So, you think we’re getting a Referendum!

  This is Important, we haven’t been told any of this!

Remember in 2009 David Cameron gave us a cast iron guarantee, that if he became PM he would give us a Referendum on the EU? After winning the election, he has since reneged saying instead he will give us one in late 2017, with added ‘caveats’!

1. As long as Tories get a majority!
2. As long as he is still leader?
3. Providing he can get a renegotiation of laws? Laws of which ones he hasn’t told us he wants?

While at the same time still giving more away, 1/11/2014 to name the most recent and Innocent until proven guilty, Habeas Corpus, Trial by Jury, which were given away when we accepted the European Arrest Warrant! Back in 2010, the EU rule was we could leave if we applied Article 50, or Repealed European Communities Act 1972, these two caveats still apply, BUT only till 31st March 2017, after this date these two pieces of legislation can’t be used, which is probably, why Cameron said LATE 2017? As of 1st November 2014, when we handed over 43 laws from Parliament to Brussels and the Queen signed the last part of the Lisbon Treaty, we now need a QMV! A Qualified Majority Vote, of the other 27 members of the EU? This would originally have been decided like this;

The QMV explained! Article 205 TEC

1. Save as otherwise provided in this Treaty, the Council shall act by a majority of its Members.

2. Where the Council is required to act by a qualified majority, the votes of its Members shall be weighted (number of votes) as follows:

Belgium 12‘, Bulgaria 10, Czech Republic 12, Denmark 7, Germany 29, Estonia 4, Greece 12 Spain 27, France 29, Ireland 7, Italy 29, Cyprus 4, Latvia 4, Lithuania 7, Luxembourg 4 Hungary 12, Malta 3, Netherlands 13, Austria 10, Poland 27, Portugal 12 , Romania 14’. Slovenia 4, Slovakia 7, Finland 7, Sweden 10, United Kingdom 29

Acts of the Council shall require for their adoption at least 255 votes in favour cast by a majority of the members where this Treaty requires them to be adopted on a proposal from the Commission. In other cases, for their adoption acts of the Council shall require at least 255 votes in favour, cast by at least two thirds of the members.

**The total of all countries only reaches 316 (excluding UK) So it doesn’t look like we will get out at all, as we will need ALL the big guns; Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Poland as well as Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Romania and Sweden (258)

3. Abstentions by Members present in person or represented shall not prevent the adoption by the Council of acts which require unanimity.

4. When a decision is to be adopted by the Council by a qualified majority, a member of the Council may request verification that the Member States constituting the qualified majority represent at least 62% of the total population of the Union. If that condition is shown not to have been met, the decision in question shall not be adopted. _____________________________________

That was simple to understand, although it seems to me, stitched up, against us getting out! Then they rewrote the rules? I don’t know when, they don’t say and I can’t see a date on the amendments? http://www.epin.org/new/files/AnnotatedTreaties.pdf If you go to the link and scroll down to page 174, you will find the ‘old’ text, above, has been struck out and it has been rewritten, it now states;

Article 205 [238] [ex Art. 205 EC, amended]

1. Where it is required to act by a simple majority, the Council shall act by a majority of its component members.[255]

2. By way of derogation from *Article 9 C(4) [16(4)] of the Treaty on European Union, as from 1 November 2014 and subject to the provisions laid down in the Protocol on transitional provisions, where the Council does not act on a proposal from the Commission or from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the qualified majority shall be defined as at least 72 % of the members of the Council, representing Member States comprising at least 65 % of the population of the Union. [ 256 ] see below

*254 Article III-342 of the Constitution. (scroll down to pages 200 & 201) 255 Article III-343(2) of the Constitution. [ex Art. 255 EC is moved to become Article 16 A (renumbered 15) FEU]

3. As from 1 November 2014 and subject to the provisions laid down in the Protocol on transitional provisions, in cases where, under the Treaties, not all the members of the Council participate in voting, a qualified majority shall be defined as follows:

(a) A qualified majority shall be defined as at least 55 % of the members of the Council representing the participating Member States, comprising at least 65 % of the population of these States. A blocking minority must include at least the minimum number of Council members representing more than 35 % of the population of the participating Member States, plus one member, failing which the qualified majority shall be deemed attained;

(b) By way of derogation from point (a), where the Council does not act on a proposal from the Commission or from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the qualified majority shall be defined as at least 72 % of the members of the Council representing the participating Member States, comprising at least 65 % of the population of these States. [ 257 ] see below**

4. Abstentions by Members present in person or represented shall not prevent the adoption by the Council of acts which require unanimity. [ 258 ] see below***

*Article 256 [299] [ex Art. 256 EC, amended] [ 324 ] Acts of the Council, the Commission or the European Central Bank which impose a pecuniary obligation on persons other than States, shall be enforceable. Enforcement shall be governed by the rules of civil procedure in force in the State in the territory 324 Article III-401 of the Constitution

Article 256a [300] [new article] [ 325 ]

1. The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission shall be assisted by an Economic and Social Committee and a Committee of the Regions, exercising advisory functions.

2. The Economic and Social Committee shall consist of representatives of organisations of employers, of the employed, and of other parties representative of civil society, notably in socioeconomic, civic, professional and cultural areas.

3. The Committee of the Regions shall consist of representatives of regional and local bodies who either hold a regional or local authority electoral mandate or are politically accountable to an elected assembly.

4. The members of the Economic and Social Committee and of the Committee of the Regions shall not be bound by any mandatory instructions. They shall be completely independent in the performance of their duties, in the Union’s general interest.

5. The rules referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 governing the nature of the composition of the Committees shall be reviewed at regular intervals by the Council to take account of economic, social and demographic developments within the Union. The Council, on a proposal from the Commission, shall adopt decisions to that end.

**[ex Art. 257 EC, repealed] [ 326 ]

325 Article I-32 of the Constitution. 326 Replaced in substance by Article 256a(2) (renumbered 300(2)) FEU

***Art. 258 EC, amended] [ 327 ]

The number of members of the Economic and Social Committee shall not exceed 350. The Council, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission, shall adopt a decision determining the Committee’s composition. The Council, shall determine the allowances of members of the Committee.

*Article 9 C [16] [new article] [ 23 ]

1. The Council shall, jointly with the European Parliament, exercise legislative and budgetary functions. It shall carry out policy-making and coordinating functions as laid down in the Treaties.

2. The Council shall consist of a representative of each Member State at ministerial level, who may commit the government of the Member State in question and cast its vote.

3. The Council shall act by a qualified majority except where the Treaties provide otherwise.

4. As from 1 November 2014, a qualified majority shall be defined as at least 55 % of the members of the Council, comprising at least fifteen of them and representing Member States comprising at least 65 % of the population of the Union. A blocking minority must include at least four Council members, failing which the qualified majority shall be deemed attained. The other arrangements governing the qualified majority are laid down in Article 205(2) [238(2)] of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

5. The transitional provisions relating to the definition of the qualified majority which shall be applicable until 31 October 2014 and those which shall be applicable from 1 November 2014 to 31 March 2017 are laid down in the *Protocol on transitional provisions. (*Now need to look this up?)

6. The Council shall meet in different configurations, the list of which shall be adopted in accordance with Article 201b [236] of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. [ 24 ] The General Affairs Council shall ensure consistency in the work of the different Council configurations. It shall prepare and ensure the follow-up to meetings of the European Council, in liaison with the President of the European Council and the Commission. The Foreign Affairs Council shall elaborate the Union’s external action on the basis of strategic guidelines laid down by the European Council and ensure that the Union’s action is consistent.

7. A Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States shall be responsible for preparing the work of the Council.

8. The Council shall meet in public when it deliberates and votes on a draft legislative act. To this end, each Council meeting shall be divided into two parts, dealing respectively with deliberations on Union legislative acts and non-legislative activities.

9. The Presidency of Council configurations, other than that of Foreign Affairs, shall be held by Member State representatives in the Council on the basis of equal rotation, in accordance with the conditions established in accordance with Article 201b [236] of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. 23 Paragraphs 1 to 3 are identical to Article I-23 of the Constitution. In paragraph 4, the first and second subparagraphs are similar to Article I-25(1) §§1 and 2 of the Constitution. Paragraph 1 replaces, in substance, the first and second indents of ex Article 202 EC; paragraphs 2 and 9 replace, in substance, ex Article 203 EC; paragraphs 4 and 5 replace, in substance, paragraphs 2 and 4 of ex Article 205 EC. 24 Merges Articles I-24(1) and (4) of the Constitution.

Council = Heads of Government representing each member state. (Comprising at least 15) and representing at least 65% of the population of Union.

Article 205(2) [238(2)]

2. By way of derogation from Article 9 C(4) [16(4)] of the Treaty on European Union, as from 1 November 2014 and subject to the provisions laid down in the Protocol on transitional provisions, where the Council does not act on a proposal from the Commission or from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the qualified majority shall be defined as at least 72 % of the members of the Council, representing Member States comprising at least 65 % of the population of the Union. [ 256 ]

**What this basically means is; after 1/11/2014, we need to apply QMV, this by the way, is simply to get PERMISSION to hold a Referendum? From this QMV, we need 72% of the council (members) 20 countries to say yes and the population of those countries to add up to 65% of the TOTAL population of the EU! Realistically we need ALL the big countries to say yes, and a couple of small ones? We can no longer use Article 50 or European Communities Act 1972, after 31/3/2017!

The only way we will ever leave the EU, is by voting UKIP in May 2015 elections, Cameron has already stated numerous times that he will advocate and vote for staying in, Labour don’t seem interested and would quite happily stay in the EU. The Tories have now stated they will force 18-25 year olds not in NEET’s, to do community work or charity work for their JSA. This is the next step in the TTIP agreement, their intention is to completely do away with Welfare support, by selling off Public Service rights, they are withdrawing further investment, as jobs become less and less.

Under the TTIP, everyone will be required to work (The new Workfare) for minimum wage, topped up with credits; No Work = No Credits! The beginning of the Corporate Governance that is being forced upon us! Just as Obama is forcing US citizens into the TPPA.

PS; Protocol on transitional Provisions;

http://www.eudemocrats.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Documents/D-Reader_friendly_latest%20version.pdf

Scroll down to;

9. Protocol on the decision of the Council relating to the implementation of Article 16(4) of the Treaty on European Union and Article 238(2) of the Treaty on the Functionning of the European Union between 1 November 2014 and 31 March 2017 on the one hand, and as from 1 April 2017 on the other …………………….. 279

Symbols referring to the Council of Ministers or the European Council

U means that all EU countries must be unanimous in the Council or in the European Council.

X means a vote with qualified majority. This is currently 255 out of 345 possible votes. From 2014 a new system is introduced, the so-called double majority. A decision then needs the support of 55% of the Member States, at least 15 countries, covering 65% of the total EU population. A blocking minority needs at least 4 countries.

XX means an enlarged qualified majority, with at least 72% (20 of 27) of the Member States, most often when the proposal does not arise from the Commission or from the new EU Foreign Minister (High Representative for the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy).