Irish demands on workers' rights causing EU Treaty headaches[fr][de] 

EU leaders made a number of promises to the Irish government last December in exchange for a pledge to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty in 2009 (EurActiv 12/12/08). 

These included a guarantee that each EU member state would retain a commissioner (originally, Lisbon would introduce a rotating commissioner system); legally-binding protocols on neutrality, taxation and ethical issues; and a declaration on workers' rights. 

However, diplomatic sources told EurActiv that while the legal wording for the "commissioner guarantee" and protocols are nearing completion, the declaration on workers' rights is proving more problematic. 

Despite the fact that the declaration will not be legally binding, it appears a number of EU countries are reluctant to include any such text, as they believe it could cause difficulties at national level, particularly at a time of rising unemployment and economic recession. 

A compromise solution may be that the text simply makes reference to current EU guarantees for workers' rights, the source indicated.

However, such a move is likely to be pounced upon by anti-Lisbon campaigners as a sign of EU inaction, according to the source. 

Support for treaty growing 

Meanwhile, a poll published earlier this week found that Irish public opinion is swinging in favour of the treaty, with 52% saying they will vote 'yes' and 29% predicted to vote 'no' in the forthcoming referendum. 

Should Ireland vote 'yes', the legal guarantees will most likely be brought into law the next time amendments are made to the EU treaties. It was previously thought that this would be with Croatia's eventual accession treaty, but recent developments in Iceland could see the latter applying to join the EU as early as this July (EurActiv 07/05/09).

As Iceland is already a member of the European Economic Area, it is believed that the country, provided it wins a 'yes' in a popular referendum, could become a full EU member as early as July 2010, which would then also allow the Irish protocols to come into force.