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Lisbon Treaty - Finian stands for a Democratic and Peaceful Europe |
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Friday, 20 June 2008 21:53 |
Finian stands for a democratic and peaceful Europe. Here he voices his concerns on the Lisbon Treaty
1. There is an obligation on member states to increase their military capacity Article 28.3 "Member States shall undertake progressively to improve their military capabilities".
2. The incorporation of the European Defence Agency (E.D.A.) into the European Treaties. The purpose of the E.D.A. is to promote the European Arms Industry. At present 29% of global arms sales assist in the development of the E.U.'s defence capabilities.
3. Be a self-amending Treaty which would permit the EU Prime Ministers to shift most of the remaining policy areas where unanimity still exists, to majority voting, without a need for new EU Treaties or referendums (Article 48).
4. Article 16: Dealing with population size, could be a power-grab by the Big States for control of this new Union. By basing EU law-making primarily on population size, the Lisbon Treaty would double Germany's say on the EU Council of Ministers from 8% to 17%. France's say would go from 8% to 13%, Britain's and Italy's from their current 8% to 12% each. Ireland's voting weight on a population basis would be more than halved to 1%.
5. Remove any Irish voice from the EU Commission, the body which has the monopoly of proposing all EU laws, for five years out of every 15 (Article 17.5).
Vote NO to the Lisbon Treaty
FINIAN MCGRATH T.D.
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