Europe
French plans to give EU "real military credibility" - European helicopter fleet gets go-ahead
In an op-ed in Dagens Nyheter, former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer condemns the Irish no vote. He argues, "First, a strong European foreign policy, badly needed given the current state of the world, was buried on June 12, for the time being. The nation states will have control over foreign policy once again."
Meanwhile, an article in Le Figaro looks at Nicolas Sarkozy's ambitions "to give Europe real military credibility." It notes that the Head of the European Defence Agency Alexander Weis is counting on Sarkozy to be able to convince the British that the agency's 20 million euro operating budget must be increased. It notes that the ideas for a 'military Erasmus' and European defence college, "designed to encourage the emergence of a common culture," will require unanimity. France also intends to develop the idea of being able to deploy 60,000 troops within a year outside the EU's borders.
The paper notes that the Franco-British plan to create a fleet of European helicopters is in principle agreed, and that the negotiations are ongoing for an aeronaval group allowing a British or French aircraft carrier to be permanently at sea. Paris is also proposing the creation of a tactical European transport fleet with the future Airbus A-400M as well as a satellite observation system, which has also been agreed. The article notes that Britain is still wary about the French plan to create an independent military planning headquarters in Brussels, with around 50 officers.
The FT reports that France yesterday announced that they will make environment and a common energy policy the top priorities of the their presidency, amid concerns that the presidency will be overshadowed by the Irish no vote.
French PM: Third no vote to Constitution shows people need to be won back
AFP reports that French Prime Minister Francois Fillon has said that "The most important thing now is that Europe takes decisions, and, if possible, decisions on the issues which interest European citizens. To be concrete, and in action, is a necessity if we want to win back the confidence of the European people." He said, "After this third no vote from the people... it is urgent that we act in the areas which concern them, these areas where everyone knows that there can only be a collective response."
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Meanwhile, in an interview with Le Nouvel Observateur, former French Prime Minister Alain Juppé (UMP) has said that after the Irish no vote "it is unacceptable" to continue "as though nothing has happened."
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The EU Commission's office in Dublin is under investigation over allegations of intimidation.
McCreevy admits he has no intention of ever reading the Lisbon Treaty
On his blog, Libération journalist Jean Quatremer calls for Irish EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy to resign. Having admitted during the Irish referendum campaign that he had not read the Lisbon Treaty and that somebody would have to be mad to do so, McCreevy has replied to a question about whether he will read it if another referendum is held by saying, "I intend to read a lot during the summer, things like John Grisham novels or maybe a bit of Joyce's Ulysses". As Quatremer notes, "In other words, he has no intention of reading this text. One might wonder if he actually voted no..."
French attitudes on EU policy and Irish no vote
A new poll by Vivavoice for Libération has shown that 44% of French people want Ireland to vote again, 26% want the ratification process to continue without Ireland, and 24% want to give up on the Treaty altogether. 52% think the no vote is going to complicate Sarkozy's job during the French EU Presidency; 42% think it won't. According to the newspaper 93% of people are in favour of a more integrated environmental policy, 78% are in favour of a European defence policy, 72% want a European social and fiscal policy, 62% want a more integrated immigration policy, and only 30% are in favour of Turkey's membership of the EU.
EU energy target could lead to five years of rising energy bills
The Times and the Mail both report on the effect on prices of the EU's target of generating 15 per cent of its energy from renewables by 2020, noting that consumers could face five years of higher gas and electricity bills from about 2015 as a consequence of the target. European Voice notes that energy bills could triple.
Vaclav Klaus: EU cannot ignore its own rules - Lisbon will not be ratified
EUobserver reports that Czech President Vaclav Klaus has said that the Lisbon Treaty "cannot come into force". In an interview with El Pais, Klaus said: "The EU cannot ignore its own rules. The Lisbon Treaty has been roundly and democratically rejected by Ireland, and it therefore cannot come into force. Any attempt to ignore this fact and make recourse to pressure and political manipulation to move the treaty forward would have disastrous consequences for Europe".
"Since the treaty must unanimously be ratified of all the member states of the EU and one of them has already rejected it, the final result of the ratification will be the same. With or without the Czech vote, the Treaty of Lisbon will not be ratified". However, separately Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said he was "optimistic" over the prospect of a Czech ratification of the Treaty, which is now pending a ruling in the country's Constitutional Court.
France scales down plans for common immigration policy
European Voice reports that France has scaled down its plans for a common EU immigration policy, dropping the notion of a centralised processing of asylum requests, toning down language on 'regularisation' of illegal immigrants' status, and abandoning the idea for 'integration contracts.'
Miliband wants more EU social and environmental policies
In an interview in the Independent, David Miliband calls for the EU to adopt more social and environmental policies. The paper has an article on the Irish government's inquiry into the reasons for the no vote. Richard Corbett MEP also has a letter in the Independent calling on EU leaders to press ahead with the rejected Lisbon Treaty.
Miliband Ireland searches for answers
Ben Brogan's blog looks at the Government's attempts to deliver the Instrument of Ratification of the Lisbon Treaty to Rome.
Cameron and Europe
In the Spectator, Fraser Nelson looks at David Cameron's possible first term of Government. He notes, "Eurosceptics argue that if Mr Cameron is to govern freely, he must engage with the European question. Yet I am told the Implementation Unit is working to discourage any such confrontation. 'The ex-civil servants are already saying, 'You can take on the EU, but realise it will dominate your first year,"' complains one party aide.'"
The Commission yesterday proposed its Small Business Act, including giving small and mid-sized businesses a new EU legal status to avoid following different legal systems.
Kaletsky: Irish No vote will change the history of Europe
In the Times, Kaletsky argues that the "Irish 'no' will permanently change the history of Europe." He argues that the no vote "will deprive the EU's continuing political development of all democratic legitimacy." He goes on to argue that if the Conservatives win the next general election, "there will no longer be any chance of isolating Ireland in a 26 to one minority. With a Conservative government in Britain a prospect by the spring of 2010, Euro-federalist efforts to isolate or threaten Ireland, would inevitably be opposed by Britain."
World
Foreign Policy magazine reports that International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei has said that Iran is between six months and a year away from a nuclear bomb.
UK
Under new rules UK MPs are going to have their expenses independently audited.
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