BETA


2007/2613(RSP) Preparation of the European Council following the Irish referendum (Brussels, 19-20 June 2008)

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 123-p2

Events

2008/06/18
   EP - Debate in Parliament
Details

MEPs discussed preparations for the forthcoming European Council of 19 and 20 June 2008. The main priority of this debate being the negative result of the referendum in Ireland, which was respected by the Council, the Commission and all political groups. They also underlined the need to continue the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.

While a majority of the groups insisted on continuing the ratification process, some minority groups called for an immediate end to it.

The positions expressed by the different political groups are summarised as follows:

EPP-ED : the President of the Group invited the European Council to analyse the situation in Ireland and called on Member States, which have not already done so, to ratify the Treaty. Questioning the meaning of the message from the Irish population, he considered it as a call for the EU to better define its missions and increase transparency. The “no” vote, in his opinion, reflected the lack of understanding of the complexity of EU legislation, for which the Parliament is partly to blame. He highlighted that the aim of the EU to guarantee peace on the continent of Europe is no longer being supported by the younger generation. The President also called on the European Council to tackle the practical concerns of citizens. PES : the President of the Group criticised the Council of Ministers for the lack of transparency of their debates. He stressed that the Irish “no” vote pointed to a crisis in confidence in national and supranational institutions. He deplored the fact that Charlie McCreevy, the Internal Market Commissioner, admitted to not even having read the Treaty. Lastly, he called on the EPP Group to pull its weight in Parliament to tackle social issues and financial market control and to oppose the Commission’s policy which deregulates the internal market to the extreme. ALDE : the leader of the Group stressed that it was not only the Commission and Parliament’s responsibility to enlighten the citizens on the Treaty, but also the national parliaments. He called for a campaign to recall the rationale behind the EU. He also invited the Council to take more interest in matters concerning Europe, namely the stimulation of trade, the fight against climate change, the fight against rising prices of food and fuel. Greens/EFA : the Group stated that the EU needed a short constitution and a Charter of fundamental rights as well as sufficient economic resources. It expressed the hope that Member States would launch a new initiative to develop a more efficient Europe, which is impossible with the Treaty of Nice. UEN : the Group representative called for more time to given to analyse Irish “no” vote and for respect to be shown for democratic opinions. He urged the EU to take on challenges such as rising food and oil prices and called for further solidarity. GUE/NGL : after the French and Dutch “no” votes, or the opposition to the Bolkestein directive, the President of the Group felt that the Irish rejection reflected the crisis of legitimacy of the current European model that increases precariousness as opposed to protecting the citizens. He also criticised the complexity of the European decision-making process, which excludes citizens. He deplores the lack of clarity of the Lisbon Treaty. IND/DEM : the representative of the Group congratulated the Irish on the outcome of the referendum. He called for a halt in the ratification process.

Responding to Members , the President of the Commission welcomed the consensus in the European Parliament to continue the process of ratification. According to him, the only way to construct legitimacy for it is to present concrete results to the citizens. Margot Wallström presented her reasons to continue the process: the Charter of fundamental rights and the affirmation of European values ​​and being able to speak with one voice in the world as regards prosperity, energy and development. Recognising the need to analyse the reasons for the Irish vote, the Commission announced its intention to intensify its communication plan to further engage citizens in the European project on a permanent basis.

On behalf of the Council , Janez Lenarčič expressed his confidence in the possibility to find, as has been done in the past, a solution to the situation created by the Irish “no” vote. In the meantime, he stated that the EU should focus on the preparations for the European Council and address important issues such as the environment, global challenges and EU enlargement.

2008/06/18
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2008/06/16
   CSL - Debate in Council
Documents
2008/06/16
   CSL - Council Meeting
2008/05/26
   CSL - Debate in Council
Documents
2008/05/26
   CSL - Council Meeting

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

activities
  • body: CSL meeting_id: 2869 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=2869*&MEET_DATE=26/05/2008 type: Debate in Council title: 2869 council: General Affairs date: 2008-05-26T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting
  • body: CSL meeting_id: 2878 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=2878*&MEET_DATE=16/06/2008 type: Debate in Council title: 2878 council: General Affairs date: 2008-06-16T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting
  • date: 2008-06-18T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20080618&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
commission
  • body: EC dg: Secretariat-General commissioner: BARROSO José Manuel
committees
    council
    • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 2878 url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=2878*&MEET_DATE=16/06/2008 date: 2008-06-16T00:00:00
    • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: General Affairs meeting_id: 2869 url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=2869*&MEET_DATE=26/05/2008 date: 2008-05-26T00:00:00
    events
    • date: 2008-05-26T00:00:00 type: Debate in Council body: CSL docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=2869*&MEET_DATE=26/05/2008 title: 2869
    • date: 2008-06-16T00:00:00 type: Debate in Council body: CSL docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=2878*&MEET_DATE=16/06/2008 title: 2878
    • date: 2008-06-18T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20080618&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament summary: MEPs discussed preparations for the forthcoming European Council of 19 and 20 June 2008. The main priority of this debate being the negative result of the referendum in Ireland, which was respected by the Council, the Commission and all political groups. They also underlined the need to continue the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. While a majority of the groups insisted on continuing the ratification process, some minority groups called for an immediate end to it. The positions expressed by the different political groups are summarised as follows: EPP-ED : the President of the Group invited the European Council to analyse the situation in Ireland and called on Member States, which have not already done so, to ratify the Treaty. Questioning the meaning of the message from the Irish population, he considered it as a call for the EU to better define its missions and increase transparency. The “no” vote, in his opinion, reflected the lack of understanding of the complexity of EU legislation, for which the Parliament is partly to blame. He highlighted that the aim of the EU to guarantee peace on the continent of Europe is no longer being supported by the younger generation. The President also called on the European Council to tackle the practical concerns of citizens. PES : the President of the Group criticised the Council of Ministers for the lack of transparency of their debates. He stressed that the Irish “no” vote pointed to a crisis in confidence in national and supranational institutions. He deplored the fact that Charlie McCreevy, the Internal Market Commissioner, admitted to not even having read the Treaty. Lastly, he called on the EPP Group to pull its weight in Parliament to tackle social issues and financial market control and to oppose the Commission’s policy which deregulates the internal market to the extreme. ALDE : the leader of the Group stressed that it was not only the Commission and Parliament’s responsibility to enlighten the citizens on the Treaty, but also the national parliaments. He called for a campaign to recall the rationale behind the EU. He also invited the Council to take more interest in matters concerning Europe, namely the stimulation of trade, the fight against climate change, the fight against rising prices of food and fuel. Greens/EFA : the Group stated that the EU needed a short constitution and a Charter of fundamental rights as well as sufficient economic resources. It expressed the hope that Member States would launch a new initiative to develop a more efficient Europe, which is impossible with the Treaty of Nice. UEN : the Group representative called for more time to given to analyse Irish “no” vote and for respect to be shown for democratic opinions. He urged the EU to take on challenges such as rising food and oil prices and called for further solidarity. GUE/NGL : after the French and Dutch “no” votes, or the opposition to the Bolkestein directive, the President of the Group felt that the Irish rejection reflected the crisis of legitimacy of the current European model that increases precariousness as opposed to protecting the citizens. He also criticised the complexity of the European decision-making process, which excludes citizens. He deplores the lack of clarity of the Lisbon Treaty. IND/DEM : the representative of the Group congratulated the Irish on the outcome of the referendum. He called for a halt in the ratification process. Responding to Members , the President of the Commission welcomed the consensus in the European Parliament to continue the process of ratification. According to him, the only way to construct legitimacy for it is to present concrete results to the citizens. Margot Wallström presented her reasons to continue the process: the Charter of fundamental rights and the affirmation of European values ​​and being able to speak with one voice in the world as regards prosperity, energy and development. Recognising the need to analyse the reasons for the Irish vote, the Commission announced its intention to intensify its communication plan to further engage citizens in the European project on a permanent basis. On behalf of the Council , Janez Lenarčič expressed his confidence in the possibility to find, as has been done in the past, a solution to the situation created by the Irish “no” vote. In the meantime, he stated that the EU should focus on the preparations for the European Council and address important issues such as the environment, global challenges and EU enlargement.
    • date: 2008-06-18T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
    links
    other
    • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Former Council configuration
    • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/secretariat_general/index_en.htm title: Secretariat-General commissioner: BARROSO José Manuel
    procedure/legal_basis/0
    Rules of Procedure EP 123-p2
    procedure/legal_basis/0
    Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 123-p2
    procedure/subject
    Old
    • 8.40.14 European Council
    New
    8.40.14
    European Council
    procedure/subtype
    Old
    Resolution on statements
    New
    Resolution on statement
    procedure/title
    Old
    Preparation of the European Council following the Irish referendum (Brussels, 19-20 June 2008)
    New
    Preparation of the European Council following the Irish referendum (Brussels, 19-20 June 2008)
    other/1/dg/title
    Old
    Secretariat General
    New
    Secretariat-General
    procedure/subject/0
    Old
    8.40.14 European Council meetings
    New
    8.40.14 European Council
    procedure/subject/0
    Old
    8.40.14 European councils
    New
    8.40.14 European Council meetings
    activities
    • body: CSL meeting_id: 2869 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=2869*&MEET_DATE=26/05/2008 type: Debate in Council title: 2869 council: General Affairs date: 2008-05-26T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting
    • body: CSL meeting_id: 2878 docs: url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=2878*&MEET_DATE=16/06/2008 type: Debate in Council title: 2878 council: General Affairs date: 2008-06-16T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting
    • date: 2008-06-18T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20080618&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
    committees
      links
      other
      • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Former Council configuration
      • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/secretariat_general/index_en.htm title: Secretariat General commissioner: BARROSO José Manuel
      procedure
      reference
      2007/2613(RSP)
      title
      Preparation of the European Council following the Irish referendum (Brussels, 19-20 June 2008)
      legal_basis
      Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 123-p2
      stage_reached
      Procedure completed
      subtype
      Resolution on statements
      type
      RSP - Resolutions on topical subjects
      subject
      8.40.14 European councils