Simplified revision procedures - Main contents

The simplified revision procedure can only be used for revising all or part of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, relating to the internal policies and acitions of the Union. The European Union is not allowed to use this procedure to optain any new power. For changes in other parts of the treaties, the ordinary revision procedure is used.

In short the simplified procedure, proceeds as follows: the European Council must unanimously decide to amend part of the Treaty. Next, all Member States must seperately approve of the proposed amendment(s).

Step 1: Initiative

The Government of any Member State, the European Parliament or the Commission may submit to the European Council a proposal to revise the European Treaty.

Step 2: treatment of the proposal

After consulting the European Parliament and the Commission, the European Council may take a unanimous decision to adopt the treaty reform proposal. The European Central Bank wil also be consulted if the proposed amendments involve changes to monetary policy.

Step 3: aprooval member states

Each member state must ratify the treaty serperately.

Special simplified revision procedure

This variant of the simplified revision procedure provides for the Council to act by a qualified majority in stead of acting by unanimity. This procedures is used to alter decision-making through a special legislative pdocedure into decision-making in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure.

The special simplified revision procedure may also be used in de area of common foreign and security policy, excluding decisions in the area of defence.

In this variant of the simplified revision procedure the European Council adopts the proposal unanimously. The European Council may only make a decision on the proposal if the national parliament have made no objections within a specified time-period. Another differnce in this variant of the simplified revision procedure is that the European Parliament must grant its approval.

For some specific policy areas, a move from a special legislative procedure to the ordinary legislative procedure requires the passarelle legislative procedure. namely.

The simplified revision procedure is based on the Treaty on European Union.

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  procedure and application: TEU title VI art. 48 i part 1, 6-7