EUReview & Call to Prayer (EURCP)

EU CONSTITUTION STATUS UPDATE

 

 

Our primary purpose is not to advocate issues, but a call to prayer about issues - issues that might impact the Christian community of Europe, and the rest of the world.  As the EU government agencies begin to define the rule of law for the new Europe, only through prayer and involvement, can the Christians act effectively for their governing legislation and policies. Let us join in prayer that the following information will help make this possible. 

 

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2 May 2005, EUReview & Call to Prayer Ministries – Hugh E. and Norma Jenson Davis

 

 

ARTICLES with links [in FR and DE included] and prayer requests

Charlemagne The great unravelling  [EU Support]

Straw's doubts over EU referendum

Greeks ratify EU Constitution [with latest Constitution update]

EU gripped by referendum jitters

Constitution not tied to Turkish bid, says Ankara advisor

Portuguese prime minister aims for Constitution referendum in October

Fundamental rights check for EU legislation

France: Turkey is main source of opposition to EU Constitution

Romania sees itself in 'new Europe'

 

The Word to pray [1 Timothy 2: 1 "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." [Prayers that implement God’s Word]. John 15: 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who ABIDES in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If you ABIDE in Me, and My Words ABIDE in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” [The conditions for freedom] 2Chronicles 7:14” if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

 

Charlemagne - The great unravelling

http://www.economist.com/World/europe/PrinterFriendly.cfm?Story_ID=3887408

 

Apr 21st 2005 From The Economist print edition [opening paragraphs]

A French no would lead to a nasty period for the European Union “THERE is no plan B” may be the most hackneyed phrase in the Brussels lexicon, trotted out whenever any EU scheme runs into trouble. But when it comes to the growing possibility that French voters will reject the new EU constitutional treaty in a referendum on May 29th, it rings true: there really is no plan B, or at least none that makes much sense

 

Getting the constitution through was always going to be hard. It must be ratified by all 25 EU countries before it can come into force. But all the plan Bs so far have envisaged rejection by a small country, like Denmark, or a semi-detached one, such as Britain. A French non would be different. France was one of the six countries that got the European project going in the 1950s. Robert Schuman and Jean Monnet, two Frenchmen, are seen as “founding fathers” of European unity; another, Jacques Delors, as the most successful European Commission president to date; yet another, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, chaired the convention that drafted the constitution. The French, unlike the British (or Danes), have adopted the single currency, the euro [READ THE WEB LINK]

 

Straw's doubts over EU referendum

http://www.news.telegraph.co.uk/core/Content/displayPrintable.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/04/18/nelec618.xml&site=5

By Andrew Sparrow

(Filed: 18/04/2005)

A French vote against the new European Union constitution could stop Britain holding its own referendum on the treaty, Jack Straw hinted yesterday.

 

Asked what would happen if the French rejected the constitution next month, the Foreign Secretary replied: "Nobody knows." He said the issue would be referred to a summit of EU leaders, but did not know what the outcome of those talks would be, or whether Britain would hold a referendum on a document already rejected by the French.

 

Labour plans to hold the referendum next year, while opinion polls in France, which votes on the constitution on May 29, suggest that they will return a No vote. Speaking on ITV's Jonathan Dimbleby programme, Mr Straw said: "If any one country votes No, it will go before the European Council, the summit, and I can't say what decision will be made."

 

Michael Ancram, the shadow foreign secretary, said: "We are going to see this constitution die. "People in this country will vote No. We're going to have to go back to the drawing board."

 

Mr Straw also ruled out a Labour government joining a US attack on Iran. "I cannot conceive of any circumstances in which military action against Iran would be justified. And I might add Syria too," he said.

 

Information appearing on telegraph.co.uk is the copyright of Telegraph Group Limited and must not be reproduced in any medium without licence. For the full copyright

 

Greeks ratify EU Constitution

http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-138310-16&type=News&_lang=EN&email=7581

Published: Wednesday 20 April 2005 - 12:00

 

In Short:

The Greek Parliament has given its wholesale backing to the European Constitution, making Greece the sixth country to ratify the treaty.

 

Brief News:

In a much needed boost to the fortunes of the beleaguered EU Constitution, as it faces up to opposition in France and the UK, both the governing and the main opposition parties in the Greek parliament gave it a resounding 'Yes' in a vote on 19th April 2005.

 

Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Solvenia and now Greece have approved the Constitution by parliamentary vote, while Spain voted 'Yes' in a referendum in February.

 

European Commission Vice-President Margot Wallström welcomed the vote, saying that Greece had "once again confirmed its European vocation".

 

Links

Constitutional Treaty - key elements

[A] http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-128513-16&type=LinksDossier

Published: Wednesday 12 January 2005 - 00:00

Langues / Sprachen: [FR][DE] [from link [A] above]

 

Constitutional Treaty - key elements

 

 

In Short:

EU leaders adopted the Constitutional Treaty on 18 June 2004. After signing it (in autumn 2004), Member States will have two years to ratify it. This dossier outlines the key changes proposed by the Constitutional Treaty text to the current system based on the provisions of the Nice Treaty.

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News on this topic (including press links, USE LINK [A] :

Greeks ratify EU Constitution (20 April 2005)

Chirac in crucial TV debate to defend EU Constitution (14 April 2005)

Solana sees coherent EU foreign policy ahead (25 March 2005)

Bishops back European Constitution (25 March 2005)

Chirac urged to act as dark clouds gather over Constitution (21 March 2005)

 

Latest & next steps:[from link [A]above]

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EU gripped by referendum jitters

http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-138221-16&type=News

 

Published: Tuesday 19 April 2005 - 08:50

In Short:

Confusion reigns in EU capitals over what to do in the event of a French 'No'. London and the Hague nervously ponder whether to cancel the planned referenda on the EU Constitution.

 

Brief News:

The referendum jitters in the EU went up another level as the 18th consecutive poll in over a month pointed to a French 'No' vote six weeks before the referendum.

 

On 18 April the British newspaper the Guardian reported that the British PM Tony Blair was considering cancelling the planned UK referendum if the French vote no as, legally speaking, there would no longer be a treaty to vote on.

 

However, if France were to vote no, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, bluntly admitted: "I have no idea what is going to happen." The option of cancelling the 1 June referendum has also been debated in the Hague, according to government sources. However, when Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot recently met with his Danish counterpart, Per Stig Møller, both ministers insisted they would stick to the planned refenda. Denmark votes on 27 September 2005.

 

Constitution not tied to Turkish bid, says Ankara advisor

http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-138285-16&type=News&_lang=EN&email=7581

A 'No' to the European Constitution by French voters would not amount to a rejection of Ankara's EU bid, says the Turkish prime minister's foreign policy advisor.

 

Portuguese prime minister aims for Constitution referendum in October

http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-136769-16&type=News

Published: Monday 14 March 2005 - 15:55

In Short:

Portugal's Prime Minister Jose Socrates has said he is aiming to hold a referendum on the EU Constitution in October 2005, coinciding with municipal elections in Portugal.

Fundamental rights check for EU legislation
http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-138710-16&type=News&_lang=EN&email=7581

 

Published: Friday 29 April 2005 - 08:50

Langues / Sprachen: [FR][DE] [Change EN in link to other selection]

New mechanisms for embedding the primary importance of fundamental rights in all EU legislation have been proposed by President Barroso.

 

France: Turkey is main source of opposition to EU Constitution

http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-136614-16&type=News

Published: Friday 11 March 2005 - 08:50

In Short:

Turkish EU entry is the major reason why potential 'no' voters may reject the Constitutional Treaty in the upcoming French referendum, a recent survey has revealed.

 

PRAY that as constitutional voting continues that God will guide the choices of His people.

 

Romania sees itself in 'new Europe'

http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-138291-16&type=News&_lang=EN&email=7581

 

Published: Wednesday 20 April 2005 - 08:25

In Short:

Romanian President Traian Basescu believes that his country's future lies in 'new Europe'. He wants to align Romania with London and Washington as well as with Paris.

 

EU-Romania relations

Brief News:

Romania sees itself in the Atlanticist, free-trade bloc which has been defined as 'new Europe' by US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, and the country aims to forge close links with London and Washington along with its traditional ties with Paris.

 

Outlining to reporters Bucharest's vision on the eve of the scheduled 25 April signing of the country's Accession Treaty with the EU, President Traian Basescu was quoted by the Financial Times as warning Paris against "lecturing" Romania over its leaning towards Britain and the US. "Romania is a country which has respect for itself," Basescu was quoted by the paper as saying. While France is one of Bucharest's main supporters, the country "does not like" to hear French President Chirac tell EU candidate countries to "shut up" over Iraq or French Foreign Minister Barnier to say that Basescu does not have a "European reflex".

 

PRAY that Christians in Romania have the kind of influence on their government that will compliment God’s desires for the EU.

 

 

EUReview & Call to Prayer Ministries is conducting this multi-denominational ministry under the mission program of the Assemblies of God Western Europe office outside of Brussels, Belgium. The mailing address there is: EMC/EURCP (Gerald Branum.) 45 Chaussee de Waterloo, 1640 Rhode Saint Genese, BELGIUM

(Your comments are welcome. Your assistance is needed. Can you help mobilise Christians to pray and participate? This call to prayer needs to be prepared by Europeans in other languages and with greater distribution!)


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