It’s been announced today that France is to hold its referendum on the Constitution on Sunday 29th May.
Tag Archives: European Union
Not Perfect But Good
The debate on the constitution is getting feisty. It’s clear that, at least among our readers, the constitutional treaty has fervent detractors.
Over to Mr Hamilton
The establishment of a Constitution, in time of profound peace, by the voluntary ocnsent of a whole people, is a PRODIGY, to the completion of which I look forward with trembling anxiety. I can reconcile it to no rules of prudence to let go the hold we now have, in so arduous an enterprise, upon seven out of the thirteen States, and after having passed over so considerable a part of the ground, to recommence the course. I dread the more the consequences of new attempts, because I know that POWERFUL INDIVIDUALS, in this and in other States, are enemies to a general national government in every possible shape.
So let us put one question on the table. If not this constitution, then what?
Can the current structure accommodate 25 members? What about 28 in three years’ time? And 33 or more over the next decade? Would another convention produce better results? Why? Or should the EU be scrapped altogether? Would this not have negative consequences?
Keeping Tabs on the Constitution
The Center for Applied Policy Research (CAP) has put up a page detailing the steps on the way to ratification for the European constitution. Green, yellow and red lights mark the status in each country, and the chart can be viewed by country name or by ratification date. Unfortunately, the page is only available in a German version. (Full disclosure: I used to work at the CAP and still count a number of their projects as clients. But don’t think that means I will be able to persuade them to put up an English version.)
Fortunately, the Commission has done something roughly similar. Its page features an interactive map along with the expected list. The CAP’s commentary is more interesting, as might be expected. The Commission has also posted a version in French.
One of the CAP’s experts told me last week that the only significant problem for the constitution is the UK. Sentiments in France appear to be moving in favor of ratification. The other big and medium countries are also expected to have relatively easy paths toward ratification. And as for the smaller ones, well, it’s not like Malta would be truly missed if it opted to leave the Union.
But the UK is another matter. Not only politically and economically significant for the EU, but also home to one of the few fundamental debates about the Union. Normally this is a handicap, but in this case it will air essential issues in a way that probably hasn’t been done since the UK originally voted to join. This will probably be a real roller coaster ride.
A Common Public Sphere.
The extraordinary nature of the disaster and the suffering caused by the Tsunami that hit East Asia are obviously calling for extraordinary measures. I’m not sure this is the first time the entire EU felt the need to jontly commemorate, but I’m not aware of any previous instance.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – The European Union [held] a three-minute silence at 12pm (11am GMT) today to commemorate the victims of the tsunami as the official death toll rises to around 150,000.
The EU [asked] “the whole of the European Union to observe three minutes of silence in order to show solidarity and mourn the victims of the disaster.”
On noon today, most of Europe indeed honoured the Tsunami victims. Planes did not take off or land, stocks were not bought or sold, food was not served or eaten as millions of Europeans stood silent, praying for or otherwise remembering those whose lives were taken or destroyed by a single giant wave on December 26.
Hungary Ratifies EU Constitution.
It is probably a mere coincident that the last troops of Hungary’s Iraq contingent completed their withdrawal from the current coalition of the willing as the Hungarian Parliament voted 322 to 12 in favor of the European Constitution yesterday, more than the required two-thirds majority. President Ferenc Madl’s signature on the law will formally make Hungary the second country to ratify the document (via AP, AFP).
Announcing The First European Weblog Awards
Today is a good day because I get to announce The First European Weblog Awards. The purpose of the awards is to recognize the efforts and contributions of Europe’s many talented bloggers, to maybe help build a sense of community among us, and, more than anything, it’s a chance for people to discover lots of new good blogs.
Also, awards are fun.
Categories chronologically:
Thursday:
Best European Weblog Overall
Best Political Weblog
Best UK Blog
Friday:
Nominees for Best French Weblog
Nominate Best New Weblog
Nominees for Best German Blog
Saturday:
Nominate Best Non-European Weblog
Nominate Best Culture Weblog
Nominate Best Tech Weblog
Nominees for Best Personal Weblog
Sunday
Nominees for Best Expat Blog
Best Coverage of A Single Country or Region
Nominate Most Underappreciated Weblog
Monday
Nominees for Best Coverage of the European Union
Nominees for Best Southeastern European Weblog
Nominees for Best CIS blog
Nominees for Best Writing
Rules:
You can nominate as many blogs as you like. Please don’t be shy about nominating your own blog.
There’ll be a post for each category. Nominations should preferably be in the form of comments or trackbacks to the relevant post.
Only European blogs are elegible. By that we mean that the blog should be written by Europeans, or else focus on some European issue. (Czech, Catalan…)
This weblog is not eligible for any awards, but our contributors’ other blogs are.
The nominating phase will go on for several weeks. The finalists will be determined by the number of nominations and our discretion.
We’ll introduce categories gradually during the day, and maybe tomorrow throughout the week. I will update this post with links to the nomination posts.
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The uses of soft power
Harry’s Place and Cabalamat both got to this Robert Kagan piece in the Washington Post (registration or Bug Me Not required) before me, and there’s not too much to add to Phil’s rather interesting remarks on it. As a sidenote to his contention that the EU is the Borg – ‘you will be assimilated (and enjoy it) – resistance is irrelevant’ – I can remember an episode of one of the myriad Star Trek series where someone made the same argument about the Federation.
I have a feeling that the Ukrainian crisis may, when we look back at it from ten or twenty years down the line, turn out to be one of those crucial turning points for the EU. It’s not just in terms of the Europe-Russia-US geopolitics that have been discussed quite extensively over the last two weeks, but it’s also important in the EU’s image of itself. It’s reiterated the idea that the countries of the former Eastern Bloc want to join the EU, that it has what Kagan calls ‘the power of the attraction’ but it’s also shown, as Phil discusses, that there are ways to use the ‘soft power’ of the EU constructively. Javier Solana may talk softly, but his big stick is economic and cultural rather than military, even though these may take longer to have an effect and cause changes.
Of course, one test for the EU will be to see how far away from its borders this sort of power can be wielded (it’s important to remember that the EU will most likely have a border with Iran in the medium term) and whether this soft power can be applied globally or merely within the neighbourhood.
Not Everybody Likes Orange
Or the idea that while Russia can bring hundreds of millions of goodies for Kuchma and Yanukovych, the European Union, Poland and other countries to the west have things to offer too.
One publication from Ukraine sees the conference we mentioned as evidence that Germany has been plotting a coup in Kiev. (The URL in the article takes me to a binary stream that I didn’t trust; maybe someone else can enlighten us on what temnik.com.ua is all about.) It doesn’t look like the authors — who considered the fall of Milosevic a coup, too — have discovered Fistful yet.
Anyway, below the fold is a taste of how the other side thinks. (Thanks to the Ukraine List for the translation.)
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We Have A New European Commission
Despite not being entirely satisfied with the revised team, it was expected that the European Parliament would endorse Jose Manuel Barroso’s second Commission proposal with a large majority in order not to further weaken the Commission, the Parliament’s “natural” institutional ally.
And that’s what happened today. With Rocco Buttiglione and Igrida Udina out, Franco Frattini and Andris Piebalgs in, and a little portfolio tweaking, the new Commission was approved by 449 to 149, while 82 MEPs abstained from casting their vote.
The BBC has the new European Commission at-a-glance.
Update: No Honeymoon For Neelie Kroes.
When taking office next Monday, Neelie Kroes, the controversial new Dutch competition Commissioner, will be stripped of responsibility for at least three of the competition DGs investigations because of possible conflicts of interest, according to a report by Deutsche Welle, based upon statements by a Commission spokesperson. Ms Kroes, whose extensive business ties remained a considerable concern to MEPs even though they supported the team as a whole, has agreed with the Commission President to transfer cases with a perceived possible conflict of interest to another Commissioner.
Europe’s happy because it eats lard
Blood and Treasure informs us of a pressing matter caused by EU expansion – a shortage of lard in British supermarkets. But it may not represent all bad news:
But when you think about it, lard is a great metaphor for the European Union. Wherever you go there?s the same bland, white, fatty mass. But each country brings something special to this bland, white, fatty mass, something that takes it and transforms it into literally heart-stopping comfort food. ?Out of many, one? say the united statespersons. ?Out of one lump of lard ? many pies? respond the Euros.
Mmm, pie.