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Last Updated: Oct 10, 2008 - 12:42:43 PM |
"Time is against us," Spanish conservative deputy Inigo Mendez de Vigo
from the constitutional affairs committee in the European Parliament
told journalists on Thursday (9 October), following this week's visit
by the Irish foreign minister Micheal Martin in Brussels.
Ireland was originally supposed to indicate what it wants to do about
the Lisbon Treaty, a reform of the 27-strong Union that was rejected in
June by Irish voters, to the heads of states and governments set to
gather for a two-day summit on 15 October.
But Mr Martin confirmed to MEPs on Monday (6 October) that Dublin needs
time for "comprehensive research" and only by December does the country
"expect to be able... to outline the necessary steps to achieve our
objective of continued full engagement in the Union."
Mr de Vigo thinks, however, that it would be too late for the new
institutional set-up to come into effect before the European elections
in June, meaning that the pre-vote campaign would be again focused on
the treaty rather than on other issues of concern for EU citizens.
Moreover, it would mean that the bloc's assembly would be elected under
the current Nice Treaty with a different distribution of seats - 736
instead of 751 MEPs with fewer seats for 12 member states - and less
power than envisaged by the reform document.
If that is the case, argued Mr de Vigo, the centre-right European
People's Party (EPP-ED), the biggest parliamentary group in the
785-member legislature, would press for the rules on the composition of
the EU executive also to be respected.
Under the Nice Treaty, "the European Council [heads of states and
governments] will have to take a unanimous decision to reduce the
number of commissioners. Are they ready to do that?" the Spanish deputy
asked rhetorically.
"The EPP will be against any prolongation of the mandate of the current
commission. We will not accept having the Nice Treaty on the number of
seats in the parliament, and the European Council not taking a decision
on the reduction of the number of commissioners that is also in the
Nice Treaty."
Mr de Vigo hinted that some other political groups may follow suit in
requiring this condition be maintained.
But according to one commission official, it is widely expected in the
EU executive that the national capitals will agree to keep 27
commissioners, one each per member state.
UK worries
Also present at the media briefing, a German conservative member of the
constitutional committee, Elmar Brok, pointed out that the Lisbon
Treaty is the last chance for Europe's major institutional reform to be
adopted this decade.
"I believe that in the next ten years in Britain, no ratification is
possible. Not anything with major changes. If we don't get this, we get
nothing," Mr Brok declared.
He referred to the strongly Eurosceptic positions of many in the UK's
opposition Conservative party, which is expected to win the next
elections in the country, due in September 2010 at the latest.
"If the Lisbon treaty is not ratified and on the table at the point we
take office, then, of course, we would hold a referendum," the
Conservative shadow foreign secretary William Hague was quoted as
saying by British media last month.
The reform treaty has so far been ratified by 23 member states, with
German President Horst Kohler's spokesperson announcing on Wednesday (9
October) that he would give a final nod to the document after a
"thorough analysis" with legal experts.
Apart from final and unproblematic formalities expected in Poland and
Sweden, the Czech Republic is the only country still waiting for the
response of its constitutional court on whether the Lisbon Treaty is in
line with the Czech charter.
The two Conservative MEPs believe that once all other member states
have ratified the reform treaty, it would be easier for Irish
politicians to put it forward to the country's voters for another vote,
possibly with clarifications on sensitive issues such as Ireland's
neutrality or sovereignty over tax or family law decisions.
EU symbols
Separately, with the fate of the Lisbon Treaty still unclear, the
European Parliament on Wednesday decided to officially recognise EU
flag, anthem and motto as the symbols of the bloc's plenary.
The flag, a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background, will be
now displayed in all parliament's meeting rooms and at official events.
The anthem, based on the "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony,
will be performed at the opening ceremony following each European
election and at formal sittings.
The motto, "United in diversity", will be reproduced on all
Parliament's official documents, and the celebration of Europe Day on 9
May will be also formally recognised, says a report approved by 503
votes in favour 96 against and 15 abstentions.
The symbols were first officially referred to by the European
Constitution, a document rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005
and replaced by the Lisbon Treaty, which does not mention them.
Source:Ocnus.net 2008
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