Gerhard Schröder and Tony Blair celebrate the historic deal
Posted on 06/18/2004 9:24:07 PM PDT by monkapotamus
Britain signs up to new union of Europe
By George Jones and Ambrose Evans-Pritchard in Brussels
(Filed: 19/06/2004)
European leaders signed the EU's first constitution last night after an acrimonious summit exposed deep divisions between Britain, France and Germany over the future of Europe.
The historic deal was concluded after two years of wrangling, culminating in a power struggle between Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac, the French president.
Gerhard Schröder and Tony Blair celebrate the historic deal |
It sealed the union of 25 countries and 450 million citizens, extending across the old Iron Curtain into former communist eastern Europe.
Mr Blair, weary but relieved, said after 12 hours of negotiations in Brussels that a "new Europe" of strong, proud nation states that co-operated was taking shape. It was one in which Britain could feel at home.
The Prime Minister said he had won all his key demands and retained the right of veto on tax, foreign policy, social security and the rebate from the EU budget. The constitution was a "great success for Britain and a success for Europe".
He said: "I don't think there is a consensus in Europe for some federal superstate. That has gone as an idea."
He was immediately contradicted by Mr Chirac who has been pressing for closer European integration and who had earlier clashed sharply with him.
Mr Blair rebuked Mr Chirac and Gerhard Schröder, the German chancellor, for treating the EU as if it were their exclusive inner circle. His spokesman said: "There are no first class and second class citizens. We are all equal members of the European community."
Mr Chirac said he was very happy with the result. It would create "a federation of states but also of peoples". It would lead to "very extensive" advances in majority voting, especially in justice and home affairs and opened the way for a European prosecutor.
While it was regrettable that Britain had blocked majority voting on tax, "it would happen anyway". Britain would not be able to stop core groups of countries pressing ahead with integration on their own.
The summit leaders will see the accord on the constitution as a victory after a wave of public apathy and Euroscepticism in last week's European Parliament elections.
But the threat of rejection by any one of the member states due to hold a referendum on the treaty could still sink it. Mr Blair confirmed that Britain would hold a referendum by the end of 2006 but refused to be drawn on timing.
He acknowledged, after last week's surprise gains for the UK Independence Party, which wants to pull out of the EU, that he had a lot of persuading to do. He also admitted that he should have conceded the demand for a referendum earlier.
Relief over the deal was tempered by a failure to agree on a new president for the European Union's executive. The Irish EU presidency postponed the decision and Guy Verhofstadt, the Belgian prime minister, who had been the front-runner, withdrew from the race.
France and Germany had pushed for him to be given the EU's leading job. But his nomination was blocked by a British-led group of countries which said he was an arch-federalist and anti-American.
The leaders gave a standing ovation to Bertie Ahern, the Irish prime minister. He resurrected negotiations that collapsed last December and steered them to success through Dublin's six-month presidency of the EU.
Mr Blair made clear that Mr Chirac and Mr Schröder, - whose alliance has been regarded as the motor of the EU, could no longer treat Europe as their private club.
"We are operating in a Europe of 25, not six or two or one," his spokesman said.
While Mr Blair claimed success in securing his red lines safeguards on tax, social security, foreign affairs and the budget rebate, agreement on the constitution will plunge him into a domestic battle.
The referendum will be the first time the nation has voted on membership of Europe since its decision in 1975 to stay in the Common Market.
The breakthrough on the constitution was achieved despite the summit being overshadowed by a bitter dispute over a successor to Romano Prodi, who steps down as the president of the European Commission in November.
As the summit ended and the leaders went home, Dick Roche, the Irish Europe minister, said: "The issue of the presidency will be left over for another day."
Mr Blair had led a successful move to block France and Germany's favourite for the EU's leading job: Mr Verhofstadt, an arch-federalist and fierce critic of the Iraq war.
That was after Mr Chirac had effectively vetoed the appointment of Chris Patten, the former Tory chairman.
The constitution introduces more majority voting, reducing the use of national vetoes; gives national parliaments more say before EU legislation is enacted; and creates a supreme court, a president of the European Council and a foreign minister.
Goodbye English Rose...hello New World Order.
Tony Wins, But down the road the EU is sunk and we REALLY win..Read RR take, and that was 10+ years ago...Go Tony...
Tony, you just screwed your country to hell.
Britain was always America's mole in the EU.
Cheers!
Yes but he might be EU president one day !
Full details have yet to emerge but I suspect it's not good news for those who value national sovereignty.
450 million socialists and communists trying to share the common wealth of 25 different countries, this could be our next adversary. How long before a dictator assumes control.
Of course there may be one in place already.
So now it's official. Britain is a charter member of the new Soviet Union. Goodbye Britain - once again it becomes apparent why we left you in the first place. Enjoy your eternity in the world's newest Hell of your own creation. I'll bet Churchill's tomb is smoking right about now.
And don't come crying to us when you finally realize just how screwed you really are. Too late. We won't be shedding any more blood for Europe unless it's when we end up kicking your spineless asses back to the Bronze Age.
Drop your arms embargo to China as your new French and German masters desire, and it'll be the last straw.
Not just yet - this signature will go to referendum. The British people are very queasy about this thing, and I think are leaning in favor of rejection.
Ironic, India is adapting Western Ideals, while Britan is abandoing them.
Is this Bizzaro World?.
Is this true of all nations or just England?
Exactly.
Kiss any effective concept of NATO we have left goodbye.
I don't think Europeans are actually looking at this very closely. Seems like they are running towards being the new U.S.S.R.
A govt. structure with the ability to override national sovereignty on many governing issues is not something I think is wise to be heading into.
Look at what has happened in their process to date. You got Belg, Germ, and France running around claiming to have a vote that is more powerful and overriding than the other smaller and newer europe countries. Everybody paying taxes to a govt. that as individuals...they don't really have any way to hold them accoutable or restrained. And some countries were not being given a real voice during the process, even though they were shelling out money. With in the past year they actually had a German rep. bring up the idea that they should have an EU military and smaller countries would have no need for defense forces (red flag shoots up there!). Not to mention that suggested that the actual forces could be supplied from France...and Germany.
That got blasted and shot down pretty quickly.
And underneath all of this....you have Germany who has been really building up, at break neck speed, in the military arena. History has shown that, every time Germany has done this, the end result and agenda has not been good. Not to mention the issue about Socialists really getting in the drivers seat there again.
We are only kidding ourselves if we don't think we need to keep an eye on this.
So Britain got rolled?
NATO was effectively neutered when Clinton allowed the French and Germans to dictate Balkan policy and take advantage of the dismemberment of the former Yugoslavia.
Sometimes I think our troops in Europe are no longer defenders but just a good source of revenue for the Germans.
What planet are you on? The german defense budget has been hovering stable at about 24 billion euros annualy for years. Nothing compared to 400 billion dollars in the US.
you don't want to bet me on this...
The ramp up of rotary wing aircraft. an increased buy in in modern weapons technology.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.