Jenseits davon aber sollte man sich ernsthaft überlegen, ob es für alle Beteiligten und Europa nicht besser wäre, wenn sich im Rahmen von Nizza und auf Grundlage des gemeinsamen Marktes die Wege trennen würden: Diejenigen Mitgliedstaaten, welche die politische Integration wollen, sollten weitergehen. Und diejenigen, welche mit dem gemeinsamen Markt zufrieden sind, sollten zurückbleiben.
We should seriously consider that it might be better for all participants and Europe if the ways would part on the basis of the Nice Treaty and the common market: Those Nations which want to form a political union should move forward, and those which are content with the common market should stay where they are.
This is more and more what I think we should do. Going ahead with Lisbon without Ireland would be bold step, but also a very disruptive one and goes against the consent oriented nature of European Union. However my impression is that based on the Nice Treaty especially articel 43 (or is it paragraph 43), which allows enhanced cooperation of some of the member states (essentially the first step of a multi-speed europe) some states in the EU might be able to move forward.
Especially when it comes to foreign policy this might be an option. It should be possible for willing countries to establish a foreign policy representative and foreign policy service on their own. Maybe something similar could even be done concerning the permanent presidency. Some countries could simply establish a person and an office which coordinates their meeting in the council.
Update: Here is a link to a page explaining the article I am talking about and I noticed now that the field of foreign policy is explicitly mentioned as a field where enhanced cooperation is possible.
Update II: It seams that in the field of Foreign Policy "enhanced cooperation" can be vetoed (but it is unlikely that Ireland would do that).
Update III: It seams that Juncker agrees with me according to this article from Financial Times Deutschland (I am currently not in the mood to translate it):
Der Premierminister betonte jedoch, integrationswillige Regierungen würden sich von einer dauerhaften irischen Ablehnung nicht aufhalten lassen. "In diesen Fall gilt der Nizza-Vertrag eben weiter", sagte Juncker. "Dieser Vertrag sieht vor, dass einige Länder ihre Integration im Rahmen der verstärkten Zusammenarbeit weiter vertiefen können." Das Instrument erlaubt es einer Gruppe von mindestens acht EU-Ländern, etwa bei in der Verteidigungs- oder der Steuerpolitik enger zu kooperieren als der Rest.
2 comments:
RZ,
Sometimes, and especially these last days, one sees comments with the message that ratification by every member state is 'democratic' or that the only 'democratic' conclusion is to wreck a treaty if one member state rejects it.
There is nothing democratic in minority terror.
There is nothing democratic in forcing the vast majority to resort to cumbersome and extraordinary means, if the real need is for a small minority to opt out of what almost every other member wants.
And, in general, since we live in the fragile world of international treaties, there is precious little democracy in international relations historically.
The EU foreign ministers have made comforting noises, and the heads of state or government will hand out more or less soothing conslusions in a couple of days, I presume.
But we will have to follow how it all plays out in the end.
And we should do our best to envisage firm foundations for future European integration. The present ones are almost destined to lead to catastrophes each time we need to change the treaties.
The present European Union is a house of cards on clay feet, if you allow the mixed metaphors.
grahnlaw, I agree that the word "democracy" is being misused to mean only refererdums are that only accetptable form of "democracy."
I do also find that a minority of EU citizens voing "no" to a that 18 other Member States want is certianly not "democratic," but a form of tyranny of a minority.
Also RZ, thanks for the tips about my blog...I'm embed the links next-time.
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