Time for European rethink

Published on Saturday 14 June 2008 19:43

IT IS easy to understand why voters in Ireland last week rejected the Treaty of Lisbon; the 250-page document, which seeks important changes in the European Union, is almost as complicated and overblown as the institution itself.

Faced with clauses which would change the way the EU Council votes, create a new "president" of the European Council as well as a de facto foreign minister, and alter the line-up of Commissioners, Ireland simply said "no". That the "yes" campaign was so haphazard allowed a strange coalition to pick out their favourite causes – from abortion to the creation of an EU army – to make their case.

We have no doubt that British voters would have voted the same way if they had been given the chance to vote – as would most nationals across Europe. It is therefore time ministers here and on the Continent woke up to the fact that – while the majority remain broadly supportive of the EU – most of their 500 million citizens want it stripped back to basics.

They do want an EU which encourages free trade, co-operation on human rights and global aid, and which is prepared to stand up, when necessary, against the US, Russia and China. They are happy for membership to be expanded, within reason. But they do not want more title-holders soaking up resources and swanning about the world in "presidential" jets. They do not want an EU army or joint foreign policy.

Above all, they do not want a United States of Europe which further erodes national identity.