Bruno Waterfield has been Brussels correspondent for The Daily Telegraph since December 2006. He has been reporting on the EU and European affairs since 2000, first from Westminster and then from Brussels since January 2003. He is also a regular contributor to www.spiked-online.com

EU Treaty scrutiny too COSI

EU Treaty scrutiny too COSI

Posted By: Bruno Waterfield in Brussels at Feb 11, 2008 at 15:41:47 [General]

Plans to create a powerful new European Union "Interior Ministry" under the new Lisbon Treaty will be agreed in secret by Brussels officials over the next four or five months without any public or parliamentary scrutiny.


Voting against the Treaty may not make any difference

The new Reform Treaty resurrects proposals from the old EU Constitution, rejected by French and Dutch voters two years ago, for a "Standing Committee on Internal Security", already known as COSI in euro-jargon.

The final blueprint for COSI's extensive powers will be agreed during the second half of this year in other words the House of Commons will have ratified the Treaty before MPs know what they have signed us all up to.

And, the British public and their elected representatives will be kept in the dark because all discussions will be held in secret meetings of the Council of the EU, the Brussels body that represents national governments.

The Treaty text, Article 61D on page 77, to be rushed through the House of Commons over the next days, baldly states that: "A standing committee shall be set up within the Council in order to ensure that operational cooperation on internal security is promoted and strengthened within the Union."

Secret internal EU documents, circulated almost three years ago, admitted that "the exact nature of the committee cannot be discerned by reading" the relevant clause of the Treaty - and no new work to clarify the issue has been carried out since.

Tony Bunyan, of the Statewatch civil liberties group, has warned that if the Government "gets its way we will see an EU Interior Ministry without any democratic control".

"It is quite outrageous that the role of the new EU internal security committee is being decided in secret," he said. "If COSI becomes a high-level legislative body, as well being in charge of operational matters, a whole swathe of decision-making and practice will be removed from democratic debate and discussion."

A Government spokesman said: "The creation of a standing committee is in the UK's interest because it will enable more effective co-operation in the field of justice and home affairs."

EU documents indicate that COSI will be given a blank cheque.

"Internal security should at least include… the prevention and combating of crime, the prevention of the terrorist threat, intelligence exchange, public order management, the prevention and combating of criminal offences such as illegal immigration and trafficking in persons, the provision of an integrated management system for external borders… and crisis management with cross-border effects within the EU."

The paper continues:
"In an attempt to draw up options for the future COSI's configuration, all possible tasks related to "internal security" could be clustered as follows, on the basis of the relevant provisions of the Constitutional Treaty:
(a) legislative function
(b) strategic functions and in particular elaborating an EU plan for internal security
(c) solidarity clause related functions
(d) operational planning functions
(e) evaluation functions
(f) external relations."

As my colleague Philip Johnston writes in today's newspaper: "The EU already has an embryonic police force (Europol), a courts arm (Eurojust), a paramilitary riot squad (European Gendarmerie Force), a European Arrest Warrant, and will now, under Lisbon, have a European public prosecutor and what could become an interior ministry (COSI) to pull it all together."

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and anyone who has not fully understood what is being done has his / her head buried in the sand. For several years, local administration has been realigned with 'the regions'. The change that Charles Clarke attempted last year to push the police forces of the UK into 'regions' (but which failed at that time) was part of a continuing process to reorganise the UK into the EU superstate. Peter Mandelson tried to smooth over the game plan on the Andrew Marr show, yesterday, by saying that the Eu needed the Lisbon treaty because it currently punches 'below its weight' around the world. Work it out for yourself: the jigsaw pieces are now all in full view on the board, and the picture is clear for all to see.

Mrs Trellis
February 11, 2008
05:01 PM CST

There are too few people who understand the implications of what is going on. I think we've had it. I've been fearing the worst for a couple years now. I proposed to my American GF in january. Marriage and emigration will be my temporary escape route. Then the whole battle will start again in America. They are planning the North American Union and a new currency to repalce the defunct dollar, the Amero. The difference in America is more people understand the US constitution, they have better insight into what living in a free society actually means and the right to bear arms will not be surrendered so easily. So for me, America and its ghastly warmongering corporate elite is a safer bet than the UK.....for the time being, but it will ultimately fall to the same dark forces that have destroyed the UK.

UK Debt Slave
February 11, 2008
05:28 PM CST

Well I told you so! Right wing Austria,France,Romania, Croatia,Germany,Hungary, Cezch,Bulgaria,Spain,Portugal, even el Duce Berlesconi is back and of course Blairs/Browns Britain. An Unaccountable Surveillance Society now exists in Britain which is even unknown to The Home Secretary.The Internal National Danger is that this whole thing has been "Staged Managed" by increment,the incompetence of our Politicians is the final "Straw" We will now upon this Treaty,s Ratification not be able to alter ,amend,abridge,omit,delete,a word of it for we have NO British Constitution!No British Republic!No Impeachment Proceedings! or as Chamberlin said "I have an agreement from the Third Reich here and it has no malicious intentions" which has now become "We have 672 pages here and it has no malicious intentions!" What Now ? if I were a Canadian, Australian,or a New Zealander, or Even a Russian I would CLOSE the Borders,forward Isolationism,Protectionism,and RE ARM ! at WARP SPEED ! I Remain Yours Respectfully G.D.Flynn International Republican

Upsilon
February 11, 2008
06:52 PM CST

The obvious question relating to all of the various posts about the EU, must be : Are our representatives (elected or unalected)really so incompetent as to be unaware of the direction the EU is going, or are they actively working to ensure it continues in this direction.? As we are supposed to be a democratic country (and indeed EU) then negligence or active treason SHOULD be policed by the political/legislative process. Any decisions taken which can be demonstrated to have been arrived at outside of this process (either by design or fault) cannot be binding on individuals of those countries involved. So people CAN ignore them. Our representatives take an oath of office to ensure the integrity of this countries Laws and Democracy unless altered by due polical process. Failure in these areas is treasonable and can/should trigger a legal response on the individual representatives. Why is this not being done ?

Boxotricks
February 11, 2008
07:04 PM CST

Not the Lawyers they,d lose their Jobs,Not the Politicians they,d lose the whip and their seat,Not the City they,d lose their Bonuses,Not the Wealthy they,d lose their second,third, forth homes and their OFF Shore accounts,not the Europhiles they,d miss the gravy train Branson Style,Not the Church they,re forbidden by Rome,or by Mis direction,Not by the House of Lords as they disappeared abroad in World War II,Not by Parliament as the Nation belongs to THEM.That best beloved only you to ask your Parliamentarian will you have a REFERENDUM ? YES or NO ! and that referendum will be carved into the first stone of the British Constitution,Impeachable for non compliance.

Upsilon
February 11, 2008
08:16 PM CST

Or to be more accurately TREASON

Ben Moss
February 11, 2008
08:29 PM CST

The EU is really out of control its citizen's have no say,or when they do (France Holland)in the referendum say NO the EU simply package it in another format called EU Treaty? the UK government and our elected MP's are debating this important treaty in a rushed way.This is not good enough but perhaps we need to remind them of their promise at the last election,but better still lobby them in person right now.

margot
February 11, 2008
08:55 PM CST

Quotes here sum it up very well e.g. "A referendum now would bring Europe into danger. There will be no Treaty if we had a referendum in France, which would again be followed by a referendum in the UK."

yak40
February 11, 2008
09:14 PM CST

Or so said "TOM PAINE" the Great British Constitutionalist and Republican co Author of both the French and American Constitutions.Britain waited until the retirement of Tony Benn,offering his son a sweetner for his Hereditary silence as well as a Government position,well done Hillary. Of course it needs COURAGE the greatest Virtue that ensures all others,it needs GODS ENGLISHMAN or CROMWELL or CHURCHILL to stop this rot!

Upsilon
February 11, 2008
09:49 PM CST

See my blog for the beginning of the absolutely serious search for a pro-life, pro-family, pro-worker and anti-war alternative candidate to Tony Blair for President of the EU. We need an economically social-democratic moral and social conservative who recognises that national sovereignty is essential to both aspects of that position, and that it precludes domination by the United States or anywhere else. And we need someone who recognises and unconditionally opposes the Trotskyist and Fascist roots of neoconservatism, and its relationship both with Islamic militancy and with remnant or revivalist Nazism. Any suggestions, with contact details if at all possible? davidaslindsay@hotmail.com, http://davidaslindsay.blogspot.com

David Lindsay
February 11, 2008
10:23 PM CST

COSI as in Nostra?

Al Hamilton
February 11, 2008
10:59 PM CST

She is Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces, Whose side is she on.. http://www.tpuc.org/node/62 http://www.britsattheirbest.com/freedom/f_your_own_choice.htm

BritishPatriot
February 12, 2008
12:24 AM CST

I understand your points Upsilon.... However Parliament in this country (UK) has NEVER been placed outside The Rule Of Law. It is the one "safeguard" which allowed recourse to a legal redress in the event of Parliamentary activity deemed illegal or having not occurred via the correct accepted procedure of those governing this democracy. When did this "safeguard" disappear ? Has it ? Who is responsible for triggering a legal response to a Parliamentary failure of this nature if those bodies who should act don't ?

Boxotricks
February 12, 2008
02:22 AM CST

The Politicians are supposedly the Guardians of our Democracy and the Custodians of our Liberty,with a Constitution NO Lawyer can stand against it,No prime Minister can Alter Change,Omit,Abridge,Edit,Interpret,Add,Subtract,Overule,Devalue,without coming before a Constitutional Court with severe penalties (notice Chavez tied to change 232 clauses,he was voted out1) Putin would,nt touch the Constitution he had over 100 million Votes,the Gun lobby in America no chance of change,Bertie Ahern in Eire if he meddles with the Bureach na h'Ereann he,s away in handcuffs balls first,or shot,and the same goes for all Officials,judges,magistrates,police,Army,Navy,Air, Force,Tax men, Intelligence men,and these are Guarded by 'The Minute Men" "The Gendarmarie" 'The Custodians of the Bureacht na h'Ereann" etc,etc Great Britain has no written Constitution as an International Republican this has been my Goal,the challenge is to have a Constitution that includes the Monarchy to the 21st Century so that we do not end up like the Romanovs,or Nepal or the Ceauchescu,s etc but that is for the British people to decide whats in it ,who writes it,and what it contains,along with its methods for amendments,its structures,its methods,its procedures etc and the best man Tony Benn has retired (this is why they waited for him to retire he is one of the best Parliamentary Constitutionalist since Cromwell.The Treaty then goes to the House of Lords for clearance but if the House of Lords are top heavy with a terracotta army of Labour Peers it just gets rubber stamped, with a written Constitution this would be impossible,it then goes to the Monarch which it then becomes a resignation form for a Republic as one cannot have a Constitution without a Republic,or a Republic without a Constitution,its a contradiction in terms.As an Honest open Republican this is not a respectful way to engage in an Ancient Kingdoms reform least of all by DECEIT. This is my humble understanding of the matter and I,m no expert. I remain Yours Respectfully G.D.Flynn Upsilon Molitor Flynn O Flynn International Republican

Upsilon
February 12, 2008
05:04 AM CST

The polititians are NOT exempt from the Rule of Law. They may wish (and historically have)attempted to alter interpretation to suit the situation, but the only safeguard we have against democracy being usurped is this Rule of Law, which ALL people are bound by. I say again...who is responsible for triggering a charge of corruption/treason/incompetence against any representative of our democracy who can be shown to be acting against the wishes of those who elected them into office?

Boxotricks
February 12, 2008
07:33 AM CST

That was my point earlier under a written Constitution the instrument used is IMPEACHMENT as Nixon was,since it was T.Blair that signed the Maffia Deal Constitution in Tuscany before Parliament had said,read or understood it,and then it was rejected and ejected by both the French and the Dutch before being regurgitated like the 'Romulus and Remus" dogs bollocks that it was. Next came the other half of the Tag team Brown with the follow on (LISBON),this is after the EU voted that should the CONSTITUTION be rejected it would go no further.Both the Tories and the Liberals refused to bring the matter to a Head,and waited for the Debate in the House,which is where we are at now,whether this is a CONSPIRACY of intent,stupidity,lack of insight or just incompetent POLITICS only time will tell,the Danger is not only for our own Democracy but also for the message that it sends out Globally,America,China, Africa and India are all alarmed at unfolding events and RUSSIA with its own History is preparing for the 4e Reich. We in Europe by our silence or inability to challenge is making matters worse. " They who excuse themselves accuse themselves" John Stuart Mill. Britain is making itself an Island of Government,with regulation as its only Industry, more Councils ,more Committees ,more Meetings, more Regulatory Bodies,more Survey Groups,more Gimicks,more Report Councils,and the New 4e Reich is well equipped to provide the rules and regulations to further cloud the intentions.

Upsilon
February 12, 2008
08:24 PM CST

'What is this Poison slowly dripped into our veins' Britain has a Written constitution, it a lot shorter than the eu ConstiTraityTution or whatever the are calling it now. They ( the traitors in westminster and all over these blogs) repeatedly say, we do not have a constitution, BUT WE DO, http://www.britsattheirbest.com/freedom/f_your_own_choice.htm http://www.tpuc.org/node/62 Govt thinks that if they say something we will assume it to be trtue, this is why over the past decades Our Schools have NOT Taught our children about how our Sovereignty is Enshrined.

BritishPatriot
February 12, 2008
11:23 PM CST

We may have a disagreement both Frank Field and Tony Benn,and Hestletine has said we have No Written Constitution. Where a Constitution cannot be Produced then it does,nt exist,(TOM PAINE Englishman co Author of the American and French Constitutions) my contention is only this the EU Constitution was not written by anyone on the British Isles,the Human Rights ACT was (by British Lawyers and Scholars) Thats my ONLY disagreement,this is where we all meet Lib/Lab/Tory Monarchist,Socialist,Commie,Nationalist,Regionalist,Republican we all have to stand TOGETHER we tell them what WE WANT,not a UNACOUNTABLE, UNELECTED, Clique of GOD KNOWS WHAT,or are the FRENCH, DUTCH,DANES,IRISH all wrong ?

Upsilon
February 13, 2008
04:48 AM CST

Surely those of us who hate the "EU" spend too much time preaching to the converted. Surely we need a new political party? We have UKIP but it isn't working. It is bogged down with domestic issues and its last results were abysmal. We have the BNP which I at least find unacceptable. Cons, Libs and Labs are all not going to get us out of the hated "EU" My unhumble suggestion: A new party hopefully supported by some rich people, of which I am not one. Programme: Withdrawal from the "EU". Reform of our rubbishy pseudo-democracy, which is at the bottom of all our problems. And not a lot else. Sitting MPs who join us to continue as our candidates. Other candidates to be chosen by a sort of "Primary" in which people may pay one to five pounds to help chose a candidate to suit them and not those at the centre. Get in, do the job and then dissolve ourselves. Any takers?

Tony Robinson
February 20, 2008
10:32 AM CST

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