Oppose the EU Treaty

by Chris Mon Feb 04, 2008 18:06

We are not getting a referendum on the EU Reform Treaty in the UK, as the Labour Government have broken their election promise to give a referendum because they know full well it would not pass in the UK. Likewise a referendum is not being offered in France or The Netherlands for the same reason.

It seems Ireland is the only country that will have a referendum on the EU Reform Treaty, if this treaty passes, it will be the start of the end of democracy in Europe and the beginning of a Fascist European Super State. All genuine pro-Europeans should oppose this treaty, our politicians are deliberately lying to us about its implications.

If the Irish vote against this treaty, then the treaty is ditched. Is there a pro-democracy/ anti EU treaty organisation in Ireland that other European outside Ireland can support or donate money to? I would happily fly over to Ireland for a week to help campaign against this treaty, as I really don't want to live in a European Fascist Super State.

The decision to keep or abolish democracy in Europe is in the hands of the people of Ireland.

by MichaelY - iawm - per cap Mon Nov 19, 2007 16:22

New treaty - same content

The EU Constitution – rejected by referendum in France and the Netherlands – has been resurrected as a 'Reform' treaty. The substance of the 'reforms' are exactly the same as the Constitution, but are formulated as amendments to the 1958 Treaty of Rome (TEC) and 1992 Maastricht Treaty (TEU) with its later amendments (Amsterdam and Nice). There will be a referendum here to ratify the 'reform' treaty next May or June. While the language and references to flags and emblems have been changed, the legal obligations of the renamed Constitution remain the same.

The most far reaching treaty - ever
The new treaty will transfer 105 new competencies (law-making powers) from member states to the EU and establish 68 new areas for majority voting - where the member state's vetos will be abolished. It is the most far reaching treaty we ever had. In addition the new treaty allows for further decision-making to be done by qualified majority voting. The new Article 33 TEU can be used to go from unanimity to qualified majority votes without asking the peoples of Europe.

Why does this matter? It effects us all because around 80% of our domestic laws are influenced by EU laws and decisions. The Constitution would give greater influence to the unelected European Commission since this is the institution which draws up and implements EU policies. While the Council of Ministers (and in some instances the European Parliament) must give final approval, they cannot initiate EU laws. Increased competencies and the removal of powers of veto enhance the ability of the Commission to impose more neoliberal and militarist policies on the peoples of Europe.

Privatisation – health and education
The renamed Constitution would further advance the EU's commitment to an 'open market' economy throughout Europe and the 'removal to barriers to trade' – both in Europe and internationally. This commitment applies also to trade in public services – including health, education, water & sanitation, public transport, etc. It amounts to Thatcher-Harneyism at a European level.

The EU trade commissioner, Peter Mandelson, negotiates the EU trade agreements on services in the GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services). These agreements are secret until finalised – we are not told in advance what public service our government will open to private competition. The Constitution and the GATS require governments to 'liberalise trade in services': to allow private companies to provide public services - which leads to a creeping privatisation and two-tier services. This also applies to international trade, where the EU is working to ensure private companies get increasing access to the public services of developing countries – especially water supplies.

The more trade deals are decided by majority voting in the Council of Ministers, the less the possibility of a member state blocking a deal that would undermine its own services. Present or future governments would be unable to veto decisions to liberalise trade in health or education unless they could show that such trade would 'risk seriously disturbing the national organisation of such services...'. It is the European Court of Justice that would decide what this means, not service users.

Neoliberal European Central Bank
The ‘Reform’ Constitution commits the unaccountable European Central Bank (ECB) to maintain price stability and control inflation – not reduce unemployment and poverty, East-West inequality or child poverty. Governments would be punished for too much public spending; but leaving children go hungry and sick has no sanction. Future governments elected on a commitment to social priorities would immediately come into conflict with the Thatcherite economic policy of the ECB.

Militarisation
The ‘Reform’ Constitution would increase the militarisation of the EU: all states would have to increase military spending. The Constitution commits the EU to work with NATO and in doing so would tie Europe to the foreign policy of the USA, which dominates NATO and is prepared to use first-strike nuclear weapons. Within this framework a new EU foreign minister would represent the countries of Europe. Prior commitment to US-dominated NATO would place EU institutions on the side of US war mongering, against the wishes of the peoples of Europe. So what remains of Irish independence and neutrality would be further undermined.

The Constitution gives some new powers of veto to the European Parliament, but takes away powers from member states. It legally establishes the EU as superior to the member states and able to act autonomously of them. It also allows further amendments without referendums. So democracy and accountability are increasingly undermined.

Charter of Fundamental Rights – a figleaf
Supporters of the renamed Constitution claim that the Charter of Fundamental Rights would ensure the values of 'social Europe' are defended. But the Charter itself states that it is secondary to national laws and practices – for example the right to strike or take solidarity action. It is the European Court of Justice (ECJ) which will decide how the Charter should be acted upon. Quite apart from the fact that the ECJ would decide on many aspects of domestic policy, the Court has declared that 'fundamental' rights can be restricted in the context of the 'common organisation of the market'.

The Charter allows for limitations on its own provisions, provided the limitations are in line with the 'objectives' of the EU, central to which are the 'open market' with 'undistorted competition' - according to the Constitution. And while the Charter says that all EU citizens should have equal access to social services, this only applies to existing services and does not imply such services should be created where they do not exist. There are no sanctions against unequal access – as in Susie Long's case.

In reality the Charter of Fundamental Rights is what the EU says its lawmakers should aspire to. There is no provision to enact it – as with the policies for ECB, for trade, or indeed for increasing military spending. Its vagueness stands in contradiction to the detailed economic framework of the Constitution. It is a figleaf for an aggressive neoliberalism that creates inequality, poverty and conflict in Europe and internationally.

The campaign for a 'yes' in the coming referendum has already begun, with the government and most of the opposition trumpeting the merits of this renamed Constitution. The Campaign Against the EU Constitution argues that ‘Reform’ Constitution would take Europe in the direction of greater social inequality and increased militarisation. This is the wrong direction and it is what the people of France and the Netherlands voted against. We call for referendums on the ‘Reform’ Constitution in all of the countries of Europe: the European elites should not be allowed to undemocratically determine the political direction of the EU for generations to come. We call and will campaign for 'NO' vote in the coming referendum, as the first step towards a more equal, democratic and peaceful Europe.

Join the 'NO' campaign
The next meeting will be on
Saturday November 24 at 11.00 in the Teachers Club, Parnell Sq.
All who share our view of an inclusive, equal and peaceful Europe are welcome.

Contact the Campaign at: againsteuconst@gmail.com.

by oik Mon Nov 19, 2007 09:43

two rightist proto-catholics (Kazinski and Blair) got article 3.3 dropped, this is the convention on
rights, it is hereby attached as proto-call. The Lisbon Treaty is in actual fact a provisional archictecture
for the 2015 bi-lateral trade agreement for the US, whereby we sell our patents, enter into aggressive
trade agreements and help keep America great (through Disney land, white elitism and obesity).
The EU then does the same thing to Africa and creates Unsustainability and migration, increasing the
need for armed borders/war/and immigration policy. Thereby reducing sustainability and qualityof life,
its all presided over by various monetary funds and facile attempts at democracy, so we
think we are rich but in fact our wealth is created through war and abuse, and we get fat
destrying our environment and reducing our kids to TV led zombies. etc

The Lisbon treaty has dropped the convention on human rights.
It is a trade agreement.
it is based in corporatism and profit.
It is anti-human rights.

Look at how fat and unimaginative our politicians have become-enuf said...... (C.E.O's)

by O'Kramer Mon Nov 19, 2007 08:04

The politicians in Netherlands and France have funked on referenda again in countries where the last time out the citizens voted against the EU constitution. This time apparently 90 per cent of the rejected constitution is in the Lisbon treaty. Ireland because of the efforts at great personal expense by Citizen Raymond Crotty (R.I.P.) must hold a referendum on the treaty. We are voting in place of all those Europeans who are being deprived of a vote. We therefore need to think seriously about the direction we want the EU to go or not go. So let's do that please.

Can somebody on indymedia begin by summarising the points of the Lisbon treaty and their ramifications for Ireland and other states? Thanks.

by davekey Sun Nov 18, 2007 22:13

Sorry got the titles mixed up please contact me for interview:
davekey02 at yahoo co uk

Very important!

by Rik Sun Nov 18, 2007 16:08

The above event was censored from Irish eyes by the State Broadcaster RTE.

Expect lots more censorship and bias from Rte before the referendum.
The 'State-State-Show' and the HSE was but an example of things to come.