EU leaders to rule on Lisbon treaty demands

EU leaders will decide this evening whether to agree to Ireland’s Lisbon guarantees and if they will be written into some future treaty.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen made a final round of phone calls to colleagues yesterday to encourage them to meet Ireland’s demands, assuring them he would call a second referendum if they do.

However, last night, two stumbling blocks remained, as the British wanted changes in the text and several countries did not want the word “protocol” mentioned in the agreement.

The item, with guarantees the Lisbon treaty in no way changes Ireland’s neutrality or laws on education or abortion, heads the agenda at the two-day meeting.

Last-minute talks were continuing with the British to meet their demands.

They are anxious to downplay the non-legally binding declaration on workers’ rights and social issues and suggested the two words, “workers’ rights” be removed from the heading, though not from the text.

Britain is also seeking changes in the area dealing with Ireland’s neutrality to make it clear what parts of it applies to other neutral countries, for instance. This raised some problems for the Finns who do not wish to have their neutrality too closely defined, but was welcomed by the Austrians who are adamantly neutral.

Officials were quietly optimistic the changes that the British want in the text would be resolved before this evening’s summit. They were also optimistic that all member states will agree that the legal guarantees will be added to whatever is the next treaty – probably the one bringing Croatia into the Union in 2011.

The Irish argue they are following the Danish model for their opt-outs in 1992 but, unlike the Danes, want a commitment the guarantees will become part of the next treaty as a protocol and giving it added legal weight. Several countries, including the Dutch, are wary of using the word protocol in case opponents of the treaty use it as a pretext to reopen the debate in their countries.

The other contentious issue is on regulating financial markets. The leaders are expected to give the go-ahead to the European Commission to come up with draft legislation dealing with cross-border banking problems and creating a new Systemic Risk Board.

Britain fears this might have consequences for the city of London and wants its concerns taken into account. Ireland has changed sides on this and is with France and Germany in wanting firm regulation.

The summit is also expected to agree that the Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso will continue in the job for a second five-year term.