The treaty, which will come into force within a few weeks, will create the first president of Europe, as well as a European foreign minister, and will end Britain’s right to veto new EU rules in more than 40 policy areas. The treaty's supporters say it will allow the EU to operate more efficiently and give it greater influence in world affairs. But critics say it will cede too much more of Britain's sovereignty to Brussels. Vaclav Klaus, the President of the Czech Republic, yesterday signed the Lisbon Treaty, ending eight years of resistance to its attempt to give more power to the EU. The Czechs are the last of the 27 EU states to sign the treaty, and their move forced the Conservatives to abandon their pledge to hold a British referendum on Lisbon. William Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, said it was “a bad day for British democracy”. David Cameron, the Conservative leader, will today set out plans for an alternative Tory pledge to renegotiate several parts of Britain’s EU membership, trying to win back control over social and employment laws. It is understood that one of Mr Cameron's options will be to guarantee a referendum for British voters under a Tory government if any more national powers were in danger of being ceded to Brussels. Mr Cameron’s retreat on announcing a referendum on the newly ratified treaty has led to accusations of breaking his promise and betraying the British people. The Lisbon Treaty is based on the European Constitution, which started at a summit in Brussels in December 2001. Gordon Brown hailed the Czech signature as “a historic step,” and European leaders said it will create a more powerful EU. Despite the scale of the changes the treaty makes, the British people have never been directly consulted on the document, which was ratified in a Commons vote and signed by Mr Brown in 2007. Labour won the 2005 general election having promised a referendum on the European Constitution but then dropped the pledge, arguing that Lisbon was a different document. The Conservatives gave a “cast-iron” guarantee of a vote on Lisbon. But after Mr Klaus signed the text, the Tories admitted that they will not offer voters a say on Lisbon. Mr Hague said that once ratified, the treaty will cease to exist as a distinct legal document, meaning no vote can be held on it. He said: “Now that the treaty has become European law and is going to enter into force, that means that a referendum can no longer prevent the creation of the president of the European council, the loss of British national vetoes, these things will already have happened, and a referendum cannot unwind them or prevent them.” Daniel Hannan, a Tory MEP and leading Euro-sceptic said the signing was a step towards a European super-state. “The boot continues to stamp on the human face,” he said. Mr Hague last night attempted to blame Labour for the treaty’s passage. He said: “People have never been consulted or voted in a general election for this. "The British people have never even voted once, and we will not let people forget whose responsibility that is.” Mr Brown insisted that the signing of the treaty was something to celebrate. He said: “Today is a day when Europe looks forward, when it sets aside years of debate on its institutions, and moves to take strong and collective action on the issues that matter most to European citizens: security, climate change, jobs and growth.” Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, said that the treaty means “The EU will become stronger and more capable of acting.” One of the most visible changes the treaty makes is the creation of a new permanent president for the EU, who will chair European summits and set the union’s agenda. EU leaders will now meet at a special summit later this month to pick a president. Mr Brown has been backing Tony Blair’s bid for the job, but EU leaders have turned against the former premier. Instead of a high-profile president, European leaders are now leaning towards a low-key “chairman” for the job. Herman Van Rompuy of Belgian and Jan Peter Balkenende are the current favourites. The treaty will give the EU many of the trappings of a nation-state, including its own foreign minister – officially titled the high representative for foreign affairs – and an “External Action Service,” effectively a European diplomatic corps. David Miliband, the foreign secretary, is leading candidate for the EU foreign policy job. Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, said that the signing of the treaty would allow the EU to start acting as a global player. “The new external profile for the European Union will be felt immediately," he said. Joseph Daul, a French MEP close to Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, said the decision meant more collective EU action. “Europe can now move forward,” he said. “The Treaty will allow effective European action in areas where solutions are urgent, such as the financial and economic crisis, climate change and energy”Lisbon Treaty: more of Britain's powers surrendered to Brussels
Britain's power to govern itself is to be surrendered increasingly to Brussels after the European Union’s Lisbon Treaty was finally ratified.
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
Posts
