Positive developments. The signing of the Lisbon Treaty will provoke an avalanche of comments and summaries of the text, which, in practice, together with the different events surrounding it, has been in the process of being drawn up since the Declaration of Laeken in December 2001. So much the better if it is being spoken about and citizens are informed about the event (although there are fears that some of the comments will be imprecise and superficial). Some positive developments in public opinion have recently been observed with regard to Europe. For example:
- developments in Poland proved that the drift towards nationalism and an anti-European stance was more apparent than real. Some demagogues had played on sensitivities among the people by getting them to believe that the EU could be a possible threat to religious feeling and national identity, but this didn't last; polls now indicate that the Polish people are the most pro-European of all. The new government put an end to reservations and misgivings imposed by the former government;
- Denmark intends to give up derogations on the single currency, legal questions, European citizenship and even defence policy. The Danish people will be invited to give their opinion by way of referendums on these different aspects;
- the hypothesis of Belgium not being able to sign the new treaty, and that its government is only in charge of managing current affairs, was swept aside. This doubt has never in fact held sway among the public: it was a debate among academics who were delighted to show off their expertise. Support for European construction is so deep-rooted among the Belgian people that the issue was a non-starter.
It is true that at the same time, in the country with the most misgivings, the United Kingdom, public opinion has not budged a single inch. Polls continue to indicate that a large majority of the population opposes any “transfer of sovereignty” and in the event of a referendum a “no” vote would clearly win out. The idea that in fact nothing will be transferred to Brussels and that only certain competencies will be collectively managed, does not appear to affect the press or public opinion (which follows the press). This is a challenge that Europe will be well obliged to confront one day because the very nature of Europe's future is tied to it.
On the other hand, three embarrassing shortcomings have at least been partially resolved. They involve:
1. The consolidated text of a new treaty. As it stands, the treaty is unclear, given that it is made up of amendments to the current treaties. When entire articles are replaced, an understanding is still possible. But when changes involve a paragraph or indeed a line or just a few words, nothing can be understood without seeing the text which is being replaced and without comparing the two texts. The solution can be found in what legal experts call a “consolidated text”, resulting from the insertion of new passages in old articles. This work is not quite as impossible as is sometimes suggested. The proof - it has been done. Our publication illustrated the first attempts and the errors that failed to take into account the results of the European Council of 19 October. Until now, the exercise has taken on an almost official character for the French version because it is the National Assembly that assumed responsibility for it.
I am now actually looking at the “Treaty of Lisbon - Consolidated Version of the Treaty on the European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union”. 280 pages, including the precious Tables of Correspondence between the old and new articles, as well as the protocols and declarations. It does not have any legal value but it is clear, simple and well-printed. That's not all: Axel Poniatowski, president of the foreign affairs committee at the National Assembly, underlined in his prologue that this working tool currently has no equivalent¸ and is not only indispensable to all parliamentarians but to all those interested in Europe. This is why it is being sold for the modest price of €6.50.
2. Declaration on “symbols”. We are quite aware of the level of polemic accompanying the suppression of references in the Treaty of Lisbon on the flag, anthem and European currency. 16 member states decided to add another declaration to the treaty, emphasising that for them, flag, anthem and currency were symbols of European citizens belonging to the European Union.
3. Charter of Fundamental Rights. The Strasbourg ceremony, which will be discussed in the pages that follow, responds, on the plan of principles, to those that have doubts about the meaning and efficacy of this Charter. Obviously its concrete application will have to be monitored but the atmosphere is currently positive.
(F.R.)