Brussels, 09/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - The EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament is concerned over the lack of urgency and ambition being shown in Ireland and the European institutions on finding a rapid solution to the problem of the Irish “no” vote and having the new treaty in force before the European election in June 2009. The comments of the Irish foreign minister Micheal Martin, speaking to the EP constitutional affairs committee on Monday (see EUROPE 9755), did not give the impression that his government was minded to act swiftly to break the deadlock, and this set alarm bells ringing in the EPP-ED. Elmar Brok and Inigo Mendez de Vigo, who met press on Thursday 9 October, said it was unacceptable to allow Dublin an indefinite amount of time to consider the situation and propose options: “Time is working against us,” they said. “We would say to the Irish: it's up to you to tell us what you want. It's your responsibility to bring forward proposals. But do it quickly - by December at the latest - because we need the Lisbon Treaty before the European elections,” Mendez de Vigo said. In this time of crises (financial, economic, energy, climate, etc), there is an urgent need for the EU to look after the real problems and it cannot allow the forthcoming European election campaign to be “turned into a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty by anti-Europeans, even in countries that have already ratified the treaty,” Brok added. Let those who are already talking of extending the term of office of the Barroso Commission until a hypothetical entry date for the Lisbon Treaty in early 2010, following a second Irish referendum (Ed: which would allow the one commissioner per country rule to remain in force until 2014) disabuse themselves of that idea: “The EPP-ED Group will oppose any extension of the present Barosso Commission. It would be a political mistake to turn it into a 'lame duck' Commission. I'm sure Mr Barroso would not want that,” said Mendez de Vigo (Ed: the Commission president has already spoken against the idea). If the Lisbon Treaty is not in force in 2009, the new Commission will be appointed under the terms of the Treaty of Nice which will require member states to reduce the number of commissioners by at least one from 2009.
The EPP-ED group hopes that the special Parliamentary committee (which was set up last week in Ireland, and includes all political parties and civil society players, to consider the consequences of the “no” vote) will submit a report to the Irish government by 25 November with proposals and also setting out the consequences and possible alternatives. This would allow Prime Minister Brian Cowen to bring forward his plans for breaking the deadlock at the December European Council. What could be his plan? A second referendum, possibly only on those parts of the treaty which actually have constitutional implications in Ireland, with the major part of the treaty being ratified by parliament? Political statements (to be appended to the treaty) to calm the unfounded fears of the Irish on matters such as abortion, taxation, European defence policy, fundamental rights, etc? “It's not up to us to make suggestions. That is the responsibility solely of the Irish,” responded Brok and Mendez de Vigo, stating: “Clarification in the form of political statements is a possibility, but not renegotiation of the treaty”. Were the Irish government to decide to hold a second referendum (the most likely scenario), then this would have to take place in “late February, early March 2009,” Brok argued. The treaty could, then be in force for the European elections. Given the current economic and financial uncertainty, the first half of 2009 would probably not be the ideal time for a second Irish plebiscite, “but who can say if things will be better in the second half of next year? I don't think it will be any easier to get a “yes” vote in the autumn of 2009 rather than the spring,” Brok maintained. He felt that this is probably “the last chance to have an EU treaty ratified in the next 10 years”. He was thinking, he said, of the Conservative opposition in the UK and the growing euroscepticism in Austria. Would it be better for the Irish government to link the second vote on the treaty to a referendum on Ireland's remaining a member of the EU? “We have our own thoughts on that, but we don't want to give the government advice,” the MEPs replied. If the Lisbon Treaty did not come into force, it would be impossible to stop the development of a two-speed Europe, Brok and Mendez de Vigo reasoned. “This would take us to a Union with first, second and third class members. And that's something I wouldn't like to see” but
which is probably inevitable, opined Brok.
The two MEPs also restated the determination of their political group to object to any new accessions to the EU (including that by Croatia) until the Lisbon Treaty has taken effect. Germany, France and Luxembourg have already taken this same position. “Those who prevent the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty must understand that they bear the responsibility for bringing European Union enlargement to a halt”, Mr Brok stressed. (H.B./transl.rt)