June 13

The Council adopts a Framework Decision on the “European Arrest Warrant and the Surrender Procedures Between Member States”. With this Framework Decision, the EU came one step closer to one of its main objectives, namely the creation of an area of freedom, security and justice. On the same day, the Council also adopted a Framework Decision on combating terrorism.

The European Convention approves a Draft Treaty (similarly on July 10th), for the creation of a European Constitution. It was submitted to the President at the European Council in Rome on July 18, 2003.

On June 13 and 14, 2003, a referendum was held on the accession of the Czech Republic to the EU. On the second day of voting, polling stations remained open until 14:00. Afterwards, the ballot boxes were sealed and locked before being transferred for counting. The official results reported that the overall turnout was estimated at 55% of the population and that 77.33% voted “Yes”.

The European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission issue a joint declaration outlining their working methods to ensure that the co-decision procedure is exercised to its full potential as defined in the Treaty establishing the European Community.

A protocol concerning the concerns of the Irish people regarding the Treaty of Lisbon is attached to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as already set in motion by the European Council of 18 and 19 June 2009. The concerns that Irish citizens had regarding the Treaty of Lisbon were related to issues such as fiscal, family, social and moral policy, as well as security and defense matters, which resulted in their rejection of the Treaty in the referendum of 12 June 2008. For this reason, the Irish Government requested certain guarantees which resulted in the introduction of the aforementioned protocol.