EU-27 WATCH No. 7 ISSN 1610-6458 Issued in September 2008 Edited by the Institute for European Politics (IEP), Berlin in collaboration with the Austrian Institute of International Affairs, Vienna Institute for International Relations, Zagreb Bulgarian European Community Studies Association, Institute for World Economics of the Hungarian Sofia Academy of Sciences, Budapest Center for European Studies / Middle East Technical Institute for Strategic and International Studies, University, Ankara Lisbon Centre européen de Sciences Po, Paris Institute of International and European Affairs, Centre d’étude de la vie politique, Université libre de Dublin Bruxelles Institute of International Relations, Prague Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Européennes Institute of International Relations and Political Robert Schuman, Luxembourg Science, Vilnius University Centre of International Relations, Ljubljana Istituto Affari Internazionali, Rome Cyprus Institute for Mediterranean, European and Latvian Institute of International Affairs, International Studies, Nicosia Riga Danish Institute for International Studies, Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, Copenhagen University of Malta Elcano Royal Institute and UNED University, Madrid Netherlands Institute of International Relations European Institute of Romania, Bucharest ‘Clingendael’, The Hague Federal Trust for Education and Research, London Slovak Foreign Policy Association, Bratislava Finnish Institute of International Affairs, Helsinki Stockholm International Peace Research Institute Foundation for European Studies - European (SIPRI) Institute, Łodz Trans European Policy Studies Association Greek Centre of European Studies and Research, (TEPSA), Brussels Athens University of Tartu Bundesallee 23, D-10717 Berlin Tel.: +49/30/88.91.34-0, Fax: +49/30/88.91.34-99 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.iep-berlin.de www.eu-consent.net EU-27 Watch On the Project The enlarged EU of 27 members is in a process of reshaping its constitutional and political order, of continuing membership talks with candidate countries and taking on new obligations in international politics. This project sheds light on key issues and challenges of European integration. Institutes from all 27 EU member states as well as from Croatia and Turkey participate in the project. The aim is to give a full comparative picture of debates on European integration and current developments in European politics in each of these countries. This survey was conducted on the basis of a questionnaire that has been elaborated in May 2008 by all participating institutes. Most of the 29 reports were delivered in July 2008. This issue and all previous issues of EU-27 Watch (formerly EU-25/27 Watch) are available on the homepage of EU-CONSENT (www.eu-consent.net) and on the internet sites of most of the contributing institutes. Please note the detailed table of content that allows readers to easily grasp key information and headlines of the country reports. The Institute for European Politics (IEP) in Berlin coordinates and edits EU-27 Watch. The IEP is grateful to the Otto Wolff-Foundation, Cologne, for supporting its research activities in the field of “Enlargement and neighbourhood policy of the EU”. Contact persons at the IEP are Barbara Lippert ([email protected]) and Tanja Leppik-Bork ([email protected]). Institutes/authors are responsible for the content of their country reports. Recommended citation form: Institut für Europäische Politik (Ed.): EU-27 Watch, No. 7, September 2008, Berlin, available at: http://www.eu-consent.net/content.asp?contentid=522. EU-27 Watch is part of EU-CONSENT, a network of excellence for joint research and teaching comprising more than 50 research institutes that addresses questions of the mutual reinforcing effects of deepening and widening of the EU. EU-CONSENT is supported by the European Union’s 6th Framework Programme. EU-27 Watch | Table of Content Table of Content On the Project ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Table of Content .................................................................................................................................... 3 List of Authors ..................................................................................................................................... 12 With or without the Lisbon Treaty – member states watch out...................................................... 13 Repercussions of the Irish ‘No’ .......................................................................................................... 13 The question of European citizens .................................................................................................... 13 Concentric circles inside and/or around the EU? .............................................................................. 14 More political leadership – a solution?............................................................................................... 14 ‘Europe of projects’? – a solution?..................................................................................................... 15 Outlook............................................................................................................................................... 15 Lisbon Treaty: State of the ratification ............................................................................................... 16 The EU after the Irish referendum ..................................................................................................... 20 Austria (Austrian Institute of International Affairs) Europe of ‘different speeds’ no solution......................................................................................... 21 Belgium (Centre d’étude de la vie politique, Université libre de Bruxelles) Diverse reactions – ratification process should be continued........................................................ 21 Bulgaria (Bulgarian European Community Studies Association) Bulgaria regards the Irish ‘No’ as a threat to national interests ..................................................... 23 Croatia (Institute for International Relations) Political leaders and analysts express hopes that the EU will carry on with the ratification process ........................................................................................................................................................ 25 Cyprus (Cyprus Institute for Mediterranean, European and International Studies) Parliament ratified treaty – major governing party opposed .......................................................... 27 Czech Republic (Institute of International Relations) Mixed reactions to the Irish ‘No’..................................................................................................... 30 Denmark (Danish Institute for International Studies) The Irish ‘No’: impact on the Danish opt-outs ................................................................................ 31 Estonia (University of Tartu) Proceed with ratification, continue enlargement ............................................................................ 32 Finland (EUR Programme/Finnish Institute of International Affairs) Near media silence on the issue.................................................................................................... 33 France (Centre européen de Sciences Po) Setback before the French Presidency.......................................................................................... 34 Germany (Institute for European Politics) Pressing on with ratification: The German reaction to the Irish ‘No’.............................................. 36 Greece (Greek Centre of European Studies and Research) Irish ‘No’ ignited political and public debate ................................................................................... 39 Hungary (Institute for World Economics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences) Importance of continuing ratification process................................................................................. 39 Ireland (Institute of International and European Affairs) The Lisbon Treaty referendum dominates the agenda.................................................................. 40 Italy (Istituto Affari Internazionali) Strong will to continue the European integration process.............................................................. 40 Latvia (Latvian Institute of International Affairs) The EU after the Irish referendum: Reactions in Latvia................................................................. 43 Lithuania (Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University) The results of the Irish referendum – an unpleasant surprise for some Lithuanian politicians...... 44 Luxembourg (Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches Européennes Robert Schuman) Ratification process should be continued ...................................................................................... 46 EU-27 Watch | Table of Content Malta (Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies, University of Malta) Ratification process should proceed .............................................................................................. 48 Netherlands (Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’) ‘Parliamentary ratification should continue’.................................................................................... 49 Poland (Foundation