[pp.int.general] Lissabon Treaty: very bad news

[David Golden]

Arend Lammertink wrote:

> First of all, we're gonna have to stop this new treaty, which means 
> minimally *one* EU country will have to reject the ratification of this. 
> Best changes would be Ireland, because these at least have a referendum, 
> but in other countries there's always the parliament. Second best 
> chances would be The Netherlands and France, since their population 
> already said "No" to basically the exact same shit.
> 

Indeed. As an Irish person, I  will be voting against it - in part for
just that reason.  The government propaganda machine is working overtime
here though, sigh.

Note that  pirate parties can oppose the Lisbon treaty on quite
straightforward logical grounds, no particular need get into ranting
about the growth of global corporatism (however right that may be):

The Lisbon treaty, in most european countries (I think the UK and Poland
opted out?), would enshrine the  "EU Charter of Fundamental Rights"
(often deliberately confused with the "Universal Declaration of Human
Rights", but there are differences!) into law.

Refer to article 17, paragraph 2 of that charter.  Here it is in full:

"2. Intellectual property shall be protected."

Of course incompatible with articles 11 and 13 in the same document, but
there it is.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/charter/default_en.htm

Now, of course "what? You're against Fundamental Rights? For shame!"
could be a cry of some opponents - but plenty of unjust "rights" have
disappeared through history (right to own "human property" (i.e. slaves)
being the big obvious one)