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Cork City Council
MOTION |
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EUROPEAN COMMISSION
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The COUNCIL of MINISTERS |
RE-WEIGHTING OF COUNCIL VOTES
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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
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QUALIFIED
MAJORITY VOTING |
ENHANCED
COOPERATION |
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COMMON FOREIGN &
SECURITY |
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FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS |
REGIONS ECONOMIC SOCIAL
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COURT OF JUSTICE |
COURT
OF AUDITORS |
FUTURE OF
EUROPE |
YES |
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Cork City Council Motion
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The TREATY OF NICE
'This Council urges a
YES VOTE
on
the Treaty of Nice
aware of its role in a developing European Union
and facilitating-
1.The process of enlargement enabling Eastern European Nations the opportunity for economic
& social development that Ireland enjoys today.
2. A united, fair, just, prosperous and peaceful Europe.
3 A neutral Independent Europe, developing policies and practices, acquiring allies and
friends, contributing and enriching to peoples in need and enriching humanity and civilization
into the 21"Ccntury"
(Proposer: Comhairleoir B. Bermingham 02/190)
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The Institute of European Affairs, 8 North Great George’s
Street, Dublin 1.
web:
www.iiea.com
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YES
Cork City Council Motion -
Lord
Mayor…
Momentous events in Irelands recent history are clearly identifiable,
Ø
1800 The Act of Union.
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1922 The Anglo-Irish Treaty, and of course
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1973 Irelands Referendum 10.05.1972 allow EEC membership - entry into the Common
market>European Economic Community>The European Community>and today called
The European Union.
All sides in
this debate [with few exceptions] agree that the EU has changed Ireland for the better.
The influence of
the European ideal-on all its Members States in diverse areas- is significant and
magnificent
From ensuring PEACE and - PLURALIST DEMOCRACY as essential for membership to
directing within member states including Ireland - Gender Equality, Consumer Protection,
Environmental Protection, Liberalisation of Air transportation, Food Safety, Employment
Equality, Health and Safety at Work-.
And in addition for Ireland Industrialisation in attracting modern Industries in
pharmacy Electronics and software, with modern ideas in Industrial Relations …etc…etc…have
contributed to a better Ireland.
We see around us the EU impact on Greater Cork and the City Manager outlined
some of the Monetary gains to this area in reply to a question I submitted a number of weeks
ago.
Then and since then, the Irish people
agreed in successive referenda on earlier EU Treaties, >>1987 Single European act >>>>1992
Maastrict >>>1998 Amsterdam>o pool our Strength and Resources with other countries in order to
be able to achieve more together, than we could ever achieve separately.
The Irish electorate now, faces a truly historic decision as we face the
biggest
European Union
change, for all its members. since
Ireland joined in
1973.
Ireland has REJECTED the NICE TREATY.
The
front-runners for
European Union
Membership
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Slovenia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Estonia -
have expressed shock and disappointment at the Irish result.
They had looked
to Ireland as a
mentor - a model for economic growth and success, which has blossomed from
European Union
Membership.
Have we shot ourselves in the foot?
Has prosperity changed us from a people
engaging with the world, contributing to people in need from hunger and disease, protecting
people from hostile forces, to a selfish people who want and want and want?
Have we the ability
to embrace the European small Nations.
To facilitate them
Joining
the European Union.
To deepen and strengthen their Democracy.
To increase their long-term security from
hostile nations.
To assist in their prosperity and economic
wellbeing.
I do not
believe that we Irish are selfish?
For deep down I feel that the Irish people will take
this opportunity –
to lead, enable, facilitate and assist –
fellow Europeans who
endured so-much hardship under Fascists and Communists Regimes for so-long, to take their
rightful place amongst European Nations, and that they will view Ireland not as
an OBSTACLE,
but as a friend
in need
and a friend
indeed.
So lets look at this
Treaty again,
The Irish Nation and people deserves a reconsideration of their decision; those who say
otherwise are bordering on the hysteria and are
VETOING
the people’s fundamentally democratic rights.
1.
It is right
and proper that the Irish people exercise
a.
The right to
re-evaluate their decision
b.
The right to
affirm that decision or to change that decision for whatever reason.
2.
The peoples
rights are supreme and may express and change their views.
3.
The “NO” campaign wishes to deny the sovereign right of the people because of
their lack of confidence in its outcome.
THE PURPOSE of the TREATY OF NICE is
Ø
To
facilitate enlargement of the European Union.
Ø
To
address the consequent institutional changes and voting procedures to facilitate efficient
operation.
Its STATUS TO DATE
is that by now, all but Ireland,
have accepted the Nice
Treaty -
such is the strength of the economic and political move towards
EU INTEGRATION AND
ENLARGEMENT.
ON REPRESENTATION -
Ireland gets a good deal from Nice, given the balance to be struck when other countries’
interests are taken into account.
At the end of
the Day, it’s not about weighing /
Vetoing
or Voting
but
PRESENCE,
and Ireland has an abundance of presence.
By 2004 the Following may
coincide
– Irish Presidency of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox, Irish Presidency of the European
Commission and Irish Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
It’s only the
negative, the small thinkers the little Ireland-ers -who persist in downing Irelands
ability to influence an increasingly important Influential
Europe in the 21 Century.
In the matter of
Commissionerships,
the Nice Treaty establishes equality between large and small states with the dropping of
the second Commissioner with the larger states- something that has never existed before.
Ireland will keep its Commissioner after the addition of 10 extra states, and should Europe
enlarge beyond 27 an EQUAL SYSTEM OF ROTATION will APPLY.
ON ITERESTS
Ireland has
vital interests to defend in the EU.
Ø
Proportionately, we receive far more from
the
Common Agricultural Policy
than any other Union State. Ireland's case for retaining support for its agriculture will be
strengthened as an enthusiastic member.
Ø
One of the strongest incentives Ireland can offer American investors here is the fact, that we
play a central role in setting the commercial policies for the largest market in the world -
the EU.
Ø
A
'YES 'vote in Ireland may assist the British Government to get approval from their
electorate to join the Euro. This would be very helpful to Irish Trade, with Britain and
Northern Ireland.
Ø
It
would once again
monetarily
REUNITE IRELAND,
something we all desire, excepting it seems -
Sinn Fein
– and their fellow “NO” campaigners.
On VISION
The move to enlarge - to a European Union of 27
States brings an urgent need and challenge for Irish people to realise that
1.
The Treaty of
NICE will, in fact, increase Ireland's influence by bringing more members into the Union.
2.
That this
country, and its representatives, will be at the heart of decision-rnaking in the
largest economic bloc in the world.
3.
So that whilst we hugely benefit from Structural
and Regional Funds, Farming, and Business - vital as these are - our interest and
our involvement go beyond them.
4.
Ireland
Influence at the heart of the European Union should be such as to enable us to shape the
trust of European and consequently
global policy
adhering to our
value system for the
betterment of mankind.
5.
I want Ireland
to tackle global environmental, food shortage, health problems, and trade issues, as part of an
independent influentially powerful for good, European Union.
6.
The time and
challenge has come for Ireland to seek to set Europe's constitutional, political, economic and
social agenda.
VOTE YES
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Key
Elements of the Treaty of Nice |
WHY EU? ENLARGEMENT |
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What changes are
considered necessary to facilitate the enlargement of the EU?
The two main
changes that are under discussion are in the areas of.
(a) reform of the EU institutions
and
(b) changes in voting procedures.
Why are reforms of
the EU institutions necessary?
The present institutions were originally designed for six member
states.
The reform of the EU's institutions is necessary to facilitate efficient working
procedures after enlargement.
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What are the main institutions of the
European Union? |
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There are three central EU institutions in which
all member states are represented.
European Commission
Council of Ministers
European
Parliament
These three are supported by two other main institutions:
the Court of
Justice and
the Court of Auditors.
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EUROPEAN COMMISSION
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What is the function
of the European Commission?
The European Commission has three main tasks:
It
introduces EU legislation,
It implements EU policy as approved by the Council and the
Parliament, and
It acts as a watchdog to ensure member states respect EU law and EU policy
decisions.
The President
and the members of the Commission are appointed by the member states (subject to the approval
of the European Parliament).
The Treaty of NICE also increases the powers of
the President of the Commission and makes changes to the manner in which the President is
appointed.
In the Treaty of
Amsterdam
It was agreed that there will be one Commissioner per Member State with the
5 larger Member States nominating one rather than two Commissioners, provided that the number
of votes each member state has in The Council of Ministers was adjusted.
Under the Treaty of NICE
Regardless of size each member state old
and new will nominate one commissioner from 2005. This will continue until membership of
the Union reaches 27 when the EU reaches 27 members ,
the
council of ministers will decide the size of the commission.
This decision must be taken
unanimously.
It is agreed that from that point there will be fewer than 27 commissioners.
It is guaranteed that the right to nominate a commissioner will be rotated among all
member states on a strictly equal and fair basis.
This will for the
first time establish full equality between Member States as regards nominations to
the Commission.
On the prospect of all member States giving up their automatic right to a
member of the policy-guiding commission, the Nice deal
stipulates that this will not occur until the EU reaches 27 member States.
That is not expected before 2010 at earliest, and possibly not until 2014,
and thereafter a fair rotation arrangement must be unanimously agreed.
How would
the composition of the European Commission change after enlargement? The term of the
current Commission ends in December 2004.
It is envisaged that in 2004 all member states at
that time would each nominate one Commissioner for the following five years.
If the total
number of members reaches 27 it is envisaged the European commission would decide upon a system
of rotation and may also decide to introduce a ceiling on the total number of commissioners.
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What is the Council of Ministers?
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The Council of Ministers represents the
member states.
The Council meets in different formations according to the agenda, for
example:
foreign affairs, finance, agriculture.
The Council of Ministers enacts EU laws
jointly with the European Parliament.
It makes its decisions, depending on the issue,
either by unanimity or by Qualified Majority Voting (QMV).
QMV,
already the most common form of decision-making has been in use since the EEC was founded.
It has been extended
in the Treaty of NICE to a further thirty areas.
RE-WEIGHTING OF COUNCIL VOTES
How would voting in the Council of Ministers
be affected by enlargement?
For decisions under Qualified Majority Voting
(QMV),
Voting weights have been adjusted to take into account future enlargement and the loss of a
second Commissioner by larger Member States.
each country's vote in the Council of Ministers is weighted in accordance with their population
and size but with heavier weighting for smaller countries.
How many votes would Ireland have
at meetings of an enlarged Council of Ministers?
Ireland currently has 3 votes of 87 representing 3.4% in a Union of 15 Member
States). At
present all votes combined produce a total of 87, with a minimum of 62 required to reach
agreement.
After the accession of the 12 present applicants, Ireland would have 7 votes out of 345
representing 2% in a Union of 27.
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Success | |
VOTES |
Population |
| votes |
%* |
Union |
Total |
IRL |
IRL% |
IRL% |
| 87-62 |
71.26 |
15 |
87 |
3 |
3.45 |
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| 345-255 |
73.9 |
27 |
345 |
7 |
2.02 |
0.08 |
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*The threshold for a qualified majority has an additional requirement that
a proposal be supported by a majority of
Member States and
a requirement for support of States representing at least 62% of the
Union's total population will be required.
Areas such as tax, police and judicial co-operation and foreign policy will continue to be
excluded.
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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
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Members of the European Parliament (MEPS)
represent the citizens of the member states and are elected every five years.
Parliament
enacts EU laws [jointly with the Council of Ministers),
Establishes the EU budget jointly
with the Council of Ministers) and
Supervises the Commission as it implements EU policy.
At present
Ireland has 15 MEP representing 2.3% of the total number of 626 MEPS in a EU of 15
States
Ireland will have 12 members representing
1.6%
of the total number of 732 MEPS THE UPPER LIMIT in the Treaty of
NICE in a EU of 27States
This % figure is larger than Ireland's share
of 0.75% of the total enlarged EU population.
MEPs work within pan-European political groups representative of their national political
parties.
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ENHANCED COOPERATION
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Enhanced Co-operation and Flexibility represents a
process by which at least eight member states co-operate together to form a sub-group in a new
area of activity, if unanimously agreed by all member states.
It allows other member states
opt out if the areas are considered less suited to their needs.
The
Treaty of Nice makes changes to the provisions governing the operation of 'enhanced
cooperation' agreed in the Treaty of Amsterdam.
The conditions under which it can
take place are slightly amended, while at the same time a series of safeguards is set out in a
consolidated format.
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COMMON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY
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The Treaty of Nice makes
limited change to existing Treaty provisions by deleting references to the Western
European Union and by providing a treaty basis for the Political and Security Committee in
Brussels.
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FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND NON-DISCRIMINATION
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The Treaty of Nice
extends existing EU powers to take action against a Member State judged to be in breach of
fundamental principles (including democracy and human rights) by giving it the right to warn a
Member State where there is a serious risk that such a breach might occur.
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FUTURE OF EUROPE
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A Declaration on the Future of the European
Union
appended to the Treaty of NICE calls for a wide-ranging debate,
sets up a process leading to a
future IGC and
identifies four topics for consideration.
Competences,
Charter of Fundamental Rights,
Simplification of Treaties,
Role of national parliaments
Since
the Nice Treaty was signed, the process has been taken forward
by the Laeken Declaration (December 2001) and the establishment of the European Convention.
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COURT OF JUSTICE
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The entitlement of all Member States to
nominate a judge to the Court of Justice is formalised.
Extra powers have been given to the
Court of First Instance to allow the Court of Justice concentrate on the most important
matters.
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COURT OF AUDITORS
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The Treaty
of NICE enshrines the right of each Member State to nominate a Member to the Court.
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COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE
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The Treaty of Nice makes provision for an increase in the size
of both Committees from 222 to a maximum of 350 to allow for enlargement.
Ireland will
continue to nominate 9 full members and 9 alternates to each Committee.
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