European Constitution

Today and tomorrow (8th and 9th November), 400 representatives from civil society organisations will gather in the European Parliament to discuss the future of the European Union with MEPs in the first "Citizens' Agora".
 
Ahead of the December European Council, due to sign a new European treaty, the European Parliament decided, before issuing its own assessment of the text, to invite European civil society to come to the Chamber and express its views on the new institutional landscape.

MEP Roger Helmer (Conservative, East Midlands) says that this “debate” amounts to little more than the European Institutions talking to themselves.  They are paying pseudo-independent bodies to tell them what they want to hear. He likens the debate to a Soviet Show Trial, in which the action is carefully staged, the participants hand-picked and the outcome determined before the event.
 
The EU has a track record of similar events.  In November 2004, the EU Economic and Social Committee hosted a similar debate on the European Constitution, which was later voted down in French and Dutch referenda in 2005.  At that event, every participating organisation was receiving EU funding.  In effect, taxpayers’ money was used to create the appearance of a debate, but only one point of view was heard, and predictably the debate endorsed the project.
 
However in this week’s event, one euro-critical organisation has slipped in under the radar — The Freedom Association, of which MEP Helmer is the Honorary Chairman.  He and TFA Campaign Director Simon Richards will be attending the event.  Speaking in Brussels today, Helmer said “I expect to be the lone voice speaking up for the millions of citizens in the UK, and across the EU, who have profound misgivings about the European project.  Polls show that three quarters of citizens across Europe want a referendum on this Renamed Constitution.  If the EU wants a debate, it should call referenda in members states as it originally proposed with the Constitution”.
 
To listen to what Roger has to say click the download button above or listen to the short three section podcast in the player at the top of the website.

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