Next steps, next struggles
The Treaty of Nice doesn't exist as long as it is not ratified by the States
We have to follow its evolution closely, and prevent what happened with the Treaty of Amsterdam, which was implemented before the national Parliaments ratified it and adopted it quietly.
The steps
2001: Ratification of the Treaty of Nice by the European Parliament (in Strasbourg or Brussels). The Members of the European Parliament threaten not to ratify this »bad« Treaty. But we mustn't forget that the same scenario occurred after Amsterdam, with the same Cohn-Bendit as a leader; and when they had to vote, the Members of the European Parliament gave in.
2001-2002: Ratification of the Treaty of Nice by each country according to the constitutional rules (either by referendum, or by each national Parliament). We will have to express our voices in every country, during the referendum campaigns or by putting pressure on our national Parliaments.
December 2001: the European Constitution on the agenda in Laeken-Brussels
The Nice European Council has decided that the Swedish and Belgian Presidencies will have to prepare a Declaration which will decide of the juridical force of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; of the procedure which will define the integration of the treaties in the Constitution; and of the convocation of a new intergovernmental Conference which will revise the Treaty of Nice (Conference which should be held in 2004).
The Charter of Fundamental Rights is supposed to become the preamble of the European Constitution. It will be important to put the stress on the Charter again, as soon as possible, so that the social rights are guaranteed, either in Stockholm in March 2001 or in Götenborg in June 2001.
January 2002: the Euro is taking the other currencies over; they disappear from the 12 countries part of the Euro zone.
2003: If the Treaty of Nice is ratified, the European Union will include Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, the Tchec Republic, Estonia and Cyprus. This is important to the market and the financial forces, as this opening up represents a source of huge profits. The Treaty of Nice enables indeed an extremely fast enlargement process, in something which looks like everything but a democratic State, and which prevents any social progress. This also means that poverty will dangerously increase if we do not react.
2004:
First eventuality: If the Treaty of Nice is ratified, a new intergovernmental Conference will take place, to revise the Treaty of Nice with the five new Member States. Who can possibly tell us that what turned out to be a real bargaining between 15 would succeed between 20 ?
Second eventuality: If the Treaty of Nice is not ratified, a new intergovernmental Conference will take place, to revise the Treaty of Nice with the 15 present Member States.
2004: elections of the European Parliament (it will concern the 15 or 20, according to the eventuality which will take shape)
2004: renewal of the European Commission (it will concern the 15 or 20, according to the eventuality which will take shape)
Let's stay vigilant and mobilized: let's not lower our guard!
