Today (Wednesday 19th) on the eve of the vote in the Swedish Parliament on the Treaty of Lisbon the Peoples Movement – Gluaiseacht an Phobail handed in a letter of protest to the Swedish Ambassador to Ireland Mr Claes Ljungdahl, to express our opposition to the Swedish Governments decision to proceed with ratification of a treaty already democratically rejected by the Irish people.

The decision of the Swedish government to proceed ahead with ratification is clearly designed, in consort with the EU Commission, to undemocratically isolate the Irish people and to bring more pressure to bear on us to accept this treaty.

Many people both in Ireland and across Europe admired and in deed would like to emulate the Swedish social model and the system of collective bargaining which is now under attack by the very policies of the EU that the Treaty of Lisbon wishes to see knitted into the very fabric and legal structures of the EU.

To coincide with the handing in of the letter of protest member of the Peoples Movement – Gluaiseacht an Phobail also held a picket on the Embassy to protest against the continuing ratification process but also in solidarity with the millions of Swedish citizens denied the opportunity to express their democratic verdict on this treaty in a referendum.

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Frank Keoghan 087 230 8330
Cian Flanagan 087 750 8975

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The letter to the Swedish Ambassador to Ireland Mr Claes Ljungdahl:

People’s Movement – Gluaiseacht an Phobail protests the Swedish Government’s decision to proceed with ratification of the Lisbon Treaty despite its democratic rejection by the Irish electorate in June of this year.

You will be aware that an EU Treaty must be approved by all member states in order for it to come into force for any of them. Irrespective of the fact that the Irish government did not seek a cessation of the ratification procedure following our referendum, it is clear that if the EU is to develop in a democratic manner, such ratifications should have ceased, as they did following French and Dutch rejection of the EU Constitution. This action by the Swedish government is clearly designed, in consort with the EU Commission to undemocratically isolate the Irish people and to bring more pressure to bear on them to accept this treaty.

We are conscious that you await the outcome of the investigation of the Stråth Committee and its report in mid-December on how Swedish labour law might be adapted in the light of recent the judgments of the European Court of Justice (ECJ). Such eminent bodies as the LO and the ETUC however, seek changes in the EU legislation in order to counterbalance these judgements and in particular, changes to the Posted Workers Directive. Ratification of Lisbon Treaty by Sweden in this context would accelerate the distancing of the EU from the European trade union movement, whose demand is only for a reasonable balance between the right of free movement and long – established trade union rights.

When Sweden negotiated EU membership terms in 1993 it was guaranteed that the EU accepted the Swedish model of collective bargaining and this guarantee became a prerequisite for both Swedish membership and the acceptance of this membership by the trade unions and the electorate. Today, the ECJ has annulled these provisions and yet you proceed with the ratification procedure!

The labour movement throughout the EU looked to Sweden for leadership in the face of this rowing back of workers rights, just as the Irish people looked to you for support for their democratic decision to reject the Lisbon Treaty. Sadly, you are now standing on the brink of failure on both counts, a failure that will further distance the EU from the people and in a small way presages the failure of the EU as a democratic entity. Therefore, it is with regret that we register this protest.

            Frank Keoghan, Secretary  

25 Shanowen Cres.
Dublin 9
087 230 8330
post@people.ie