to strengthen the governance of the eurozone.
Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, is to prepare a report on treaty changes, in collaboration with José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, and Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg’s prime minister, who chairs meetings of eurozone finance ministers.
At their summit in Brussels today, the leaders of the 27 member states of the European Union agreed to note “the intention of the heads of state or government of the euro area to reflect on further strengthening of economic convergence within the euro area, on improving fiscal discipline and deepening economic union, including exploring the possibility of limited treaty changes”.
Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, said: “On fiscal discipline, treaty changes cannot be excluded.”
Van Rompuy stressed that treaty change would be possible only if there was agreement among all 27 member states – a point that was emphasised separately by David Cameron, the UK’s prime minister.
Cameron is fighting a battle at home led by backbench members of parliament from his own party, who want a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union. There will be a vote on the issue in the British parliament tomorrow (24 October).
Cameron said treaty change would be an opportunity for the UK to “advance our national interest”.
But Van Rompuy said that limited treaty change would not mean re-opening questions of the EU’s institutional architecture addressed in the Lisbon treaty.
Fact File
From the summit conclusions, European Council of 23 October 2011
“The president of the euro summit will be designated by the heads of state or government of the euro area at the same time the European Council elects its president and for the same term of office.
“Pending the next such election, the current president of the European Council will chair the euro summit meetings. The president of the euro summit will keep the non euro area member states closely informed of the preparation and outcome of the summits.
“The European Council notes the intention of the heads of state or government of the euro area to reflect on further strengthening of economic convergence within the euro area, on improving fiscal discipline and deepening economic union, including exploring the possibility of limited treaty changes.”
Any changes would be limited to strengthening the economic governance of the eurozone, he said.
“If we need treaty change in a limited way, that should not be taboo,” he said. The aim would be too deepen economic union and strengthen fiscal discipline in the eurozone.