...Is it spys or lies?

1. The Union's aim is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples.

2. The Union shall offer its citizens an area of freedom, security and justice without internal frontiers, in which the free movement of persons is ensured in conjunction with appropriate measures with respect to external border controls, asylum, immigration and the prevention and combating of crime.

3. The Union shall establish an internal market. It shall work for the sustainable development of Europe based on balanced economic growth and price stability, a highly competitive social market economy, aiming at full employment and social progress, and a high level of protection and improvement of the quality of the environment. It shall promote scientific and technological advance.

It shall combat social exclusion and discrimination, and shall promote social justice and protection, equality between women and men, solidarity between generations and protection of the rights of the child.

It shall promote economic, social and territorial cohesion, and solidarity among Member States.

It shall respect its rich cultural and linguistic diversity, and shall ensure that Europe's cultural heritage is safeguarded and enhanced.

4. The Union shall establish an economic and monetary union whose currency is the euro.

5. In its relations with the wider world, the Union shall uphold and promote its values and interests and contribute to the protection of its citizens. It shall contribute to peace, security, the sustainable development of the Earth, solidarity and mutual respect among peoples, free and fair trade, eradication of poverty and the protection of human rights, in particular the rights of the child, as well as to the strict observance and the development of international law, including respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter.

6. The Union shall pursue its objectives by appropriate means commensurate with the competences which are conferred upon it in the Treaties.

Background

   The EU should uphold and promote the values which are set out in Article 2 in its relations with non-EU countries.
   The EU's objectives in its external relations are: peace, solidarity, sustainable development, mutual respect among peoples, free and fair trade, poverty eradication, the protection of human rights, particularly the rights of the child, observance and development of international law, inlcuding the UN charter.

Comments

   The first Millennium Development Goal (MDG 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger) is clearly reflected in paragraph 5.
   The objectives which are set out in paragraph 5 apply to 'the EU's relations with the wider world.' This implies that they are not limited to the EU's external policies (e.g. common foreign and security policy (CFSP), development cooperation and humanitarian aid), but that they also apply to the external aspects of the EU's internal policies (e.g. agriculture and environment).
   The clear commitment to observing and developing international law and respect for the principles of the UN Charter positions the EU as a positive force for multilateralism.
   Equality between men and women is set out as an internal objective in paragraph 3. It is not, however, included in the EU's external objectives . This omission creates ambiguity, especially since the protection of the rights of the child is considered as both an internal and external objective.

Replaces

   Draws on Article 2 TEU and Articles 2 and 3 TEC