EU

At an  extraordinary meeting of the Parliament of the Czech Republic on Tuesday, 9 December, it was decided to defer the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty at least until 3 February 2009.

The government spokesman who said on Tuesday (26 August) that "Nothing whatsoever has been decided" on whether there would be a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty was telling some of the truth. Dick Roche was telling more of the truth when he said on Morning Ireland on Tuesday that he believed a second referendum would be held.

Vincent Browne visited Brussels over the weekend of 11 July and spoke to several EU officials. On the basis of those off-the-record conversations, he gives the following insight into the Brussels response to the Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty.

What was said about the Lisbon Treaty 

The EU can get on with its business as before but there is one problem ahead which requires attention now

Since the Irish rejection of the Lisbon Treaty on 12 June, sirens of alarm have shrieked in Dublin, Brussels, Berlin and Paris over the damage this has done to the European Union and threats to Ireland's future participation in the European Union

For the first time, the rejected EU Constitution and Lisbon Treaty sought to incorporate into the formal structure of the European Union, the huge European armaments industries. Even following these defeats the European Defence Agency continues to prepare for war and plan future armaments.
By Carol Fox

Article 188 R [222], [new article] is presented and discussed below:

Article 188 B [206], [ex Art. 131 EC, amended], presented and discussed below:

Article 174 [191], [ex Art. 174 EC, amended], presented and discussed below