Lisbon Treaty: Paulo Rangel MEP and Gay Mitchell MEP salute Ireland and the European Union for being faithful to the true European spirit

The legal guarantees designed to respond to concerns raised by Ireland on the Lisbon Treaty received the green light today from the European Parliament to be included in a Protocol to the EU Treaties.

The Report, drafted by EPP Group Vice-Chairman and Member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Paulo Rangel, was adopted in Strasbourg by 590 votes in favour, 20 against, and 41 abstentions.

The right to life, family and education, taxation, and security and defence were concerns expressed by the Irish people through the negative result of the referendum on the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty in June 2008.

Therefore, this Protocol guarantees that the Lisbon Treaty does not affect the applicability of the protection of the right to life, family and education of the Irish Constitution. It also assures that EU competence on taxation will not be changed by this Treaty, and that it does not affect or prejudice Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality.

"Ireland's concerns are not incompatible with the Lisbon Treaty and as I state in my Report, a Convention will not be necessary to add the Protocol to the Treaties. I would like to salute the Irish people and the European Union for the way they were able, with mutual respect, to be faithful to the true European spirit", said Paulo Rangel.

Gay Mitchell MEP has welcomed the positive vote on the draft Protocol of the Irish people on the Lisbon Treaty: "The Lisbon Treaty should be implemented in a way that is true to the spirit and content intended in the Treaty. The Treaty should empower Europe to resist the dangers of intergovernmentalism and the way in which it restricts a unified action for recovery."

With the agreement of the European Parliament, the European Council, whose proposal was also approved today by MEPs, will now examine these amendments to the Treaties.