Today sees the beginning of a «new» Intergovernmental Conference (ICG) to reform the European Union Treaties, whose mandate was set, under the baton of the German government, during the European Council of last 21 and 22 June.
An ICG, which already before its beginning, has an outcome announced at the 18 and 19 October European Council, or, at the latest, that of December 2007, since its conclusions have already been defined in the mandate exhaustively proclaimed as «clear and precise».
However, we can state that the ICG that now begins, is nothing less than a second finalisation of the ICG held in 2003/2004, If there were any doubts left on this matter, we have only to analyse the more than 45 references contained in the present mandate included in the now called "reform treaty" of the "dispositions", "changes" or "innovations" to the treaties previously "agreed in the 2004 ICG".
Which means that, the objective clearly set for the present ICG is nothing less that the restoration of the essential content of the conclusions of the previous Intergovernmental Conference, that is, the «substance» of the so-called «European constitution», (re)launching it in the form of a »reform treaty». The Political Committee of the CC of the PCP considers this an unacceptable political manoeuvre which has the active participation and central role of the PS [Socialist Party] government, as president of the European Union Council.
Furthermore, it is meaningful that the PS government, which in June brandished the (false) argument of the inexistence of a treaty proposal to delay the debate on the referendum, a month later, delivered a full and finished treaty proposal to the remaining governments of the countries that constitute the European Union, and, without previously disclosing its content to the Portuguese people. Therefore, if it was quite clear before, it is more so now, that the PS government has no subterfuges left to continue to conceal from the Portuguese people its widespread and serious compromises attacking national independence and sovereignty.
As the PCP has denounced, the driving forces of European capitalist integration aim to restore the essential contents of the so-called «European constitution», flouting the will of the peoples who clearly rejected it by referendum, in 2005.
By attempting to minimize contradictions and remove hurdles, the great powers and the big financial and economic groups are trying to impose a new and significant qualitative leap in European capitalist integration, strengthening and consolidating federalism, neoliberalism and militarism. A qualitative leap that did not achieve other and clearer aspects due to the struggle of the workers and the peoples, as demonstrated by the referenda in France and the Netherlands.
With this new attempt to impose the essential contents of the rejected «European constitution» the aim is to materialize:
- A new federalist leap, among other aspects, strengthening the domination of the great powers in the decision process, through a redefinition of the Council votes and the increase in decision adoption by qualified majority and co-decision; attributing legal personality to the European Union; transferring more competences from the States; changing the composition of the European Commission and the European Parliament;
- The militarization of the European Union, consolidating common foreign and defence policies, which accept as its own the strategic concept of NATO, promoting interference and aggression, militarization of international relations, a weapons race and an increase in military spending, with the ambition of a sharing the world in partnership with the great EU powers and the US;
- The consolidation of neoliberalism, that is, of the current offensive against the workers and the peoples and their economic and social gains, through policies of liberalization of markets, the primacy of capitalist competition and of monetarist policies of price stability, the dismantling and privatisation of public services.
While devising new steps in the European capitalist integration, the forces that are at their root fear a greater awareness of the workers and the peoples as the real class character, aims and consequences of the present European integration and its policies, and try to avoid their correct expression, trying to escape from holding referenda in the various European Union countries on the now-called «reform treaty».
The Political Committee of the PCP will actively continue to:
- Denounce the real objectives and aims of the present reform of the treaties and its deep and serious consequences for national sovereignty and independence, for the future of the Portuguese people;
- Reject, in a firm, resolute and clear way, any new qualitative leap in federalism, militarism or neoliberalism of the European Union;
- Demand the holding of legally binding referenda in each EU member-state, before the ratification of any treaty proposal, namely in our country, through a wide national debate and audition of the Portuguese people.
And, with a great confidence in the possibility of a different Europe, of cooperation among sovereign states, equal in rights, in economic and social progress, of peace and friendship with all the peoples of the world, appeals to the mobilization of all democrats and patriots, of all those affected by the policies of the present European Union for a knowledgeable affirmation of a No to a federalist, neoliberal and militarist European Union!
