EU leaders agree new treaty framework

national | eu | news report

Sunday June 24, 2007 14:28

by Brendan Young - Campaign Against EU Constitution

young.brend at gmail dot com

Referendum or Dáil decision on 'reformed' EU Constitution by mid 2009

CAEUC to meet Saturday July 7 at 11.00 at the WP offices in Hill St

We are now in the run-up to either a referendum or Dáil decision on a revised version of the EU Constitution. The EU Heads of Government agreed on changes to the failed Constitution over the weekend and a full IGC will begin in July to finalise a new treaty / constitution.

The following is copied from EU Observer of yesterday:

Under the plans, member states will use the mandate agreed at the summit as the basis for negotiations on a new treaty, which is to be done and dusted by the end of the year and ratified in all member states by mid-2009, ahead of the next European elections.

At this time, the EU will get a new foreign minister - or High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy as its now less-than-snappy title goes - and a permanent president as two of the most visible innovations click into place.

The negotiating base reflects the stringent political criteria EU leaders set themselves: it needs to produce a document that feels different to the constitution that was rejected two years ago in France and the Netherlands, but keeps the substance of the original text already ratified by 18 countries. It also has to be a text that leaders can sell at home as being not worth putting to a referendum.

The result, full of compromises, opt-out opportunities and special texts for certain countries, is not going to give rise to a treaty that wins any beauty contests: easier-to-grasp names such as EU "laws" have been dropped in order to maintain the current "regulations" and "directives" seen as less symbolic of statehood; the flag, anthem, motto and name "constitution" fell by way of the same argument.

Quote ends.

Roger Cole and I are proposing that the campaign should meet on Sat July 7 to asess the new proposals and discuss what we can do over the summer and into the autumn.

All who oppose the neoliberal, anti-democratic and militarist trajectory of the EU are welcome.

Regards
Brendan