IRELAND LISBON TREATY VOTE

EU TREATY AT MERCY IN IRELAND VOTE
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IRELAND VOTES ON EU CHARTER
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EU TREATYS FUTURE IN IRELANDS HANDS
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#18 COUNTRY GREECE RATIFIED THE LISBON TREATY, IF IRELAND DOES IT WILL BE NUMBER 19.

Greece ratifies EU treaty ahead of Ireland referendum AFP
Published: Wednesday, June 11, 2008

ATHENS - Greece's parliament on Wednesday voted in favour of the European Union's Lisbon Treaty, hours before a crucial referendum in Ireland where the charter's future is hanging in the balance.The Greek parliament approved the treaty by 250 votes to 42, with the ruling New Democracy conservatives and main opposition Pasok socialists endorsing the text.The treaty will make the European Union more effective to meet new challenges, Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis told the chamber.What we want is a Europe that becomes more structurally fortified the more it expands.

Greece hopes for a rapid ratification by all states to avoid delay in its implementation, he said.The opposition KKE Communists, Syriza leftists and the small nationalist party LAOS voted against the treaty, demanding that it be put to a referendum.Leftist demonstrations were held against the treaty in Athens and the northern city of Salonika on Wednesday.Pasok leader George Papandreou said his party supported the treaty for a more democratic and social Europe but called for a referendum to ensure that the Greek people were fully informed of the terms of the charter.All 27 EU nations must ratify the wide-ranging treaty if it is to come into effect on January 1 as planned. With Greece, 18 states have completed so far, or all but completed, that process.

The parliaments of Estonia and Finland overwhelmingly approved the charter earlier on Wednesday.The Lisbon Treaty replaces the EU constitution which was rejected by French and Dutch voters in referendums in 2005, plunging the bloc into the worst crisis in its half-century history.Ireland is the only country to hold a popular vote on the treaty, and opinion polls suggest Thursday's vote there could go down to the wire.The two last opinion polls in Ireland suggest supporters and opponents are virtually neck-and-neck, while hinting the no camp has more momentum. AFP 2008

Q&A: Ireland's referendum on the EU reform treatyHenry McDonald explains the basis of Irish opposition to the EU reform treaty, and the implications of a No vote both in Dublin and in Brussels Henry McDonald in Dublin guardian.co.uk, Thursday June 12 2008Article history

A poster in Dublin city centre encourages a no vote in Ireland's referendum on the Lisbon EU reform treaty. Photograph: AP

Is Ireland set to reject the Lisbon treaty?

Opinion polls at the weekend sent out mixed messages. One gave the No campaign a 5% lead while another put the Yes camp narrowly ahead. What all sides in the debate agree on is that the outcome will be extremely close. The Yes camp, which includes the Irish government and the republic's two main opposition parties, are hoping for a relatively high turnout. A low turnout favours the No campaigners as their voters are traditionally more likely to turn up at polling stations.

Why are so many Irish people prepared to vote against the treaty, given how well Ireland has done economically out of the EU?

The reasons for voting No are as complex as the disparate forces opposing the Lisbon treaty. Pro-free market groups like Libertas and individual Irish senators claim the deal will lead to tax harmonisation and take away the republic's advantage as a low capital tax haven that has attracted foreign, mainly US multinational investment and fed the Celtic tiger. Traditional nationalists led by Sinn Féin argue that ratifying the treaty severely dilutes Ireland's sovereignty. Along with the far left, they also claim that the treaty will commit Irish troops to future EU defence plans and thus end the state's neutrality. Ireland is not and never has been a member of Nato. The Catholic right meanwhile also opposes treaty, claiming that a strengthened European court of justice will overrule Irish laws such as the republic's outright ban on abortion.

What are the implications for Europe's 490 million citizens if the Irish vote No?

It will mean one of two things. Either the EU will exempt Ireland from the treaty for now and then invite to join at a later date (this would mean the republic having to hold a second referendum as they did with the Nice treaty) or all the EU states would be obliged renegotiate a brand new deal with its inevitable endless round of bartering between the member states. It would, either way, be a severe setback to the whole process of reforming EU structures and preparing for further expansion if Ireland fails to ratify the treaty.

What will the domestic impact be if there is a No vote?

Defeat in the referendum would be a major setback for the new Irish Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, coming just weeks after he succeeded Bertie Ahern as Ireland's prime minister. Conversely, a victory for the No campaign would be a boost for Sinn Féin, which suffered significant losses in last year's general election. Sinn Féin is the only party represented in the Dail, or Irish parliament, which is opposed to the Lisbon treaty.

How would Ireland be perceived in Europe if its electorate reject the deal hammered out in Lisbon?

France's foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, has warned that there would be gigantic incomprehension across the EU if Ireland votes No. Privately, senior Irish government strategists admit that failure to ratify the treaty would be deeply embarrassing and a body blow to the credibility of Ireland in Europe. They argue that slowing up the process of EU reform would fatally weaken Ireland's influence.

Would a No vote mean the Irish have become a nation of Eurosceptics?

Not necessarily. Even some of opponents of the treaty are keen to stress that they do not advocate pulling out of the EU entirely. Only a fringe element of Irish politics, both on the far right and extreme left, are in favour of withdrawing from the union. The Irish government hopes it will not have to return to the negotiating table and explain to its European partners why their electorate derailed the Lisbon initiative. Their greatest enemy over the next 24 hours could be the apathy of what commentators call middle Ireland (which is generally pro-European) and their potential failure to turn out to vote.

Dublin referendum turn-out average by midday
LEIGH PHILLIPS Today @ 16:22 CET

EUOBSERVER / DUBLIN - Dublin, home to roughly half Ireland's 3 million voters, is seeing average turn-out for a referendum, according to unofficial reports.Across the capital, voting districts were reporting turnout ranging from nine percent to 18 percent of the total electorate as of midday, averaging 12.6 percent, according to spokespeople for the Dublin City Returning Officer.The highest turn-out has so far been in Northside, the northern, more working class areas of the city. (Photo: EUobserver)

The highest turn-out has so far been in Northside, the northern, more working class areas of the city. Working class voters are expected to break more strongly for the No side.Nonetheless, the turnout split across the city may yet change substantially as people from middle class with lower levels of unemployment districts return home from work.Turnout tends to shoot up a little bit more in the early evening after work, as people vote on their way home, said John Wheelan of the Environment Department, the government department in charge of the referendum.Polls are open quite late today. Having opened at 7 am, they do not close until 10 pm – in an effort to boost turn-out.If Dublin leans towards the No on a high turn-out, campaigners on both sides say this would signal a win for the anti-treaty forces, as rural Ireland is expected to break marginally for the No as well. If Dublin goes Yes, all remains in play, as the urban vote could be balanced by farmers.

At the same time, the Irish Farmers' Association last week called on its members to support the Yes side, although having made a commitment so late in the game, farmers may yet go for the No.At the Youthreach Centre polling station on Pleasants Street in south central Dublin, a mixed working class and middle class area, turnout was 11 percent.Ben Bishop, the station's chief presiding officer, said such a turnout for a referendum was slightly higher than normal for the city centre. It's normally two to three percent by this point in the day.Up the road at the Synge Street polling station, in a middle class neighbourhood, turnout was nine percent as of midday, according to the poll's officer.It's been a steady trickle all morning – about what you'd expect, said presiding officer Vincent Tierney. For a referendum, we'd expect by the end of the day about 30 percent. It's much higher for a general election.Jackie Rhodes, manning the tables at the same polling station and a veteran election worker, said: It's pretty average for a referendum, regardless of how contentious it is.It's too close to call. There've been an awful lot of people changing their minds just in the last few days – both ways.

Meanwhile, campaigners from the continent were out in force again today. The Young European Federalists setting up camp in St Stephen's Green, and a van-load of ten members of Attac, the alter-globalisation group that led the successful No campaign in France in 2005 laid out their stalls and literature outside the General Post Office, the headquarters of the 1916 Easter Uprising that presaged the country's independence from Britain.The smartly dressed Young Federalists were broadly optimistic and reported excellent support from Dubliners, while the Attac activists also reported a fantastic attitude from voters.One passer-by, Emma, a grandmother from Hayes, said: I don't trust that lot in the parliament. They'd sell you a goat and tell you it's a race horse!

Papers focus on turn-out

The Irish media for their part have focussed on the importance of turn-out. The Irish Times front page lead story described how both sides were encouraging voters to make their mark, next to a large photograph of a sword swallower street performer, who had yesterday won the Guinness World Record for the highest number of simultaneous swords swallowed – 27, each bearing a different EU member state's flag.The Irish Independent told readers that Ireland needs to vote Yes and also featured the street performer, headlined referendum On a knife-edge.The Irish Examiner also lead with government hopes for a high turn-out, while the Irish editions of the British tabloids – the right-wing and Euro-sceptic Irish Daily Mail, the Star and the Irish Sun – but not the Mirror - called on voters to choose No. The centre-left Mirror told readers they must vote Yes.The Sun's front-page, true to stereotype, bore a half-naked young woman with two X-marked voting papers covering her breasts alongside a frowning European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and a headline screaming: No Way Jose.

Ireland goes to polls over EU treaty JUNE 12,08

Europeans are looking towards Ireland tonight, where people are voting in a referendum on the European Union's proposed Lisbon treaty.The treaty provides for a streamlining of EU institutions to cope with expansions into Eastern Europe. It reduces individual countries' veto powers and creates powerful new posts for an EU president and foreign policy chief.

Ireland is the only country holding a referendum on the issue.

A No vote could derail the project as all 27 member-countries need to approve the treaty for it to come into force.

All of the main Irish parties are backing the treaty, but Prime Minister Brian Cowen, says that might not be enough to win the support of the people.

The problem is if I go to the European Council next week with a no vote obviously the preliminary discussions will have to begin as to what happens, he said.

I mean there'll be great disappointment and a great sense of uncertainty as to where we go from here.

Opponents of the treaty have been putting up a strong challenge.

Naoise Nunn, from No campaign group Libertas, says the treaty centralises power without providing accountability.

We're not running a campaign against Europe, he said.

It is against a specific treaty which is taking Europe down a road very, very fast and the passengers are kind of going, hang on a second, let's just stop for a minute and decide and get agreement amongst all of us on where we're going.- ABC/BBC

Main points of the EU's Lisbon Treaty JUNE 12,08

The main points of the Lisbon Treaty on which Irish citizens are voting Thursday and which aims to simplify how the bloc will be run in the decades ahead. The new EU treaty must be ratified by all 27 EU nations before it can take affect.

BURYING THE CONSTITUTION:

If ratified, the Lisbon Treaty would replace the aborted draft constitution voted down by French and Dutch voters in 2005. The new treaty is of a more modest charter; amends previous EU treaty rule books, and drops some of the symbolic elements of the constitution, such as formally recognizing the EU flag and anthem.

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS:

A 50-article charter contains a list of well-established rights, such as freedom of speech and religion, but also includes the right to shelter, education, collective labor bargaining and fair working conditions. Worried by the impact on business and their legal systems, Britain and Poland obtained opt-outs.

POWER AND INFLUENCE IN AN EXPANDED CLUB:

The EU will have a president for 2 1/2-year terms and a more powerful foreign policy chief who answers to the EU governments, but is a member of the European Commission, the EU executive. That person will get control over the EU's aid budget and its extensive network of diplomats and civil servants.

SMALLER EUROPEAN COMMISSION:

The EU executive office will be cut from the current 27 members to 18 as of 2014. Commissioners will be selected on a rotation system among the states, and will sit for five-year terms.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT:

The European Parliament gets more power especially in justice and interior affairs to influence or reject EU legislation. The EU assembly will have its membership capped at 751 members from the current 785.

DECISION-MAKING:

The treaty will mean the EU can take decisions by majority rather than unanimous voting in 50 new areas including judicial and police cooperation, education and economic policy. Britain and Ireland get opt-outs in judicial and police areas. Unanimity is still required in foreign and defense policy, social security, taxation and culture.

NEXT STEP:

The aim is to have all EU countries ratify the treaty for EU-wide elections to the European Parliament, which are planned for June 2009.

EU takes US to task for protectionism trends
RENATA GOLDIROVA Today @ 09:21 CET

The EU has voiced frustration over worrying signs of protectionism in the United States, pointing to a planned increase of US farm subsidies as well as some anti-terrorism measures such as mandatory scanning of all goods containers entering American territory. We have noted with certain concern that there are signs of growing protectionism in a number of areas, reads the union's statement to the World Trade Organisation issued on Wednesday (11 June).The document attacks mounting restrictive import requirements for security purposes as they represent a considerable burden on EU exporters. The EU has hinted it may challenge the measures in front of the Geneva-based body. The EU raised doubts about the compliance of these measures with World Trade Organisation rules and their professed intent, the statement concludes. The two sides are the world's export leaders, with transatlantic trade amounting to €3 billion per day.

Higher farm subsidies

The EU has also criticised more generous hand-outs foreseen in the new 2008 US Farm Bill, especially in the context of the ongoing Doha development round of world trade talks. The Doha development round began in 2001 with the aim of cutting farm subsidies and tariffs and boosting free trade. The bill is the work of the US Congress which is pushing higher subsidies despite opposition from President George W. Bush. The [EU], like others, remains concerned that we are seeing less commitment to multilateralism than in the past, especially since the US has always been the main proponent as well as the beneficiary of the multilateral system, the EU statement says.The WTO attack comes a show of friendship between Brussels and Washington at the EU-US summit in Slovenia earlier this week.