Treaty no threat

Published on Tuesday 3 November 2009 19:48

The Czech constitutional court's ruling yesterday that the Lisbon Treaty does not contravene the Czech constitution is welcome and removes the last hurdle preventing implementation of the Treaty. It is worth looking more closely at the court's decision.

A group of 17 Czech senators alleged that the Lisbon Treaty would create a European superstate. The court had already rejected a similar complaint from members of the lower house. Now, after further consideration, it has rejected the allegation again – this time pointing out that the treaty itself makes the creation of a superstate impossible. The German constitutional court made an almost identical decision in June this year.

Two respected courts, with enormous expertise in constitutional affairs, have now examined the Lisbon Treaty and unequivocally confirmed that it will not, and cannot, lead to the creation of a European superstate. This comes as no surprise to supporters of the treaty, who have always been slightly bemused by the idea. There is clearly no appetite among European voters or mainstream politicians for any move to do away with their nations. Some 52 years after the Treaty of Rome, France is still French and Germany still German.

Let us hope that the phantom European superstate has at last been well and truly laid to rest, and that we can move on from what has always been a specious argument. The Lisbon Treaty contains long-overdue provisions to update and streamline the creaking machinery of a Europe which has grown from six members to 27. It increases the powers of national parliaments and the European Parliament to scrutinise and modify legislation, and introduces a Scottish-style "citizens' petition".

We should embrace the treaty's benefits and forego further Quixotic tilting at windmills.

JOHN BRAND

European Movement in Scotland

Cumberland Street SE Lane

Edinburgh