October 19, 2007	Friday	Shawwal 6, 1428

LONDON, Oct 18: As a number of media polls favouring a referendum on the proposed EU Treaty were released on Thursday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown ostensibly ignoring them left for Lisbon for what is seen here as a crunch summit at which the treaty is expected to be finalised by all EU heads of state.

The EU Treaty is a new agreement being drawn up by the European Union member states after attempts to introduce an EU constitution failed. The document will amend two existing EU treaties and is designed to make the EU work better, now that it has expanded to 27 members. The precise wording of the document has yet to be agreed but the final draft is expected to contain measures providing for:

A president of the European council who would serve a two-and-a half-year term. This would replace the current system of a rolling six-month presidency.

An EU higher representative for foreign and security policy. This would combine the posts of foreign affairs supremo Javier Solana, and the external affairs commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

Reducing the size of the European commission, with fewer commissioners than member states, from 2014.

A redistribution of voting weights between the member states, phased in between 2014 and 2017.

New powers for the European commission, European parliament and European court of justice, in areas such as justice and home affairs.

The removal of the national veto in a number of areas.

Many believe that the treaty is simply a rehash of the failed EU constitution. The Labour party made a 2005 manifesto commitment to hold a nationwide referendum on the constitution, but the UK poll became unnecessary when France and the Netherlands rejected the constitution in a similar vote that year, in effect killing off the document.

However, the British government is refusing to hold a referendum on the reform treaty. Ministers insist a poll is not required because the UK has secured a number of “red lines”, or opt-outs, from certain aspects of the document.

The ‘red lines” are:

Britain must keep national control of foreign and security policy — including keeping its UN Security Council seat.

Britain can opt in on justice and home affairs issues, such as those designed to protect the common law system, judicial system and borders.

Britain must be given a cast-iron guarantee that the charter of fundamental rights will not change UK social legislation; there will be no new European right to strike.

Britain must be offered an “emergency brake” on social security measures it cannot agree to. This will enable Britain to put a stop to future welfare or tax initiatives before they become EU directives.

The pro-referendum Daily Telegraph published a YouGov poll showing almost seven out of 10 Britons (69%) want a referendum.

The Guardian in its report on Thursday said the level of support for giving the public a say chimes with a separate Financial Times/Harris poll which found 70% of those questioned in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain want a referendum. Just 20% do not see the need for a plebiscite; 10% are unsure.

The Conservatives, who have led the call for a referendum, were buoyed by today’s polls as they launched a new poster to ramp up the pressure on Mr. Brown.

Officials in Brussels expect Italy and Poland, not Britain, to be the most likely to stop the summit running smoothly.

Italy is angry at being allocated fewer seats in the European parliament than Britain or France, while Poland wants stronger powers and more voting clout in the council of ministers.

In a letter to fellow EU leaders before today’s meeting, Mr. Brown risked upsetting the French when he called for an “open and flexible Europe” that would “promote free trade and openness”.

The comments were a clear rejection of any protectionist measures to safeguard European interests.

They will be seen as an attempt by the premier to shift attention from the domestic controversy over his refusal to hold a referendum.