Britannia Radio

This, of course, is a damned outrage.  We know that; they know that.  
But they also know that nobody from any government will challenge the 
legality of this flouting of the law.  They are so convinced that 
they will get their Constitution / Treaty that there's no point in 
waiting.

They also appear to be carrying on as if the word 'economic 
recession' was something unheard of and that credit crunch doesn't 
apply to them!

But then it doesn't apply to them,  for they don't have to raise the 
money; they don't have to face the voters and in the case of Britain 
nobody in politics would ever admit that any increased taxes were due 
to enforced demands from the EU

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SUNDAY TIMES    14.8.08
EU ignores Lisbon vote and initiates spending spree
The EU plans to spend ?7.8 billion promoting itself as a "global 
player" next year and 22% more on justice and home affairs for new 
powers under the still-unratified treaty
Nicola Smith

The European Union appears to be ignoring Ireland's No vote on the 
Lisbon treaty and pressing ahead with massive spending increases to 
implement its provisions.

The EU plans to spend ?7.8 billion promoting itself as a "global 
player" next year and 22% more on justice and home affairs for new 
powers under the still-unratified treaty in its budget set to be 
agreed by Brussels in December.

The ?7.8 billion will be used to promote EU interests across the 
world from Latin America to Africa, the Caribbean and Russia, with 
?300m spent on EU embassies and a near ?14m "information" budget to 
help "sell" Europe's new role as a global heavyweight.

Critics say the budget may be unlawful. "This appears to be 
stretching the boundaries of legality by dressing up expenditure on 
areas of new powers under the Lisbon treaty as falling within 
existing powers," said Martin Howe QC, a leading constitutional lawyer.

Next year the EU budget will reach ?145 billion.

Despite the stalemate over Ireland's rejection of the treaty in June, 
budget documents make it clear that financial plans are in place to 
fund Europe's new powers next year.

"In 2009, the EU should also see the entry into force of the treaty 
of Lisbon," states the budget's introduction, before setting out 
details of large spending rises in some of the treaty's most 
ambitious new areas. Foreign policy is a key part of the treaty's 
goal to make "Europe's voice stronger in the world" by introducing a 
new EU foreign minister and diplomatic service. In 2009, spending on 
"external relations" staff in the EU's overseas delegations will rise 
to ?225m.

The EU will spend ?65m on co-operation with Iran, Iraq and Yemen, 
?115m on promoting democracy, ?370m on Latin America, ?1.35 billion 
on Africa, Caribbean and Pacific states, ?20m on EU special 
representatives and ?61m on EU police missions.

"The EU is trying to buy itself credibility on the international 
stage by spending millions on things that are illegitimate without 
the ratification of the treaty," said Chris Heaton-Harris, a Tory MEP 
on the budgetary control committee.

Spending on justice and home affairs, where the treaty introduces 
many new powers in police and judicial co-operation, asylum and 
immigration and border controls, will increase sharply. Next year the 
budget in this area will rise 22% to ?897m. In 2004 it was only ?152m.

A further ?45m will be spent on citizenship and fundamental rights 
linked to the controversial new Charter of Fundamental Rights, 
compared to ?1m in 2004.

Last week the Irish government said it was "still far too early" to 
find a solution to the country's No vote on the treaty. Critics argue 
Brussels is already laying the financial groundwork for its new powers.

"The EU is pressing ahead as if nothing happened, and is doing all 
the things it was planning to do under the Lisbon treaty anyway," 
said Neil O'Brien, director of the Open Europe think-tank. "They are 
arrogantly assuming that they will be able to force the treaty 
through, regardless of the Irish No vote."

Opponents of the budget also argue that it pays over ?1.2 billion to 
organisations promoting further EU integration, on groups that lobby 
Brussels - including trade unions - and on a vast "communications" 
budget. In one project, Euroglobe, nearly ?600,000 is to be spent on 
a mobile theatre to "foster a European public space for debate".

A commission spokesman said the spending increases were independent 
of the treaty, but more money would be added if it was passed. "There 
is no spending linked to the Lisbon treaty included in the budget," 
she said