sentences:  Introduced in the Treaty of Amsterdam, Article 7 outlines that if a member persistently breaches the EU's founding principles (liberty, democracy, human rights and so forth, outlined in ) then the European Council can vote to suspend any rights of membership, such as voting and representation.Identifying the breach requires unanimity (excluding the state concerned), but sanctions require only a qualified majority.The state in question would still be bound by the obligations treaties and the Council acting by majority may alter or lift such sanctions.