Editing Maastricht Treaty (section)

==Overview==
Having "resolved to continue the process of creating an ever closer union among the people of Europe", the Treaty proposes "further steps to be taken in order to advance European integration"<ref name="TEU pp.3–4">TEU pp.3–4</ref> under seven titles.

Title I, Common Provisions, establishes the European Union (EU) on the foundation of the three, already partially merged, European Communities: the [[European Economic Community]] (EEC), the [[European Coal and Steel Community]] (ECSC) and the [[Euratom|European Atomic Energy Community]] (Euratom). It confirms among its objectives are "the introduction of a citizenship of the Union" common to the nationals of the Member States; "economic and monetary union, ultimately including a single currency"; and "a common foreign and security policy including the eventual framing of a common defence".<ref name="TEU pp.3–4"/>

Title II, Provisions Amending the Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community, reformulates the EEC as the central "pillar" of the Union. It amends the EEC's [[Treaty of Rome]] constitution, renaming it the [[European Economic Community|European Community]] to reflect the Union's broader ambition. Amendments incorporate (as detailed in attached protocols) a staged progression toward monetary union including the price-stability-first criteria for adoption of the single currency and for the operations of the prospective European Central Bank (ECB).

Other amendments create the office of [[European Ombudsman]], expand the [[European Structural and Investment Funds|Structural Fund]] assistance to the poorer EU regions; and broaden Community competencies in education, culture, public health, consumer protection, trans-European networks, industry and the environment.

In these and other areas which do not fall within Community's "exclusive competence", in accordance with "the principle of [[Subsidiarity (European Union)|subsidiarity]]" action is to be taken only if, "by reason of the scale or effects", the objectives cannot be more "efficiently" achieved by the Member States themselves.<ref>TEU pp. 13–14</ref>

In several of these areas, the Treaty seeks to enhance the "democratic functioning" of the institutions by conceding the directly elected [[European Parliament]] rights not only of consultation but also of co-decision on some categories of European legislation. It also grants the Parliament the power to confirm (and therefore to veto) the Council's nominations for the [[European Commission]], the Community's executive.

Titles III and IV amend the treaties establishing the ECSC and Euratom to complete their absorption into the structure of European Community.

Title V and VI extend existing intergovernmental consultations on foreign-policy, security and defence matters, and on "cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs". In both cases, Member States are to "inform and consult one another within the [[Council of the European Union|Council [of Ministers]]]",<ref>TEU pp. 124, 134</ref> but otherwise cooperate independently of Community institutions.

Title VII, Final Provisions, covers a number of anomalous issues. Provided that all Member States ratify, it rules that the Treaty should come into force on 1 January 1993.

Articles within the Treaty were referred to by using the letters A to S.<ref name="TEU" />

Annexed to the Treaty is a Protocol, and an Agreement, on Social Policy. With a view to ensuring that the dynamic of the [[European single market]] respect certain minimum social and employment protections, these allow the Council of Ministers to approve relevant proposals from the European Commission on the basis of a qualified majority rather than unanimous consent.

The United Kingdom was not a party of the Agreement on Social Policy and secured an "opt out" from the protocol.<ref>Lourie, Julia (2004), "Employment Law and the Social Chapter", in ''Britain and the European Union'', Philip Giddings and Alan Drewry eds., Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 121–144. ISBN  978-0-230-52315-9</ref> It was to do the same with respect to the ''obligation'' to enter the final, single-currency, stage of monetary union (the UK would not have to give up the [[Pound sterling]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=United Kingdom: EMU opt-out clause. EUR-Lex – l25060 – EN – EUR-Lex |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/united-kingdom-emu-opt-out-clause.html |access-date=11 June 2023 |website=eur-lex.europa.eu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=7 May 2015 |title=Europe 'à la carte': The whats and whys behind UK opt-outs |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/linksdossier/europe-a-la-carte-the-whats-and-whys-behind-uk-opt-outs/ |access-date=11 June 2023 |website=www.euractiv.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>