tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36227136.post4282137237382456782..comments2024-01-16T08:40:53.682+00:00Comments on <a href="http://www.openeurope.org.uk">Open Europe</a>: PetitionOEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556463374230498875noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36227136.post-59369506343114581022008-06-18T14:05:00.000+01:002008-06-18T14:05:00.000+01:00Given that a fair proportion of the No vote was mo...Given that a fair proportion of the No vote was motivated by concerns about tax rates, neutrality and abortion, the obvious next step is for the Irish to be offered some legally-binding assurances (in the form of explanatory addenda to the Treaty) that these are issues unaffected by the terms of the Treaty.<BR/><BR/>Then the concerns of the population can be shown to have been met and they can go for another vote if they like. <BR/><BR/>It's not about coercion or bullying. The Irish people expressed a view (based in large part on some rather dubious arguments made by the No campaign) and now is the time to reassure them that the issues they are concerned about are not in any way impacted by the Treaty.<BR/><BR/>An alternative strategy is for member states to fillet what can be salvaged from the Treaty (quite a lot, in my view) and implement this without the need for constitutional changes. The process of ratification through legislatures is a good way of making this happen and airing a national debate about the future of the EU. <BR/><BR/>It would be quite wrong to stifle this debate by abandoning ratification.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36227136.post-45686355011354330382008-06-18T09:29:00.000+01:002008-06-18T09:29:00.000+01:00An odd argument.Continuing the process of ratifica...An odd argument.<BR/><BR/>Continuing the process of ratification in the UK can only reflect a presumption that the Irish will be talked out of their rejection – because otherwise, ratification is pointless. Surely the only way to truly “respect” the result of the referendum – as EU leaders keep saying they will – is not to have the Treaty at all? The whole point of continuing ratification is to put pressure on the Irish, so that EU leaders can tell Dublin ‘look, all other 26 member states support this’. <BR/><BR/>Unlike in 2005, when French and Dutch voters rejected the Constitution, the calculation this time seems to be that Ireland – as a small member state – can be subjected to isolation and coercion following its No vote. “This time the scenario is radically different. The idea is to completely isolate Ireland” said Belgian daily Le Soir in an editorial (14 June).<BR/> <BR/>This strategy is summarised by FT columnist Wolfgang Munchau: <BR/><BR/>“The most important prerequisite of plan B is a 26-to-1 situation in terms of countries that have actually ratified the treaty. This outcome is far from assured and explains why Brussels, Berlin and Paris are so adamant that the ratification show must continue. So far 18 countries have ratified, with eight to go plus Ireland. Once 26 countries have ratified, EU countries accounting for more than 99 per cent of the EU’s population will have approved the Lisbon treaty. The pressure on Ireland would then become unbearable.”(FT, 15 June)<BR/><BR/>We think that this is unacceptable. Clearly, the UK *can* do whatever it wants. <BR/><BR/>We are talking about what we *should* do.Open Europe blog teamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12889203635720108365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36227136.post-83095599287310746912008-06-17T20:27:00.000+01:002008-06-17T20:27:00.000+01:00UK Parliament is sovereign in UK. Irish referendum...UK Parliament is sovereign in UK. Irish referendum is neither here nor there. Since when was the UK ruled by Ireland?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com