Suggestion for amendment of Article 29

Suggestions for amendments to the text of the Articles of the Treaty

AMENDMENT FORM

Suggestion for amendment of Article 29: Part I

By: Mrs Sandra Kalniete, Mr Roberts Zile, Mrs Liene Liepina, Mr Rihards Piks, Mr Arturs Krisjanis Karins, Mr Guntars Krasts.

Article 29: The Union's common foreign and security policy

1. The European Union shall undertake to conduct a common foreign and security policy, based on the progressive development of mutual political solidarity among Member States, the progressive identification of questions of general interest and the achievement of an ever-increasing degree of convergence of Member States' actions.
   
2. The common security and defence policy, which is an integral part of the common foreign and security policy, shall provide the Union with an operational capability which makes use of military and civilian means. The Union may deploy them on tasks outside the Union to preserve peace and strengthen international security in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter.
   The policy of the Union in accordance with this Article shall not prejudice the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States and shall respect the obligations of certain Member States, which see their common defence realised in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), under the North Atlantic Treaty and be compatible with the common security and defence policy established within that framework.
   
3. The European Council shall identify the Union's strategic interests and determine the objectives of its common foreign and security policy. The Council of Ministers shall frame this policy in accordance with the arrangements in Part Two of the Constitution.
   
4. The European Council and the Council of Ministers shall adopt the necessary decisions.
   
5. The common foreign and security policy shall be put into effect by the Union's Minister for Foreign Affairs and by the Member States, using national and Union resources.
   
6. Member States shall consult one another within the Council and the European Council on any foreign and security policy issue which is of general interest in order to determine a common approach. Before undertaking any action on the international scene or any commitment which could affect the Union's interests, each Member State shall consult the others within the Council or the European Council. Member States shall ensure, through the convergence of their actions, that the Union is able to assert its interests and values on the international scene. Member States shall show mutual solidarity.
   
7. The European Parliament shall be consulted on the main aspects and basic choices of the common foreign and security policy, and shall be kept informed of how it develops.
   
8. Decisions relating to the common foreign and security policy shall be adopted by the European Council and the Council of Ministers unanimously, except in the cases referred to in Part Two of the Constitution. They shall act on a proposal from a Member State or from the Union's Minister for Foreign Affairs, alone or together with the Commission.
   
9. The European Council may unanimously decide that the Council should act by a qualified majority in cases other than those referred to in Part Two of the Constitution.

Explanation (if any) :