Article 280d
1. Member States which wish to establish enhanced cooperation between themselves in
one of the areas covered by the Treaties, with the exception of fields of exclusive competence
and the common foreign and security policy, shall address a request to the Commission,
specifying the scope and objectives of the enhanced cooperation proposed. The Commission
may submit a proposal to the Council to that effect. In the event of the Commission not
submitting a proposal, it shall inform the Member States concerned of the reasons for not
doing so.
Authorisation to proceed with the enhanced cooperation referred to in paragraph 1 shall be
granted by the Council, on a proposal from the Commission and after obtaining the consent
of the European Parliament.
2. The request of the Member States which wish to establish enhanced cooperation
between themselves within the framework of the common foreign and security policy shall be
addressed to the Council. It shall be forwarded to the High Representative of the Union for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who shall give an opinion on whether the enhanced
cooperation proposed is consistent with the Union's common foreign and security policy, and
to the Commission, which shall give its opinion in particular on whether the enhanced
cooperation proposed is consistent with other Union policies. It shall also be forwarded to the
European Parliament for information.
Authorisation to proceed with enhanced cooperation shall be granted by a decision of the
Council acting unanimously.