Europe
15,000 people sign petition to stop Lisbon Treaty ratification in just one day
Open Europe yesterday launched a petition on the Downing Street website calling on Gordon Brown to stop the ratification process of the Lisbon Treaty. The petition has become the fastest growing yet, with more than 15,000 people signing up in 24 hours. During this short period the petition has become the third most popular on the website.
New Open Europe briefing on Ireland
Open Europe has today released a briefing note on the Lisbon Treaty and Ireland's referendum, available here.
UK Government aims to have Lisbon Treaty ratified tomorrow morning - MEPs back rapid ratification strategy to isolate the Irish
AFP reports that the British Government will attempt to ratify the Lisbon Treaty by tomorrow morning, in order to have done so before Gordon Brown arrives at tomorrow's EU summit. The House of Lords is due to have its final say on the Lisbon Treaty bill tonight. Royal Assent could then be given for the Bill at 11:00 am (1000 GMT) Thursday, a Foreign Office spokesman said. "We will seek Royal Assent on Thursday... assuming approval by the Lords," said the spokesman.
The European Parliament yesterday backed continued ratification of the Treaty. Daniel Cohn-Bendit, co-leader of the Green Party observed that, "If we have 26 countries having ratified, then the Irish will be obliged to give answers on what they want to do... Countries could not have their cake and eat it by pocketing the benefits of Europe without Europe." Joseph Daul, leader of the European People's Party said: "I would call for all EU states to continue with ratification". Speaking of the Irish No vote, Martin Schultz, leader of the European Parliament Socialist Group complained that "Nothing that is being criticised about the treaty is in the treaty."
According to the Irish Independent, Charlie McCreevy, Ireland's EU Commissioner, said the turnout for the referendum had been very high; the people had spoken; and the treaty as planned could not go ahead. He told Irish radio, "I somehow suspect that if many other member states of the EU had to put it before their people, the result would be the same". According to EUobserver, McCreevy said: "We should remember that Ireland is not alone in being unable to secure a popular endorsement of a European Treaty. As politicians this is something we need to learn from."
He is quoted in the Irish Independent as saying: "It'd be absolutely an outrage that in an international agreement, in which it was clearly understood that everyone must ratify per their procedures, that any member state would be so bullied. That will not happen. The EU is not about that." McCreevy hinted that new arrangements or changes to the governance of the EU could be made, but it was too early to do so yet until a "listening process" took place.
French Europe Minister Jean-Pierre Jouyet has said, "The best response the French Presidency can bring to the worries which have just been expressed is to make in Europe more policy and more common policies." He said, "What's certain is that we are not going to engage in the drafting of a new treaty. No member state is asking for that."
In an interview with Le Figaro Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski says "If Dublin does not decide to organise another referendum, it will be difficult to find a solution. We are waiting for the Irish government to tell us whether this decision is definitive of not. For the moment, the ratification process must continue."
The FT reports that the Irish No vote may not be the only "complication" threatening to "delay" the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. It notes that the Czech constitutional court will deliver a verdict on the Treaty towards the end of the year, whilst President Kaczinski of Poland may also delay signing the Treaty.
A poll for Open Europe of 1,000 UK voters found that 54 per cent agreed with the statement "the Government should drop the Lisbon treaty and not try to ratify it", while 14 per cent agreed that "the Government should carry on and ratify the Lisbon treaty in the UK". It also showed support for full EU membership in Britain was just 29%. The poll received coverage in the Express, Telegraph, and Mail.
Simon Jenkins also mentions the poll in his Guardian comment piece: "A YouGov poll yesterday indicated support for full EU membership in Britain is down to 29%. The reasons are many, but the contempt shown by Europe's governing elite for the wishes of Europe's peoples is dangerous. It indicates how far a noble postwar ideal has strayed into oligarchy and contempt for democracy."
The Times has been given an advance copy of an EU Commission poll conducted after the Irish No vote. Asked to give one reason for voting "no", 40 per cent blamed the fact that they did not understand the Treaty, 20 per cent said it was to protect Irish identity, 17 per cent that they did not trust politicians, 10 per cent to keep Irish neutrality, 10 per cent to keep the country's Commissioner and 8 per cent to protect the tax system.
Bruno Waterfield of the Telegraph notes on his blog that the poll found that 75 per cent of No voters "believe the Irish Government can renegotiate exceptions". He sees this as suggestive that the EU will try and make Ireland have a second referendum.
In an article in the Financial Times Deutschland, Junker criticised the German and French leadership for hinting that ratification could go forward despite the Irish 'no' vote.
According to EUreferendum, Commissioner Margot Wallstrom admitted on her blog on Monday that the Irish no vote means the Treaty cannot be ratified - contradicting the assertions of Commission President Barroso. However, she subsequently edited the entry to change its meaning.
Lib Dem peer Shirley Williams has an article in the Guardian arguing that whilst the Irish vote should be respected, a working group should be set up to bring the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty into force. She also suggests an EU education programme for British children: "the council should invite each member to report on what steps it has taken to include education in citizenship, both national and European, in school curriculums. UK citizens know very little about how the union works or what it has done."
Le Figaro Le Figaro 2 AFP FT Reuters Times Express Mail Heathcote Amory Mail BBC BBC Mardell Telegraph AFP Irish Times EUobserver EUobserver 2 EUobserver Laming Guardian Jenkins Euractiv FT Deutschland Junker EUreferendum Irish Independent Irish Independent 2 Irish Independent 3 Irish Independent 4 Irish Independent 5 Irish Independent 6 Guardian Williams EUreferendum
Sarkozy unveils plans for EU defence;
French Defence Minister says talks with Britain on an EU Navy are "well advanced"
There is wide coverage of Nicolas Sarkozy's speech yesterday in which he announced an overhaul of French defence policy, including a 24% cut in the strength of the French army to pay for new equipment and expanded intelligence systems, and a plan to rejoin NATO's military structures. Sarkozy insisted, however, that French re-entry into NATO must be matched by progress towards a European defence system. He said, "In my mind, there can only be progress in integrating France within Nato if there is prior progress in European defence." Sarkozy renewed calls for a "modern, flexible" European force of 60,000 soldiers that could be deployed anywhere in the world for up to a year. EUobserver quotes him saying, "building European defence is our priority." He said he wants to make defence and security policy an example of a "concrete Europe, of a Europe that responds to the needs of its citizens." He said, "I very much hope that the French presidency of the European Union (...) will be the first step in a veritable relaunch of European defence for the coming years... I am of the conviction that it is France's vocation to carry this ideal of peace and liberty. It is Europe's ideal to embody it in the current world. For Europe, whatever its institutional ups and downs, has overcome its divisions, its historic confrontations, to create, with an ever closer union, a unique model of cooperation between our nations."
Sarkozy said that there was an urgent need to raise and co-ordinate Europe's modest spending on a defence industry that is a sixth the size of that in the US. He also stipulated that France's nuclear arsenal would remain under its national command, and French troops would be deployed under NATO command only with the approval of Paris. The Times reports that Sarkozy postponed the defence review until after the Irish referendum, but said yesterday, "Whatever happens to the Lisbon treaty, I will not change my mind. I want the alliance to be more European, and how can we have a more European alliance without France?"
According to EUosberver he noted that national armies would remain so as they cannot be integrated into a "supranational army." However, the Mail and the Sun report on French plans for an EU Navy, with the Sun quoting French Defence Minister Hervé Morin who insisted talks with Gordon Brown's Government about creating such a force are "well-advanced." The paper notes that Sarkozy wants to put a British aircraft carrier at the core of it, meaning either HMS Ark Royal or HMS Illustrious would be permanently at sea, directed by Brussels and flying the European flag instead of the White Ensign. The paper notes that "The plan would also put 1,000 Navy personnel and some Harrier jump jets and Sea King helicopters at the EU's beck and call." A French defence ministry official said other countries, including Germany, "could contribute frigates, submarines or refuelling vessels as required". Sarkozy also wants an EU airborne fleet of plane refuellers and transporters, which would make huge demands on the RAF. Open Europe's Neil O'Brien is quoted saying: "The EU political elite seem to have gone mad. No one in Britain wants to hand over our Navy to corrupt Brussels officials. Gordon Brown must not go along with this." The Defence Ministry said last night: "We have no plans to use an aircraft carrier in this way."
Independent Times leader Times Sun Mail EUobserver El Pais Guardian Le Figaro Le Monde
Commission pushes for common immigration and asylum policies
Yesterday the European Commission approved two new policy documents - one calling for greater coordination of immigration policies between member states and the EU and the strengthening of external borders and another proposing to create a European Support Office on Asylum and measures to help member states that attract large numbers of refugees. According to the document, that could involve the re-location of asylum-seekers from one member state to another "in cases of exceptional asylum pressure". An EU-wide resettlement scheme, in which members would participate on a voluntary basis, is also envisaged. In addition, the policy document calls for greater harmonisation of the asylum legislation of member states dealing with reception conditions for asylum-seekers, asylum procedures and the criteria that asylum applicants need to meet to obtain asylum status.
The Mirror reports that Conservative MP Bill Cash yesterday applied to the High Court for a ruling that the Lisbon Treaty cannot be ratified by Parliament after it was thrown out by Irish voters.
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