European Council, Brussels, 19-20/06/2008

The EU Heads of State and Government met, in Brussels, as the European Council for the second and final time during the Slovenian Presidency on 19-20/06/2008. The June European Council took stock of the process of ratification of the Lisbon Treaty across the EU. The Irish referendum vote against the Treaty, which took place on 12/6/2008, means the 27 had to focus again on the EU's institutional woes. The European Union leaders, at their two-day meeting in Brussels, agreed to give more time to Ireland to find a way around last week's failed referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, while setting no clear deadline. Addressing also surging food and oil prices, which have slowed economic growth and raised the spectre of higher interest rates, the leaders failed to agree on tax measures to help specific sectors of economic activity. They rather mandated the next EU presidency (by France), in agreement with the European Commission, to come up with proposals at their next meeting in October.

European Commission | June 20, 2008

Tags:. .spectre. .ratification. .slovenian. .referendum. .brussels