Treaty Revisions
The 2009 Lisbon Treaty created two different ways for further amendments of the European Union treaties: an ordinary revision procedure which is broadly similar to the past revision process in that it involves convening an intergovernmental conference, and a simplified revision procedure whereby Part three of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which deals with internal policy and action of the Union, could be amended by a unanimous decision of the European Council, provided there is no change to the field of competence of the EU, and subject to ratification by all member states in the usual manner.
The Treaty also provides for the Passerelle Clause which allows the European Council to unanimously decide to replace unanimous voting in the Council of Ministers with qualified majority voting (QMV) in specified areas with the previous consent of the European Parliament, and move from a special legislative procedure to the ordinary legislative procedure.
Read more about this topic: European Union Legislative Procedure
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