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Democrat June-July 2009

Comment on "Guarantees" for Lisbon II

by Jens-Peter Bonde former MEP and former member of EU Constitution Convention (16.6.09)

Maastricht trick again!

Jens-Peter Bonde

"The EU Summit Strategy for dealing with the Irish No! vote to Lisbon is similar to the Edinburgh Agreement of December 1992, when Denmark changed its No! to Maastrict for full Danish opt-outs from some provisions of that Treaty.
   "First, the European Council will make a 'decision' of the Prime Ministers and Presidents of the EU member states.
   "This 'decision' of the EU summit changes absolutely nothing in the treaties.  If it did change anything, even the smallest changes could only be validated through new ratifications by all 27 member states in their national parliaments, or by referendums.
   "Just as in the 1992 Edinburgh Agreement the Prime Ministers and Presidents state their desire 'to address those concerns in conformity with that treaty' (i.e. the Lisbon Treaty).
   "This is the core sentence of the Summit document. In the so-called 'Irish assurances' not one single comma in the Lisbon Treaty will be changed.
   "This 'decision' of the EU Summit isn't signed by the Heads of State or Government.  In legal form it is simply an Annex to a Summit Declaration.
   "The 'decision' is followed by a common 'Solemn Declaration' which may express the intentions of the politicians taking part.  It does not prevent politicians at future Summits affecting these 'assurances'.
   "Finally, Ireland has its own Irish declaration. A unilateral declaration of this kind has to be interpreted as a statement of position by one state which the others do not necessarily agree with.  If they did agree to it, it would have been part of the Joint Declaration or the earlier 'decision' in the name of all 27 states."


Other pieces on the Lisbon II referendum in Ireland
Where now? Democracy or EU Dictatorship - Editorial
"Guarantees" for Lisbon II
Statement by People's Movement of Ireland on "Guarantees"
Invalidity of "Guarantees" for Lisbon II