"EU vows to pursue Lisbon treaty...
EU vows to pursue Lisbon treaty
EU meets to address Irish No vote
EU foreign ministers gather for talks on how to respond to the Irish rejection of the Lisbon reform treaty.EU ministers: Treaty 'not dead', 'emergency plan' needed
The bloc's foreign ministers yesterday (16 June) discussed options to save the Lisbon Treaty despite its rejection in the Irish referendum last Friday, one being to offer Ireland certain assurances of its sovereignty and have it vote again next year.Ireland insists
Brian Cowen, the Irish prime minister, has given the first indication that he will resist demands to stage a second referendum in the wake of Ireland's rejection of...What Happens to Ireland Now?
Does Ireland become the "Rogue Island" of early 21st century Europe? Will the other EU members essentially route the Lisbon treaty around Ireland, or could Ireland even be asked to downgrade its association with the EU, back to the level of being an associated power? (Or will the Irish be told to vote again?)Lisbon of Bust?
via Kosmopolit (who has an interessting round up of reactions) I found this article in ZEIT by Joschka Fischer. I want to cite here something from this article (translated by me):MAIN FOCUS: Ireland's No to the EU reform treaty | 16/06/2008
The rejection of the EU reform treaty in the Irish referendum has plunged the EU into a deep crisis. What were the reasons for the Irish No, how should European politics respond and what does the EU's future look like now?
Dublin to be offered extra guarantees
Ireland will be offered additional guarantees of its sovereignty - possibly in areas such as taxation, military policy and family law - under an emergency plan to save...More Irish referendum aftermath thoughts
First up, Nanne’s done a handy roundup of blog reactions (with a few more from RZ) - which further goes to show that there’s no real consensus on what the hell should be done. Some more fervent pro-EU types are adopting the “sod the Irish” approach of continuing ratification and booting Ireland out of the EU if they don’t follow along like a well-trained dog. Some anti-EU types are revelling in the red faces in Brussels and calling for the whole thing to be scrapped again because (obviously) a no vote in a referendum means that every single person voting no did so because they hate the EU and everything it stands for. Neither extreme, fairly obviously, is a sensible option.
Europe's failure to communicate
As European leaders are trying to come to terms with Ireland's stunning rejection of the revised EU treaty, they would be wise to listen to Charlie McCreevy:
The treaty refers to sub-paragraphs of former sub- paragraphs and other documents and there is no person this side of Timbuktu who would be in a position to understand it,'' Ireland's representative on the EU commission, Charlie McCreevy, told reporters in Dublin. While McCreevy backs the treaty, he said he hasn't read it.
The Lisbon Treaty: The story behind the Irish “NO”
Step by step, Europe has slid towards ever close political union. Yet from the signing of the Treaty of Nice, through to The Lisbon Treaty the EU has yet to arrive at a true democratic process.
Ireland's bold blow for democracy
The EU is like some hideously persistent suitor who will not take No for an answer. Europe's political leaders should resist the temptation to 'respect' the country's referendum by seeking to overturn it, writes Gideon RachmanEU mulls Lisbon Treaty sweeteners for Ireland
[Comment] After the Irish said No
[Comment] What next, Europe?
Irish Referendum result
I went to the meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers today in Luxembourg with the reverberations from the Irish NO vote ringing around Europe. This was of course the major talking point here and will be at the European Council meeting later this week in Brussels.
First let me say that I respect fully the NO vote from Ireland. The turnout was relatively high and the issues were discussed and debated. I have no complaints, although I am of course disappointed. The issues which this Treaty was designed to help resolve have not gone away: In particular, how can 27 countries take decisions using a system designed for 12? Especially when the decisions needing to be taken relate to such complex issues as globalisation, oil and food prices, energy supply, climate change, migration, terrorism and numerous other international problems which require international solutions.
The Referendum: populism vs democracy, George Schöpflin
The result of the Republic of Ireland's referendum on 12 June 2008, a rejection of the European Union's "reform treaty" agreed at the Lisbon summit in October 2007, has precipitated a crisis for the union whose resolution is hard to foresee.
Stop talking about Lisbon and get to work
The worst option would be to let another period of internal wrangling serve as an alibi for European inaction where it matters, writes Philip StephensIHT: Ireland's referendum - the EU will give them the boot - by Patrick Purcell
Making Bosnia Work: Why EU Accession is Not Enough
Source: U.S. Institute of PeaceBosnia signs EU accord
The Balkan state takes its first step on the ladder to Union membership as it signs a pre-accession agreement almost 13 years after the end of its bloody civil warEU close to common rules on illegal immigrants
After several years of difficult negotiations, the European Parliament is finally expected to give the green light to a controversial 'Return Directive', setting universal conditions for sending "illegally staying third-country nationals" in Europe back where they came from.Bosnia takes first step toward EU
Bosnia-Hercegovina takes a big step towards joining the European Union, with the signing of an EU pact.The institutional future of Brussels
Discussions based on the “Brussels Manifesto”Irish No raises questions over EU commission size
Dublin sees 'no obvious solution' to EU treaty rejectionParallel systems?
Why Kosovo's handover of power is less than clearWestern Balkans on EU agenda
After a re-run of the general election in Macedonia and the entry into force of Kosovo's new constitution on Sunday, EU foreign ministers will convene today (16 June) to review the situation in the neighbouring Western Balkans.A challenging Summer awaits the Western Balkans by HAJRUDIN SOMUN
The Western Balkans is entering the summer of 2008 with challenging problems and unsolved issues that are all correlated to long-term peace and stability in the region. Some multilateral and bilateral events that happened just last week could be considered positive developments. These included the US-EU summit in Slovenia and the visit of the president of Turkey to Croatia. However, other occurrences have not beenIreland must go by UFFE ELLEMANN-JENSEN
Ireland should do the rest of Europe a favor and withdraw from the European Union. That seems to be the only tenable solution to the situation created by the Irish "No" to the Lisbon Treaty. The Irish have created a problem for themselves. They should not let it be a problem for others.French defence to counter terror
President Nicolas Sarkozy says terrorism is the greatest threat to France as he presents a new defence strategy.Continental drift
Will the US and Europe move closer after Bush?Split over Kosovo
New charter leaves regional press predictably dividedEurozone inflation at record 3.7%
Inflation in the eurozone has a climbed to a record level of 3.7% in May amid higher food and fuel costs, figures show.Inflation hits record high in the EU
Latest Eurostat figures show that the annual inflation rate hit a record high in May 2008 for both the 15-nation euro zone and the whole EU 27. The main causes are soaring energy and food prices, which are set to figure high on the agenda of the meeting of EU leaders on Thursday.[Comment] Are we returning to 1970s stagflation?
Personalised healthcare
The European Commission is promoting hi-tech solutions to prevent chronic diseases and meet the health challenges of the 21st century.For Le Monde and the French press, the news is nearly all bad
The problems of France's biggest-selling national daily newspaper highlight a broader malaise that even has politicians worriedSarkozy proposes bigger military role for EU
President Nicolas Sarkozy is to set out plans for the European Union to take a bigger role in defence despite the institutional crisis triggered by Ireland's rejection of the EU treatyIran to Face New E.U. Sanctions, Brown Says
LONDON, June 16 -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced plans Monday for new European sanctions against Iranian banking, oil and natural gas interests, signaling a growing willingness by Western allies to join President Bush in punishing Tehran for its nuclear enrichment program.Cultural Agenda: June 2008
The European Woodstock, Music tours the Globe whilst London and Luxembourg are struck down with dance fever.
It will cost you
Worries about dearer food and fuel
AS Europe's political leaders wrangle over whether and how to proceed with the Lisbon treaty, average citizens are focused on more tangible concerns: the sky-rocketing costs of daily essentials, including food and fuel. Protesting truck drivers in Spain, France and Britain are just the most visible signs of frustration across the region.Heated debate over a two-speed Europe
Is Lisbon dead or on life support?
AFTER a weekend of teeth-gnashing in some quarters of Europe and celebration in others, the EU foreign ministers will meet in Luxembourg today to discuss the implications of Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon treaty. Whether the fury has subsided remains to be seen.Where now for Europe?
By Henning Meyer
The Irish ‘no’ in the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty has driven Europe into its next major crisis only three years after the French and Dutch rejected the Constitutional Treaty. The constitution disaster was followed by a ‘period of reflection’ which ended with the negotiation of the Lisbon Treaty. But what will follow now, after the new agreement too was rejected in an EU member state?
Political elites and the EU
In London yesterday morning an eerie calm fell over Whitehall. No traffic, not even pedestrians. George Bush, leader of the free world, was in town. So, ordinary people, get out of the way.
Returning to Brussels yesterday evening I find razor wire barricades already set up at Rue Joseph II close to the main EU institution buildings, still with some tape on the windows broken by irate fishermen a few weeks back. Apparently the Walloon federation of farmers and some transport workers are coming to Brussels to have a rant / have a protest / have a riot (delete as appropriate) about high fuel prices.
Sarkozy upsets Jewish group
Sarkozy has been kinder than many to the major Jewish organizations of France and the US, speaking personally as president at the CRIF's annual gala and numerous times to the AJC in Washington. And he has paid some political price for this, as evidenced by the firestorm over his Holocaust education proposal. But that hasn't stopped CRIF from denouncing his recent invitation to Syrian President Bashir al-Assad to the EU-UM launch:
Consumer communications: A more popular EU?
Consumer policy is moving up the European Commission's agenda as the EU becomes increasingly concerned about its popularity level among citizens.
