The are effectively its Constitutional Law , making up the EU's primary legislation.
The European Union is currently undergoing a treaty that would approve its first Constitution in its 53-year History .
European Integration is at present based on four Founding treaties:
At times there have been far-reaching reforms bringing major institutional changes and introducing new areas of responsibility for the European institutions:
- The , signed in Brussels on 8 April 1965 and in force since 1 July 1967 , provided for a Single Commission and a Single Council of the then three European Communities .
- The , signed in Luxembourg and The Hague in February 1986 , and entered into force on 1 July 1987 , provided for the adaptations required for the Achievement of the Internal Market (over which later was formed the European Economic Area ).
- The , signed on 2 October 1997 , Entered Into Force on 1 May 1999 .
- --- Its purpose was to simplify Decision Making in addition to further integrating the Common Foreign and Security Policy concept. It also added new provisions on Social Policy and Employment and integrated the Schengen Agreement .
- --- It amended and renumbered the EU and EC Treaties. The articles of the Treaty On European Union (the Maastricht Treaty), identified in that document by letters A to S, were changed into numerical form. Consolidate d versions of the EU and EC Treaties are attached to it.
- The , signed on 26 February 2001 , entered into force on 1 February 2003 .
- --- It readied the EU for further enlargement, setting a Cap on the number of MEP s (732) and the European Commission (25). The latter provision meant that larger countries which had previously nominated two commissioners would in future only have one.
- --- Qualified Majority Voting was again extended to more areas, abolishing the national right to Veto in some areas. A concept of "enhanced co-operation" was introduced for countries wishing to Forge closer links in areas where other states disagreed.
''Main article: Enlargement Of The European Union ''
The founding treaties have also been amended (in a more limited fashion) whenever new Member States acceded:
- ''', Ireland , Norway and the United Kingdom , signed in Brussels on 22 January , 1972 . (Norway failed to ratify and did not join the EU.)
- ''', signed in Athens on 28 May , 1979 .
- ''' and Portugal , signed in Madrid and Lisbon on 12 June , 1985 .
- ''', Sweden , Finland and Norway , signed in Corfu on 24 June 1994 . (Norway again failed to ratify.)
- ''' signed in Athens on 16 April 2003 ( Cyprus , Czech Republic , Estonia , Hungary , Lithuania , Latvia , Malta , Poland , Slovenia , Slovakia ).
- ''' signed in Luxembourg . Treaty not yet ratified by all Member States.
Lastly there have been two budgetary treaties:
- The (more fully the "''Treaty amending Certain Budgetary Provisions of the Treaties establishing the European Communities and of the Treaty establishing a Single Council and a Single Commission of the European Communities''"), signed in Luxembourg on 22 April 1970 , gave the European Parliament the last word on what is known as "'' Non-compulsory Expenditure ''". It came into force on 1 January 1971 .
- The (more fully the "''Treaty amending Certain Financial Provisions of the Treaty establishing the European Communities and of the Treaty establishing a Single Council and a Single Commission of the European Communities''"), signed in Brussels on 22 July 1975 , gave the European Parliament the power to reject the budget as a whole, and created the European Court Of Auditors . It came into force on 1 June 1977 .
The seeks to consolidate, simplify and replace the existing set of overlapping treaties. It was signed on 29 October 2004 and is due to come into force on 1 November 2006 , conditional on its ratification by all member states, many of which are holding a referendum on the issue.
The French, on May 29th 2005, then the Dutch on 1st June 2005 rejected the treaty therefore probably spelling the death of the constitution. If the Constitution fails to be ratified by all member states, the EU will continue to work on the basis of the current treaties as described above.
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