In no way does the Lisbon Treaty seek to foist the privatisation of public services on this country.
groups like the round table of industrialists have had a significant input into this treaty. Their agenda is privitisation of public services.
This is the aim of the oft-repeated EU policy: “an open market economy with free competition” in Art 105 TFEU. Protocol six of the new treaty states: “The internal market as set out in Article [1-3] ... includes a system ensuring that competition is not distorted.” Article 1-3 is about the objectives of the EU. Competition is one of the EU’s organising principles and is the framework for all other policies.
Since the 1980s the EU has also moved to restructure essential public services such as water and sanitation, public transport, energy, post and telecoms as private businesses. And now, health, education and social care systems are in focus. Neo-liberalism is EU policy, and it is pushed further by this renamed constitution.
Article 188 allows for the inclusion of health, education and social services in international trade agreements, including at the World Trade Organisation. Again confirmation that the EU sees such activities as economic in nature
"These two articles will provide the European Commission with the tools to progressively open up areas of European public services such as health and education to both internal market competition and international trade.
Lisbon would copperfasten this privatisation process by placing restrictions on how public services are funded; by enshrining the right of private contractors to bid for public services into EU treaties – rather than national law which can be changed; and by removing the veto on international trade agreements in these services – which would give private-for-profit health corporations the legal backing of international agreements in the GATS. We can change this government and reverse its policy. We can't change EU treaties or GATS agreements.
Sounds like yet more scaremongering on behalf of a No vote to me.
in and around the corridors of power in Europe big busnisess interests are promoting privitisation. call that sacaremongering if you like. but these guys believe in the power of the free market to cure all our ills in education and health. and they are powerful and using politicians to promote thier agenda.