Business challenges Lisbon opponents

PRO-LISBON Treaty business leaders have launched a sharp attack on what they called "obtuse" criticisms of the language used in the treaty.

Representatives of over 30 business organisations, including Glen Dimplex owner Martin Naughton and former EU Commissioner Peter Sutherland, yesterday launched the Business Alliance for Europe's campaign for a "Yes" vote in the treaty referendum.

Several attacked claims by another leading businessman, Ulick McEvaddy, that the treaty is "unintelligible drivel" that would adversely affect Ireland's low tax regime.

Spokesman for the alliance, former European Parliament president Pat Cox, said such claims "missed the point", which was that that legal certainty was needed for a contract between 27 sovereign states. Mr Cox said the political essentials of the treaty were simple to understand, and the introduction and charter of fundamental rights were in plain English. He pointed out that each year the Minister for Finance delivers the budget in plain English.

The content of his speech is then translated into the complexity of legal language in the form of a Finance Bill. "The obtuse might describe the content of such a Bill as drivel, but it is needed to provide legal certainty."

Mr Naughton said he had bought about 40 companies during his business career. In each case, he and the sellers drew up the heads of an agreement in plain language on one page. They then sent this to the lawyers who came back with 60 pages of complex legal text. It was the same situation with the Lisbon Treaty.

He said the easiest thing was for people to do nothing, or to say "No", but nothing would be achieved that way.

Mr Sutherland said claims that Ireland's tax position would be compromised by the treaty had been "completely debunked". It was "mystifying" that this "canard" continued to run in media commentary on the issue.

Ireland would retain its right of veto on taxation policy, according to Mr Cox, and it would defy all logic and common sense for politicians to abandon or dilute a concept they had so stoutly defended since we joined the EU. He added: "We Irish have nothing to fear from our collective European endeavour as it prepares us for the 21st century, except fear itself".

Paul Rellis, managing director of Microsoft Ireland and president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ireland, said the treaty, by providing the stability desired by business, represented a "fantastic opportunity" to attract more foreign direct investment. Ireland needed to be on the inside influencing people in Europe, not on the outside.

Asked about the possible impact of an Irish "No" vote, Mr Sutherland said it would have a serious effect on the future of Europe.

"It will mean that one country, Ireland, will have stopped a treaty which 26 other countries representing 99 per cent of the population have said through their parliaments is necessary for the future of Europe."