De Rossa says EU Parliament might reject new treaty

[David Cochrane]

Statement in from outgoing MEP Proinsias De Rossa.....

Dublin Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa has today called on EU government leaders to place greater emphasis on solidarity and growth with jobs in the negotiations on the new inter-governmental treaty for a 'fiscal stability pact' in Europe, otherwise the European Parliament could reject it.

Endorsing the resolution adopted by the European Parliament today which is critical of the proposed treaty, Mr De Rossa said that fiscal consolidation alone would not get Europe out of the economic crisis: "We need to ensure that austerity measures are balanced with concrete action to promote solidarity and growth with jobs. The EP supports the establishment of a redemption fund, project bonds, a financial transaction tax within EU law and a roadmap for the proposed 'stability bonds'.

"We also need to safeguard the 'Community method', which is the fundamental building block of the EU and which has served it and particularly smaller countries like Ireland well for the past fifty years. All EU governments must keep in mind that this means maintaining the balance between the three basic institutions - the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament - each of which has essential and interrelated treaty-based roles in decision-making and in governing the EU. By definition, an inter-governmental or 'Europe of nation states' will result in domination by the larger countries, which will inevitably lead to a disintegration of the EU given that the majority of states are small to medium sized. The Community institutions as a whole are designed to ensure decisions are in the interests of all citizens and not just those privileged to live in large prosperous states. There is in particular a need to protect the role the directly-elected European Parliament as the key to balancing the behind doors deal-making, which inter-governmentalism generates.

"The Socialists and Democrats Group is critically engaged in these negotiations. We believe the current path towards a purely inter-governmental treaty could have been avoided, and we are working to limit the damage to the EU's political and legal structures. However, if the new treaty does not address the EP's fundamental concerns, we are ready to make use all the political and legal instruments at our disposal to oppose this agreement."

[Goldencircle]

who?

[MacCoise2]

Full of bull sh it to the last but would it even matter?

This is not an EU Treaty!

[ibis]

Hmm. Not just the Parliament either:

BRUSSELS (MNI) - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso spoke out Wednesday against what he called the attempt by some EU governments to create new institutions through the Fiscal Compact treaty being negotiated by all the EU's members except the United Kingdom.

At the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Barroso said that the Commission and the Parliament were "rejecting drafting that could have established parallel inter-governmental coordination of economic policy, outside the European Union framework."

"The euro area must be strengthened, yes, but not at the expense of the wider Union," he said. "The introduction of parallel structures would embed divisions that could jeopardise the Union and also jeopardise the single market and therefore the future viability of the euro itself."

The Commission president said the EU's executive institution, which is charged with ensuring the application of EU laws, wanted the Fiscal Compact for tougher budget discipline to be integrated into EU law within five years, and that it would insist that the new treaty recognize the "primacy of EU law and its full application, in particular that of EU procedures whenever the adoption of secondary law is required."

Barroso said that some amendments proposed by EU governments in negotiations last week "could only lead to irritation and to division," but avoided comment on amendments that the European Central Bank said could create loopholes for governments to escape the tough rules they are supposed support.

[DownTheyGo]

Hmm. Not just the Parliament either:

Reading the above, an Irish referendum is merely a ripple. Bigger waves to glide here.

[ibis]

Green-EFA resolution - they certainly appear more than slightly dubious:

Greens/EFA motion for a resolution

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the conclusions of the European Council of 9 and 10 December 2011,

- having regard to the statement of the Euro Area Heads of State and Government of 9December 2011,

- having regard to the "Six-Pack" and the two Commission proposals on further strengthening fiscal discipline [1][1];

- having regard to the state of play of the negotiations on the draft international agreement on a reinforced economic union,

- having regard to the submission made on behalf of the Parliament by its representatives in the ad hoc working group

Expresses its doubts on the necessity of such intergovernmental agreement, most chief objectives of which can be better and more effectively achieved through EU law, further in giving a firm urgent and sustainable response to the current financial and economic crises and the social crisis in many Member states of the EU; nevertheless remains ready to work towards a constructive solution;
Affirms its support for the submission made to the ad hoc working group by the Members nominated by the Conference of Presidents to represent the Parliament; regrets that so far the draft agreement of 10 January 2012 does not reflect the proposals of the European Parliament, notes the support of many Member states for some proposals made at the meeting of 12 January 2012; will consider its position having received the final draft expected on 18 January 2012;
Is deeply convinced that only through the Community method can the Monetary Union evolve into a true economic and fiscal union; recalls that the EU is a political project, based on common values and on strong common institutions and respect for common rules;
Insists also, in particular, that:
The new agreement shall without ambiguity accept explicitly the primacy of EU law over its provisions;
All measures to implement the agreement shall be taken in accordance with the relevant procedures provided for in the EU Treaties;
The agreement must be in conformity with EU law, in particular as regards the figures in the Stability and Growth Pact, and where Contracting Parties wish to commit to targets at variance with EU law, this must be done through the applicable EU legal procedures and must not lead to the establishment of double standards;
Democratic accountability must be respected through a strengthening of both European and national Parliamentary participation in all aspects of European economic coordination and governance;
cooperation between national parliaments and the European Parliament must operate within the EU Treaties, in accordance with Article 9 of Protocol 1 to the Treaty;
the new agreement must enshrine, in legally binding form, a commitment by the Contracting Parties to take all necessary steps to ensure that the agreement will in substance be integrated at the latest within five years into the Treaty;
Reiterates its calls for a Union both of stability and of sustainable growth; believes that fiscal discipline, although being the basis for sustainable growth, will not on its own bring about recovery and that the agreement must send a clear message that Europe's leaders will take equally vigorous action on both fronts and insists therefore that the agreement must include a commitment of the Contracting Parties to measures promoting stronger convergence and competitiveness as well as proposals for a redemption fund, project bonds, a Financial Transaction Tax within EU law and, while ensuring fiscal discipline, a roadmap for stability bonds;
Underlines that the same institutional, legal and political aspects are concerned in relation to other multilateral agreements dealing with the financial crisis, for instance the European Stability Mechanism, therefore requests that the EP participates in the same way in these negotiations;
Reserves the right to use all political and legal instruments at its disposal to defend EU law and the role of the EU institutions, especially if elements of the final agreement are incompatible with EU law;
Reminds the Commission that it has a duty to exercise its full institutional role as guardian of the Treaties;
Calls on its President to forward this resolution to the Heads of State and Government, the President of the Council, the President of the Euro group, the Commission and the European Central Bank.

I would assume that if the Parliament and the Commission are opposed to the agreement, it's not likely to be judicable by the ECJ. It might also, I suppose, be taken (in extremis) to be illegal under the Treaties, which would create a conflict.

[john moriarty]

Reading the above, an Irish referendum is merely a ripple. Bigger waves to glide here.

They must be the only surfers
who never actually get in the
water. Get it over with already.

[DownTheyGo]

Green-EFA resolution - they certainly appear more than slightly dubious:



I would assume that if the Parliament and the Commission are opposed to the agreement, it's not likely to be judicable by the ECJ. It might also, I suppose, be taken (in extremis) to be illegal under the Treaties, which would create a conflict.

Barosso is actually starting to grow a pair, maybe.

[SilverSpurs]

Statement in from outgoing MEP Proinsias De Rossa.....

Since when was the worlds most expensive retirement home competent to reject a treaty? These guys should stick to claiming unvouched expenses and signing in and buggering off for the day to eat caviar and truffles. While the implementation of the fiscal compact cannot conflict with commitments under the EU treaties there is nothing in EU law to prevent side agreements per se.