EU reduces the powers of individual states as it veers towards federalism

Your letter writer misses my central point which is that the EU is not static.

It is on a declared path towards federalism in which individual member states will have powers analogous to the states of the USA, (Oregon for example).

This can be confirmed by reading the works of its founders.

It is true that the Lisbon Treaty makes no specific mention of 2020. Perhaps I should have said next year and beyond.

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It is a complex instrument and has to be read in conjunction with the previous treaties to which it adds and amends.

What it has done is to provide the EU with a full legal persona.

Therefore the EU has the ability to sign international treaties and make agreements in its own name.

Member states may only sign agreements that are fully compatible with the EU effectively reducing their powers to domestic matters.

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An exception exists in the Common Foreign and Security Policy, (CFSP), but this may change as the EU builds its own military capability.

The treaty also provides for a “high official” to take charge of its foreign policies. This has enabled an EU diplomatic service and there are already EU embassies and ambassadors in a number of countries thereby diminishing or eliminating the powers and influence of our UK diplomatic services.

The treaty further reduces the sovereign powers of individual states by removing the veto and moving to majority voting in numerous situations.

The European Court of Justice is the supreme legal authority above all national legal systems.

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The treaty extended its powers to all activities of the EU with the exception of the CFSP and provided for individual access.

It functions on an entirely different set of legal principles to that of English law.

The UK has already lost control of its fishing grounds under the Common Fisheries Policy.

The exploration and exploitation of our oil and gas rights comes under Directive 94/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Arthur Kay,

Little London

Heathfield

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