RENEGOTIATION OF EU TREATIES IS A NON-STARTER !

The French National Front wants to pull France out of the euro and take back control of the country's currency and monetary policy; to renegotiate EU treaties to give states greater sovereignty and control of their national borders and wants to cut EU contributions;  get rid of EU free trade and competition rules and impose trade barriers on goods from China and Eastern Europe; replace the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with a French Agricultural Policy.

Fundamental changes to the treaties of the kind proposed by the National Front would require support for a European Convention. Under EU rules, a simple majority of member states have to be in favor of calling a Convention, so at least 15 countries . That is the first hurdle and one the Front National might not manage to clear. If there is a majority in favor of a Convention, the EU would begin a long and complex legal and political process involving all member states, the European Parliament, national parliaments and the European Commission. The Convention's recommendations for treaty changes, which have to be unanimous, would then be put to what is known as an intergovernmental conference involving all member states. Any alterations or renegotiations to the treaties would require unanimity.

Article 50 of the amended Treaty on the European Union (TEU) is not the Treaty base for a renegotiation of a Member State’s terms of membership, although it could be the basis for negotiating a new relationship between a withdrawing member state and the EU after a member state has left the EU. Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union provides a mechanism for states to withdraw from the EU. It is not intended to provide a mechanism for Member States to force a renegotiation of the terms of their existing membership of the EU whilst remaining within the EU.

The French National Front should make this clear to French voters !