Waive Europe Goodbye

I've compared liberty in US and EU law. A couple of disappointments in the newly proposed replacement for the rejected EU Constitution, the so-called "reform" treaty.

1. Plus ca change: According to Christopher Booker in the Sunday Telegraph, "the new 277-page treaty is almost exactly the same as the old constitution." How similar is that? Open Europe did the math: "96% of the text is the same as the rejected Constitution." Not good.



2. Take me to your leader: Worse, says Richard North, the treaty elevates the EU to the "supreme government of Europe, through which to rule us all [in the EU]."



3. Overbroad: America's Constitution was intended to "establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty." In contrast, Europe needs the new treaty in order to (Article 3):

   combat social exclusion and discrimination, . . . promote social justice and protection, equality between women and men, solidarity between generations and protection of the rights of the child. . .[and to] contribute to peace, security, the sustainable development of the Earth, solidarity and mutual respect among peoples, free and fair trade, eradication of poverty and the protection of human rights, in particular the rights of the child.

   Whew--got all that?



4. Funeral for a dead "special relationship": The same Article commits united Europe to "the strict observance and the development of international law, including respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter." Unfortunately for Anglo-American cooperation, Article 19 asks countries to adhere to any common Euro position even at the UN Security Council--potentially giving the EU a veto over any future British desire to adopt a foreign policy closer to the states than to France.



5. Countdown to despotism: A potential bombshell is buried in Article 262:

   The Council, acting in accordance with a special legislative procedure, shall unanimously and after consulting the European Parliament adopt a regulation laying down the provisions relating to the system of own resources of the Union.

   Christopher Booker translates Euro-speak: "In other words, it will have the power to levy its own taxes."

More later.