No campaigners cry foul over Lisbon guide

Scofflaw

hobochris wrote: »

Reading through the booklet that came out in the post Ive one thing to ask:
2014, what relevance does this year have to the Lisbon treaty? This year is mentioned in the literature,but it does not say what will happen after this year(2014)?

The agreements in Lisbon on matters like the QMV changes largely apply not to this EU 'term' (2009-2014) but the next one - 2014 on. For example, the reduced two-thirds Commission was due to kick in in 2014, according to Lisbon. That has now been superseded by the European Council agreement to retain the full Commission. Other changes, like QMV changes, are still due not to take effect until 2014.

cordially,
Scofflaw

Sam Vimes

hobochris wrote: »

Reading through the booklet that came out in the post Ive one thing to ask:
2014, what relevance does this year have to the Lisbon treaty? This year is mentioned in the literature,but it does not say what will happen after this year(2014)?

IF THE LISBON TREATY DOES NOT COME IN TO FORCE


The present rules provide that the number of Commissioners must be less than the number of member states once the number of member states reaches 27. There are currently 27 member states so, if the Lisbon Treaty is not ratified, then the next Commission must have less than 27 members. The current rules provide that the Council must decide, unanimously, how many Commission members there will be. The members must be chosen according to a rotation system based on the principle of equality and the Council must decide, unanimously, how exactly this is to be implemented.


IF THE LISBON TREATY DOES COME IN TO FORCE


If the Treaty comes into force then all member states will nominate a Commissioner for the period 2009 – 2014. The Lisbon Treaty provides a mechanism for the possible reduction of the size of the Commission from 2014. This mechanism, if used, would result in two-thirds of the member states, rather than all of them, nominating a Commissioner in 2014. There are 27 member states at present. So, if the number of member states remains the same, there would be 18 Commissioners in the period 2014 – 2019.


Under this mechanism the right to nominate a Commissioner would rotate among the member states on an equal basis. This means that each member state would nominate a member of the Commission for two out of every three Commissions (that is, for 10 years out of every 15 year cycle).


However, the European Council has decided that, if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified, it will not implement this mechanism in 2014 and will instead continue the present arrangement whereby each member state nominates a Commissioner.

http://www.lisbontreaty2009.ie/lisbon_treaty_european_commission.html

Liam Byrne

Sam Vimes wrote: »

However, the European Council has decided that, if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified, it will not implement this mechanism in 2014 and will instead continue the present arrangement whereby each member state nominates a Commissioner.

And yet the treaty that we're voting on does not include this change ?

oscarBravo

Liam Byrne wrote: »

And yet the treaty that we're voting on does not include this change ?

Indirectly, it does. It allows for the change to be made by unanimous decision, and it has been agreed that that decision will be taken.

Scofflaw

Liam Byrne wrote: »

And yet the treaty that we're voting on does not include this change ?

No change to the text is required. The Treaty allows for the setting of the number of Commissioners by unanimous agreement of the European Council, and the European Council have unanimously agreed that if Ireland ratifies Lisbon, the number they choose will be a full Commission.

cordially,
Scofflaw