text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Lisbon Treaty - Act of Parliament needed to modify the Lisbon Treaty - 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]. The amendment would have required an Act of Parliament to be made where the European Union (EU) wanted to move certain policy areas from being decided by unanimity to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_in_the_Council_of_the_European_Union qualified majority voting] (known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passerelle_Clause passerelle clauses]). 
  
  William Hague moved this amendment because as the Bill stood the government could call a vote on this issue with little to no parliamentary debate[2].
  
  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[3]:
  
  * 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/debate/?id=2008-03-04d.1707.1 William Hague MP], House of Commons, 4 March 2008
  * [2] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2008-03-04d.1684.0 William Hague MP], House of Commons, 4 March 2008
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  