Ratification Mechanisms

Scofflaw

This useful site has a roundup of all the EU treaties - ratification mechanisms, negotiating positions, preparatory documents, IGC texts....something in there for all of us.


cordially,
Scofflaw

Scofflaw

Here's a general summary of the positions of the various member states in respect of the failed Constitution and the proposed Lisbon Treaty:

In the forfield of the Brussels European Council 21/22 June 2007, Member States could generally be grouped into four categories (EurActiv):

* The Group of the Friends of the Constitution, those Countries who attempted to maintain the current constitutional text - Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain;

* A similar second group which tried to keep the current text and would have liked to see provisions on specific policy areas added. These were mainly the eighteen countries, which had ratified, as well as those who were willing to ratify, notably Ireland, Portugal, Sweden and Denmark.

* France and the Netherlands prefered a different text, in order to be able to pass it through ratification successfully, following the failed referenda on the EU Constitution in their countries in 2005.

* The UK, Poland and the Czech Republic opposed the current Constitutional text and attempted to reopen the debate on some of its key elements.

Who are the two other countries who are possible further candidates for non-ratification this time? The Czech Republic and Poland. Interesting.

Also interesting is that nearly all the small countries wanted to keep the existing text.

cordially,
Scofflaw