During a seminar on the Lisbon Treaty, information was given that citizens of EU member states can, as from 1 April, collect a million signatures and the European Commission to propose or change legislation.

Reading this I smiled. First, because the Commission couldn’t have chosen a better date – 1 April or April Fool’s Day! Secondly, how can anyone be so gullible as to believe that the European Commission will act and do what the one million signatories to the petition ask it to do, say, change existing legislation if the Commission does not agree with what is being proposed?

Is it not a fact that the European Commission never accepts a decision taken by millions of people in a referendum if the decision goes contrary to its wishes? The referenda in France, The Netherlands and Ireland are the most recent proofs of this!

Who will believe that Germany and France in particular, which, at times, ignore the opinion of other member states’ governments, will now be ready to do what a million EU citizens ask them to do?

The litmus test of this “new right” of EU citizens will come when such a petition is organised by EU-sceptic parties throughout EU member states. No wonder the Commission chose 1 April for the launching of this “ new right” or new gimmick!

Eddy Privitera