By Sarah Collins - 18th June 2008
Commission president José Manuel Barroso has “fully endorsed” Irish taoiseach Brian Cowen’s request for more time to reflect on the outcome of the rejection of the Lisbon treaty.
He gave the Irish until October to come up with a plan, saying, “We must find a way for the EU to move forward together and maintain equality between all member states.”
Cowen told journalists in advance of the summit of EU leaders on Thursday that it was “far too early” to put forward propositions on what would happen next.
He would not be drawn on the possibility of a second referendum in the country, saying, “We need to think and reflect on where we go from here. [Ireland’s] decision must be accepted and respected.”
The Irish rejected the Lisbon treaty by just over 53 per cent last Thursday, effectively putting paid to it being legally introduced as it stands.
However, Barroso has underlined that the eight EU member states that have not ratified it – the UK became the 18th country to say yes to Lisbon on Wednesday night – must be allowed to continue to do so.
“We agree that the decision of the people of Ireland must be respected but the right of other member states to agree their own positions must also be respected,” he told journalists.
Cowen was meeting with Barroso for the first time since he took up the reins as taoiseach at the beginning of May, and will face EU leaders in council Thursday evening, where he is expected to formally present Ireland’s case.
EU member states are divided over how to approach the vacuum created by the rejection of the treaty. Germany is taking Barroso’s line that Ireland should be given more time, while France is pushing for a second referendum on the issue.
Media reports over the last few days suggest that Ireland could be given additional protocols to appease fears the country will lose its military neutrality, compromise its strong anti-abortion stance and be unable to protect its low corporate tax rate if it adopts the treaty.
Barroso has brushed off suggestions, though, that the EU could make institutional changes to the Lisbon treaty at this stage to placate the Irish, who were also concerned at the loss of their commissioner in the reorganisation of the EU that would be brought about by Lisbon.
“This treaty was negotiated for a long time by 27 member states, and was signed by 27 governments. To introduce institutional changes in it would be extraordinarily difficult,” Barroso warned.
Cowen will meet with German chancellor Angela Merkel in advance of the EU summit today, as well as Slovenian president Janez Janša and EU parliament president Hans-Gert Pöttering.
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