Ireland could lose EU Commisioner

Riddle101

Read this in The Irish Times today. It said that Ireland and some other countries may lose their EU Commissioner if Ireland dose not Ratify the Treaty. They also said that Anti-EU organistation had warned that Ireland would lose their Commissioner if they did Ratify the Treaty.

I find it interesting because to me it sounds like the EU are starting to use blackmail of a sort in order to get Ireland to vote yes, now i don't know maybe it might not be blackmail but it just seems a little like the EU is trying to hint to Ireland that if they don't ratify it they'll take away our commissioner. I guess it's to be expected, i mean the EU is clearly determined to get it ratified and everyone who is Pro-Treaty seems to be pushing it into Ireland's face.

Anyway do you think this will effect Ireland decision in the next referendum? do you think that maybe people will continue to vote no ? And what is your oponion on it?

namloc1980

The Nice Treaty (which is the current Treaty the EU is operating under) contains a provision for a reduction in the number of commissioners anyway. But it doesn't set out any formal structure for who will or won't get commissioners. This is unlike the Lisbon Treaty which would have guaranteed a commissioner for every member state for 10 years out a 15 year cycle. This is something that the Yes campaign failed to get across in the last referndum. However the No camp used this to play on people's fears about the big bad EU taking away our representation......even though it was going to happen anyway under Nice.....and most likely with worse terms for Ireland.

Thirdfox

^ Agree with the above. As a would-be no voter I do think the no campaign (and sometimes the yes) doesn't provide people with a true picture of what is happening.

And really - I have no particular qualms with the Lisbon Treaty - most of the sovereignty issues have already been covered by previous treaties. However, I do want to have those in charge in Europe to reach out to the people and explain what is their master plan for the EU and its citizens. We have concensus building amongst nations but we need concensus building between people.

As a (what Palin would say) liberal intellectual elite - most people I know expect me to vote yes and I would do so - if the powers that be explained whether we are going towards a United States of Europe (something my German legal friends seem quite in favour of) or maintain our economic ties (without the closer socio-political aspects).

When there is no communication and the powers that be seem to be acting according solely to their idea of what is good and desirable this is a problem and something that I do not support (at least in our democratic states - my friend correctly pointed out the apparent hypocrisy of that with my views on China).

My feelings right now are: super trading bloc = yes, USE = not quite ready for that just yet (though I'm willing to be convinced).

genericgoon

Riddle101 wrote: »

Read this in The Irish Times today. It said that Ireland and some other countries may lose their EU Commissioner if Ireland dose not Ratify the Treaty. They also said that Anti-EU organistation had warned that Ireland would lose their Commissioner if they did Ratify the Treaty.

I find it interesting because to me it sounds like the EU are starting to use blackmail of a sort in order to get Ireland to vote yes, now i don't know maybe it might not be blackmail but it just seems a little like the EU is trying to hint to Ireland that if they don't ratify it they'll take away our commissioner. I guess it's to be expected, i mean the EU is clearly determined to get it ratified and everyone who is Pro-Treaty seems to be pushing it into Ireland's face.

Anyway do you think this will effect Ireland decision in the next referendum? do you think that maybe people will continue to vote no ? And what is your oponion on it?

A) Like has been said before, the Nice Treaty had already set out that the Commission was to be reduced. Its simply that without Lisbon, how this will be done has been thrown back up into the air.

We do have a European Union forum. Use it.

brianthebard

Ireland doesn't have Commisioner; but there are commisioners that are Irish.

K-9

brianthebard wrote: »

Ireland doesn't have Commisioner; but there are commisioners that are Irish.

Indeed, Libertas spun that lie well!

K4t

The EU has to be one of the most undemocratic institutions in existence.

The people of Europe do not decide matters affecting the European Union. Well they do, it's just their decisions are ignored.

Most European countries do not want the Lisbon Treaty (Mr. Sarkozy himself, his country are against it). We voted against it, rejected it. That should be it!

It seems to me there are two European Unions. One, whereby the various leaders make legislation which nobody really understands and aim to introduce it no matter what the citizens of the EU think. They just want more and more power and are not in touch with the general public at all!

And the people of the EU. We vote, then because we disagreed with Monsieur Sarkozy, all of a sudden we are a disgrace and are holding the EU back. :rolleyes:

Time Magazine

K4t wrote: »

The EU has to be one of the most undemocratic institutions in existence.

The British Monarchy.

I kind of agree with you, though. Wouldn't it be great if the EU were more democratic, implementing some of the reforms proposed by the Lisbon Treaty, for example.

The people of Europe do not decide matters affecting the European Union. Well they do, it's just their decisions are ignored.

Agreed. If a country in Europe doesn't want further EU integration they should be welcome to leave. This option should exist. If Lisbon had passed, it would.

Most European countries do not want the Lisbon Treaty (Mr. Sarkozy himself, his country are against it). We voted against it, rejected it. That should be it!

Just like Nice.

It seems to me there are two European Unions.

I think you're wrong, here.

Thirdfox

Well there's a Council of Europe but I doubt that's what he meant

Economist - well I wouldn't agree with your statement about if a country isn't happy with the EU they should just leave. Instead they should try to effect change from the inside rather than looking at the organisation from the outside.

The EFTA seems like a good idea - though I would like further integration than those countries...but not a common foreign policy or joint army - we have the UN for peacekeeping if we need to send a global force somewhere.

Notwithstanding my German colleagues, I've met plenty of Europeans who have expressed concern with the direction the EU seems to be taking, with or without the approval of its people.

Time Magazine

Thirdfox wrote: »

Economist - well I wouldn't agree with your statement about if a country isn't happy with the EU they should just leave. Instead they should try to effect change from the inside rather than looking at the organisation from the outside.

Sorry, I didn't express myself well here. Of course there should be negotiation and consensus and so on, but I think it's fundamentally undemocratic that one nation can stop all the others progressing and still be part of the gang.

The_Minister

K4t wrote: »

Most European countries do not want the Lisbon Treaty (Mr. Sarkozy himself, his country are against it). We voted against it, rejected it. That should be it!

You mean just like we rejected Divorce.....