House Committee approves EU Lisbon Treaty

The EU's Lisbon Treaty was discussed and approved by the Foreign and European Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives this evening after a debate lasting 70 minutes.

The treaty was signed by EU leaders in December, replacing the ill-fated Constitution.

During the debate, Foreign Minister Michael Frendo gave an overview of the treaty, saying it was aimed at enabling the EU's institutions to work more effectively and efficiently. The treaty, he said, amended the Nice Treaty and gave a greater say to the people and national Parliaments in EU decision-making.

A direct benefit for Malta was that it would be allocated a sixth seat in the European Parliament.

Opposition EU spokesman George Vella agreed that the new treaty would give a greater say to the people, making the EU more democratic. He observed that the treaty would even allow a member state to leave the EU, but he stressed that it was not the intention of the Labour Party to take Malta out of the EU.

Dr Frendo and Dr Vella agreed that the new treaty removed from the proposed Constitution any measures which would have steered the EU towards federalism.

Dr Vella welcomed the fact that as a result of this treaty, much of the work done on the Constitution had not been lost. He praised German Chancellor Angela Merkel for having convinced all EU leaders to agree to it.

The ratification of the Treaty will now be discussed in a plenary sitting of the House of Representatives in the coming days.