Lisbon Treaty — Parliamentary approval required for the creation of a European Public Prosecutor — rejected — 9 Jun 2008 at 20:58
The majority Not-Contents rejected an amendment[1] to the European Union (Amendment) Bill. The amendment would have required parliamentary approval to be given before the government could agree to the creation of a European Public Prosecutor.
In the debate Lord Hunt of Wirral explains that:[2]
- 'Many of us have from time to time been troubled by the idea of the public prosecutor. These provisions are therefore worrying and their implementation will always be controversial. I very much hope that I shall be able to persuade the Minister that she ought to give an undertaking to this House that a measure such as this will never be implemented without the profound and meaningful involvement of Parliament.'
However, Baroness Ashton of Upholland argued that sufficient safeguards were already in place:[3]
- 'We have secured legally watertight safeguards in the treaty against any move towards a European public prosecutor or subsequently, and just as important, towards extending that prosecutor's role. It is what we would call a double lock. We do not see any need to do anything different from what we have already achieved.'
The European Union (Amendment) Bill implements the Lisbon Treaty into UK law. The main aims of the Lisbon Treaty were to[4]:
- Streamline EU institutions
- Establish a permanent President of the European Council (as of 16 March 2010 held by Herman Van Rompuy)
- Establish the post of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (as of 16 March 2010 held by Catherine Ashton)
- Give new powers to the EU over justice and home affairs
- Remove the national veto in some areas such as energy security and emergency aid
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- [1] Lord Hunt of Wirral, House of Lords, 9 June 2008
- [2] Lord Hunt of Wirral, House of Lords, 9 June 2008
- [3] Baroness Ashton of Upholland, House of Lords, 9 June 2008
- [4] BBC News Q&A: The Lisbon Treaty, 5 February 2010
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