text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Lisbon Treaty - Parliamentary approval required for the creation of a European Public Prosecutor - rejected
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  
  The majority Not-Contents rejected an amendment[1] to the [http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2007-08/europeanunionamendment.html European Union (Amendment) Bill]. The amendment would have required parliamentary approval to be given before the government could agree to the creation of a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Public_Prosecutor 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 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Lisbon Lisbon Treaty] into UK law. The main aims of the Lisbon Treaty were to[4]:
  
  * 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 
  
  ----
  
  * [1] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?gid=2008-06-09a.453.4 Lord Hunt of Wirral], House of Lords, 9 June 2008
  * [2] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?gid=2008-06-09a.453.5 Lord Hunt of Wirral], House of Lords, 9 June 2008
  * [3] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/lords/?gid=2008-06-09a.454.1 Baroness Ashton of Upholland], House of Lords, 9 June 2008
  * [4] [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)
  