Referendum less likely as treaty finalised

By Ann Cahill, Europe Correspondent

Saturday, January 28, 2012

There appeared to be just one row on the horizon as final adjustments were being made to the eurozone’s fiscal treaty before it goes to EU leaders on Monday.

Ireland and other countries with constitutions will not be forced to put the debt brake into their constitution, it appeared from the latest draft, reducing the likelihood of a referendum.

The latest issue comes from non-eurozone countries, including Poland and Sweden, that want to be invited to eurozone summits.

France is anxious to limit what can be sensitive meetings to just the 17 countries that use the euro.

Paris wants to limit London’s influence on the management of the currency, although British Prime Minister David Cameron has not expressed any great desire to attend.

Britain has already excluded itself from the treaty, but it was hoped that the other nine non-euro members would sign up to it.

Poland, however, insists it wants to be included in the decision making, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in Warsaw following a cabinet meeting. "Unless we are guaranteed a real role, we will not sign it," he said.

Poland is the largest non-eurozone country that is destined to adopt the euro as its currency, and hopes to do so in 2015.

But so far it has been excluded, including last year during its six-month presidency of the EU. Its finance minister was allowed to participate in a telephone meeting of eurozone ministers, after he said it was necessary for the presidency country to do so.

The Swedish parliament has made acceptance of the treaty subject to a number of conditions, including that they can participate in meetings involving the treaty.

The office of EU Council president, Herman Van Rompuy, is working over the weekend with experts from the member states to try to bridge these and other technical issues.

Europe Minister Lucinda Creighton said after a breakfast meeting with Mr Van Rompuy they were optimistic that everything could be agreed, with just a small number of options going to the summit. Whether the final document is put to a referendum will depend on the attorney general’s advice and the outcome of any court challenge.

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Saturday, January 28, 2012