EU Politics

The next Commission President?

April 24, 2012
By Stephen
The next Commission President?

European Commissioner Viviane Reding (Photo credit: Wikipedia) According to Euractiv jostling for the nomination for the next European Commission President has begun. As the next President will be picked based on the who is the largest party in the next European Parliament, elected in 2014, it will be a contest between European People’s Party, EPP, (currently the largest party) and the Party of European Socialists ,PES, the next largest party, who sit as the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and...

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Could we be voting on the ESM Treaty Amendment also?

April 17, 2012
By Stephen
Could we be voting on the ESM Treaty Amendment also?

Independent TD, Thomas Pringle of Donegal South West, is taking the Government to court claiming that the ESM Treaty ratification should have been via a referendum rather then just a vote in the Oireachtas. This treaty change is linked to the Fiscal Compact which Ireland will be having a referendum on ratification on May 31st. Deputy Pringle is concerned that the European Stability Mechanism treaty and the Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (Fiscal Compact)...

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The European Parliament elections 2014 will be huge – But not in Ireland

April 15, 2012
By Stephen
The European Parliament elections 2014 will be huge – But not in Ireland

Ronny has a good post on his blog why the next the European Parliament Elections will be different from past ones. This election will quiet important with both the Party of European Socialists (PES) and the European People’s Party (EPP) putting forward agreed candidates for the post of President of the European Commission. There is also the possibility of the Pirate Party becoming a European political force as they will be running in most of the countries of the European...

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30th Amendment to Constitution – Text

April 13, 2012
By Stephen
30th Amendment to Constitution – Text

The Bill amending the Constitution to allow Ireland to ratify the Fiscal Compact is now available on the Oireachtas Website (PDF). The bill proposes inserting a new sub-section 10 to Article 29 which deals with foreign affairs. The new section will read as follows: 10° The State may ratify the Treaty on Stability, Coordination andGovernance in the Economic and Monetary Union done at Brussels on the 2nd day of March 2012. No provision of this Constitution invalidates laws enacted, acts done...

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Portugal Approves Fiscal Compact

April 13, 2012
By Stephen
Portugal Approves Fiscal Compact

Portugal today became the first state to approve the Fiscal Compact. 25 of the 27 EU Member states signed up to the tightened budget rules. The United Kingdom and the Czech Republic are the only two not to sign up. It is interesting that Portugal were first to approve the treaty as they were the third country to get a bailout of the EU/ECB/IMF after Ireland and Greece. The Portuguese Government were supported by the opposition Socialists in passing the pact which was approved...

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Negotiations under-way on Promissory Note deal

March 22, 2012
By Stephen
Negotiations under-way on Promissory Note deal

After last nights announcement in the Dáil by Finance Minister Michael Noonan, full statement on Karl Whelan’s blog, negotiations are under way between Central Bank Governor, Patrick Honohan, and the European Central Bank. The Promissory Note, basically a Government IOU to the Anglo Irish Bank, is worth over €3.1 billion and is due for payment on the 31st of March, which is also the day of the Fine Gael Ard Fheis in Dublin. The prospective plan is to swap the Promissory...

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Ireland to vote on Fiscal Compact

February 28, 2012
By Stephen
Ireland to vote on Fiscal Compact

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny today announced in the Dail that Ireland will hold a referendum to ratify the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union otherwise known as the Fiscal Compact. This will be one of three referenda held in Ireland this year. The other two will be on the long awaited Children’s Rights Referendum and on abolishing the Seanad. The decision to hold a referendum has been welcomed across the political spectrum, though also drawing battle lines with...

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9 EU states want a Financial Transaction Tax

February 8, 2012
By Stephen
9 EU states want a Financial Transaction Tax

Nine Eurozone members want the Danish Presidency of the EU to speed up its work on a directive on a Financial Transaction Tax (FTT). While there is much opposition within the Eurozone and wider EU to such a tax, the nine countries intend to use the community method to allow them to use the EU institutions to set up and administer the tax and allow other countries to join while not holding them back. The nine countries are: France Germany Austria...

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Time for More Europe?

November 14, 2011
By Stephen
Time for More Europe?

  A group of nine Spanish Bloggers have come together and written a Manifesto on things to improve Europe. There isn’t any political slant to this apart from trying to improve democracy within the European Union and improve the EU itself.  Some other bloggers and tweeters are getting behind this. The Manifesto is in English below, but the Manifesto is translated into other languages on the website for the campaign. Some good ideas in this, especially single European Seat...

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Gay Blood Ban Against EU Law – EU Commissioner

September 8, 2011
By Stephen
Gay Blood Ban Against EU Law – EU Commissioner

John Dali, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, has stated that a blanked ban on Gay and Bisexual Men giving blood is against EU law. In an answer to Glenis Willmott (S&D) and Michael Cashman (S&D) he explained that EU law warranted the deferral of those “at high risk of acquiring severe infectious diseases” due to their “sexual behaviour”. Mr Dalli underlined that “‘sexual behaviour’ is not identical with ‘sexual orientation’”. The Commission also noted that when...

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