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Cowen says part of Lisbon treaty can be passed without new referendum

02 September 2008

The Irish Independent reports that Irish PM Brian Cowen has indicated that parts of the Lisbon Treaty can be ratified in the Dail (Irish lower chamber) without a referendum. The article notes that “it is understood that Mr Cowen sees this course of action as an option.” It is also noted that Cowen and his Foreign Minister Michael Martin yesterday discussed the Lisbon Treaty with their European counterparts at the summit on the crisis in Georgia, but afterwards Cowen refused to say whether there would be a second referendum, dismissing all such talk as “speculation”. Meanwhile, EUobserver reports that European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering called on all member states to ratify the Lisbon Treaty "as quickly as possible", saying that the Georgian crisis proved why it is important for the EU to be united.

 

Declan Ganley, the leader of Irish ‘no’ group Libertas, will today discuss the outcome of the Irish referendum with MEPs in Brussels and will propose alternatives to the Lisbon Treaty.

EUobserver Open Europe blog

 

EU Commission: British media influence in Ireland is fuelling “anti-European” feeling

The Irish Times reports on a private EU Commission briefing lamenting the increasingly “eurosceptic” nature of the Irish press – singling out in particular the influence of British newspapers in the country. It also complained about the “foreign” news articles being syndicated out to Irish newspapers – the Irish Independent takes much of its European news from the Telegraph .

 

The briefing notes: "There is a shift away from the State news radio and TV stations. This means that the quality of debate has suffered”, and warned that "Apart from official websites, the internet has largely been a space left to anti-European feeling.”

Irish Times

 

Sarkozy repeats claim that Lisbon Treaty would have helped EU deal with Russia;

EU fails to agree sanctions – unarmed observers to keep Russian army in check

Europe's leaders yesterday failed to agree on sanctions against Russia as a result of profound differences of approach towards Moscow. However, they did agree to “postpone” partnership and co-operation talks with Russia unless it respected the terms of the ceasefire with Georgia.  Unarmed EU civilian observers are to be sent to Georgia to ensure that Russia is abiding by its ceasefire agreement.

 

Deutsche Welle says the European Commission also pledged an extra 6m euros in aid to Georgia, on top of the 9m euros already awarded by individual member states, prompting Commission President José Manuel Barroso to say that the EU’s commitment to the troubled country is not merely “rhetoric”.   However, a recent report from the International Crisis Group noted that the EU’s commitment of aid to Georgia is “dwarfed” by the $420 million pledged by Russia to South Ossetia.

 

A leader in the WSJ reports that Nicolas Sarkozy said that "This crisis has shown that Europe needs to have strong and stable institutions" like those that would have been created under Lisbon.  The leader argues, “No, what Europe needs is political will… For now, the Continent is determined to talk things out with Moscow. When will it realize that Moscow doesn't want to listen?”

 

"What is the point of the EU summit and a Georgian fudge?" asks Bruno Waterfield on his Telegraph blog. "What is the point of an EU foreign policy that can reconcile British and east European calls for tough ‘sanctions’ against Russia (even if it is all just talk) with the conciliatory approach of France, Germany and Italy?"

 

Former UK Ambassador to the US, Christopher Meyer, argues in the Times that Europe needs to be divided into defined spheres of influence in the style of the 1815 Vienna settlement: “This may sound shocking and anachronistic to the modern sensibility. But, there is no other way to remove the scope for miscalculation, the mother of far too many wars.”

 

The Independent notes that the “conciliatory faction” amongst EU states was briefing that the EU might lack "hard" economic or military power but could bring Russia into line with the "soft power" of the attractions of European free trade, investment and technology.  Alexander Stubb, the Finnish Foreign Minister, also Chairman of the East-West security body, the OSCE, said: "There has been too much testosterone flying around. It's time now for everyone to calm down.” El Pais reports that German big business has lobbied hard against sanctioning Russia.

 

The Telegraph reports that over 1,000 people staged a rare anti-government rally in the semi-autonomous Russian republic of Ingushetia, arguably the most volatile spot in the troubled region, after a prominent activist, journalist and Kremlin critic was shot dead while in police custody at the weekend.

Guardian leader The Guardian Independent Independent Dejevsky Irish Times Smyth Telegraph Telegraph 2  WSJ WSJ leader Scotsman Euractiv IHT IHT2 Irish Independent Times Sun AFP EUobserver DW DW-opinion Telegraph Waterfield Deutsche Welle ICG report summary El Pais

 

Sarkozy wants EU defence policy in place by the end of the year; “EU is less divided than US”

At a press conference yesterday on Georgia, Nicolas Sarkozy said he wanted to see a “more ambitious” European defence policy.  Libération journalist Jean Quatremer says that afterwards, in the corridor, Sarkozy told him “just how attached he is to the establishment of a European defence and that he hoped to achieve this before the end of the French Presidency.”  He adds: “A French diplomat told me later that the redefinition of a European security doctrine is in progress and that a first draft would be ready for the European Council in October.” 

 

Quatremer notes that Sarkozy also claimed that “Europe has less divisions than the US” over Georgia, saying, “In the solution to this crisis, who is at the moment the most effective to help Georgia?  Is that measured by the number of boats?”

Coulisses de Bruxelles

 

Top commercial law firm: EU temp worker rules will increase costs and lead to fewer jobs

The Mail reports that a new study has shown that almost two-thirds of employers will use fewer agency workers, or none at all, if the EU’s Temporary Agency Workers Directive is introduced. The Directive would give agency workers the same pay, hours and holiday rights as full-time workers after 12 weeks with a company. The research, conducted by law firm Eversheds, shows that employers are worried that the additional paperwork and administration could increase the costs of employing temps by a quarter. Martin Warren, head of employment law at Eversheds, said: “These findings show that there are some strong feelings about the proposed legislation among UK employers.”

 

Britain had for several years blocked the Temps Directive, but caved in this summer in return for a temporary opt-out from the EU’s 48-hour working week. The CBI had previously warned that the Directive could cost the UK economy 250,000 jobs. The European Parliament will vote on the proposal later in the autumn, and if approved, the rules will come in to force in 2010.

Mail Open Europe briefing paper

 

Sarkozy urged to “strengthen” Europe’s social agenda

Le Monde reports that Nicolas Sarkozy has received a delegation from the European Trade Union Confederation at the Elysée Palace, who presented him with a “motion” on their expectations for Europe, including an appeal for France to “strengthen Europe’s social dimension”, explaining that “Europe needs a strong social agenda.”  The ETUC receives funding from the EU.

No link

 

The European Parliament's industry committee has recommended a relaxation of European Commission proposals for severe emission curbs on vehicles.

EU Observer Autoweek

 

World

 

Japanese PM Fukuda has resigned.
FT