A Constitution for Europe

capistrano

AngelofFire wrote:

1.The EU constitution supports militarisation, there is an article in there requiring member states to ''progressively undertake to improve their military capablilities'', as far as im concerned money spent on warfare is money that is not spent on welfare.

Rubbish. It doesn't even create a Common Defence. There is nothing in the constitution regarding defence that wasn't in the Nice Treaty.

AngelofFire wrote:

2.It will lead to a common foreign policy and will spell the end of irish neutrality, the council of ministers can decide foreign policy for all member states and all it needs is a majority of 55%. Meaning that if enough ministers decide that they want to follow America on another of its neo conservative crusades it will become the policy of the EU and ireland will have to follow.

Even more rubbish. Unanimity will be needed for a Common Foreign Policy. Do you really think that any of the big countries would have supported a situation where their foreign policy could be dictated by 55% (of what btw?).

AngelofFire wrote:

3.It will undoubtabley lead to privatisation of our public services, Europe over the last few years has moved towards the american model of mass liberalisation of public services. There are several articles on free movement of goods, one of the articles states that economic policy shall be of common interest which can also be decided by a 55% majority.Meaning that Europe can vote to privatise our importance services like transport, electricty even education.

There is nothing in it that will necessarily lead to privatisation of public services, which in itself is not necessartily a bad thing anyway.

So if you're going to spend all day reading the treaty the least you could do is represent it fairly.

This is exactly why we shouldn't be having a referendum at all. The "debate" will be nothing but the promulgation of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt by the sceptics. I personally think it's far too sophisticated an issue on which to have a referendum.

Have a look here to see the areas that will still require unaminity (includes, taxation, foreign, security and defence policies).

Bri

Rredwell wrote:

4. This is a rights-based document, which enshrines human freedom and dignity in Part I. This means that everything the EU does will be based on rights, not on greed. We will have a completely different approach to the US.

As much as I'm all for the progressive integration of the EU (at least for the foreseeable future) I have to point out that this seems a bit naive, or perhaps your talking theory-wise. Decision-making in the E.U. is still open to the usual diversions, despite its complex nature. For instance, the push to left the arms embargo to China.

AngelofFire

Capistrano what constitution did u read?

Bri

AngelofFire wrote:

It will lead to a common foreign policy and will spell the end of irish neutrality, the council of ministers can decide foreign policy for all member states and all it needs is a majority of 55%.

Do you understand the concept of QMV? QMV is now defined as 55 % (but at least 15) of the Member States representing at least 65 per cent of the E.U.'s population. A blocking minority can be formed by at least 4 Member States. Council members representing at least three-quarters of a blocking minority (either at the level of Member States or the level of population) can demand that the Council should further discuss the issue.

And in response to your neutrality comment, that particular article "shall not prejudice the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States [i.e. neutral countries]" More here
Also, defence decisions are to be adopted unanimously.

Tbh your reading of it just worries me, as capistrano points out...in that your one of the few who'll even go further than just taking hearsay, etc. as a guide - and yet you still seem to misunderstand it.