Libertas.org

In June, we carried coverage here on ConstitutionWatch about Sarkozy reforming “free and undistorted” competition from the Constitution Reform Treaty:

In a bizarre and disturbing development in last night’s EU Treaty talks, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has managed to secure the dropping of a commitment to “free and undistorted” competition as one of the EU’s stated aims – a reference which has been included in every treaty since 1957. This is apparently in reaction to analysis of the French “No” vote on the Treaty in 2005, which underlined voters’ hostility about the supposed neo-liberal economics enshrined in the document.

Libertas ConstitutionWatch, June 2007

Almost Five months later,  Professor Alan Riley, a competition expert at City Law School at City University London has written a report calling on Britain to veto the Constitution Reform Treaty in order to save the market. The report was covered by today’s UK Telegraph .

 The EU deal to strip the words “free and undistorted” competition from the core objectives of the European Union will make it impossible to police the single market.

The document relegates competition to second tier status for the first time since the 1957 Treaty of Rome. The goal of achieving a “high level of employment and social protection” will have a higher legal status. “This is far from a minor technical adjustment,” said Professor Riley.

 Professor Riley has also said that the European Court may have an obligation to favour social rights over the free market.