The Lisbon Treaty (EU)

[Neser Boha]

BBC NEWS | Europe | Q&A: The Lisbon Treaty

Is the EU on course to complete ratification?

Yes, following the ruling on 3 November by the Czech constitutional court which threw out a legal challenge to the treaty presented by a group of senators. This - combined with Eurosceptic President Vaclav Klaus' shift towards accepting the treaty - clears the final obstacles to the charter's ratification.

Yeah, but will he ratify it?

Discuss your opinions of the Lisbon Treaty ... I myself would like to learn more about it.

 

[California Girl]

Europeans - a bunch of sheep walking blindly to slaughter.

There's a really good book about the EU, I can't remember the name of it but it's an unbiased factual book about the EU. Scary shit if you're European!!

I'm of the opinion that each country should have been required to hold a referendum on the treaty before they signed but very few have. And Ireland voted no the first time so they re-did it - while Ireland was tanking economically - and, hey presto, they get a 'yes'. I'm glad I'm not a European - I'd be seriously pissed at my government but they don't seem to care.

 

[Neser Boha]

Something iffy is definitely going on with the EU - the democracy deficit is one of the major problems. I'm not a patriot nor a nationalist, and I even have some serious problems with the notion of 'nationality' and the importance the concept is being assigned, etc., so I don't have a problem with the issue of sovereignty - however, I do have a HUGE issue with the democracy deficit.

Actually, Ireland was the only country that held a referendum.

About Europeans - not that much of a difference between us and the US ... some of us don't care, some of us are too busy living our lives, some are agitating even though it might not be visible from the US (nor would I claim Americans pay enough attention to international affairs outside their immediate sphere of influence, would you? ).

 

[Neser Boha]

UPDATE: Lisbon Treaty was ratified by the remaining country - the Czech Republic - after its courts ruled it constitutional. While Vaclav Klaus, the Czech president, was signing it, he said: "The Czech Republic ceases to be a sovereign state once the treaty goes into effect." He also claims the treaty is unconstitutional.

Klaus Signs Lisbon Treaty - WSJ.com