The European Union breathed a collective sigh of relief at the news of Ireland's emphatic vote in favour of the Nice Treaty. The Commission President, Mr Romano Prodi, said that the referendum result removed the most significant hurdle in the way of EU enlargement to accept 10 new member states.
"I am delighted that the Irish people have voted to approve the Nice Treaty. I would like to pay personal tribute to the Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, for the personal energy and commitment he has put into obtaining this very positive outcome, thereby making a substantial contribution to the historic mission of enlargement.
"We can now get on with finalising preparations for enlargement of the European Union," he said.
The President of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox, who campaigned in favour of the treaty, described the result as overwhelmingly positive.
"This result demonstrates that the only people in the EU to have been consulted have, after a period of reflection, given the clearest possible signal that Europe's rendezvous with history cannot be further delayed or postponed. This is the message which I will carry from Ireland and from the European Parliament to this week's meeting of the European Council in Brussels," he said. EU leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday to approve the Commission's proposal to admit 10 new member states in 2004. The leaders will also seek to agree a common position on the financing of enlargement, including a controversial proposal to phase in direct payments to farmers in the candidate countries.
The Danish Prime Minister, Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen, whose country holds the EU presidency, telephoned the Taoiseach yesterday to congratulate him on the result. "It is very satisfactory that the Irish electorate has accepted the Treaty of Nice at the referendum yesterday. The Irish people have taken an important decision not only for Ireland but for the EU as a whole - and not least for the enlargement," he said.
The Commissioner responsible for enlargement, Mr Guenther Verheugen, also welcomed the result as an important step towards realising the unification of eastern and western Europe.
"This result will give a new impetus to the final phase of the negotiations and makes success at the Brussels summit more likely," he said.
The secretary-general of the Commission, Mr David O'Sullivan, praised the high standard of the debate that preceded Saturday's referendum. He said it was important to maintain that level of debate during the proceedings of the Convention on the Future of Europe. "There are lessons to be learned from the Irish experience. You can no longer simply take for granted people's tacit approval of the EU," he said.
Mr O'Sullivan dismissed fears that Ireland's year-long struggle with the Nice Treaty had cost the country political capital within the EU. "I don't think it has done damage to Ireland's reputation," he said.
