text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Lisbon Treaty - Remove foreign policy role of the President of the European Council - rejected
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The majority No voters rejected an amendment[1] to the [http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2007-08/europeanunionamendment.html European Union (Amendment) Bill] that would have removed the foreign policy role from the new President of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_council European Council], as proposed by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_lisbon Treaty of Lisbon]. The Aye-voters suggested that the Treaty of Lisbon tended to "enlarge the powers of the European Union at the expense of member states."
  
  The amendment can be seen as an attempt to limit Britain's further integration with the European Union.
  
  The European Union (Amendment) Bill implements the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Lisbon Lisbon Treaty] into UK law. The main aims of the Lisbon Treaty were to[2]:
  
  * Streamline EU institutions
  * Establish a permanent President of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Council European Council] (as of 16 March 2010 held by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Van_Rompuy Herman Van Rompuy])
  * Establish the post of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Representative_of_the_Union_for_Foreign_Affairs_and_Security_Policy 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] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2008-02-20b.431.4 Mark Francois MP], House of Commons, 20 February 2008
  * [2] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6901353.stm BBC News Q&A: The Lisbon Treaty], 5 February 2010 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  