| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | 1 |
| IRELAND, FOOD AND OIL | 6 |
| 1. THE LISBON TREATY AFTER THE IRISH REFERENDUM (PARAGRAPHS 1-5) | 6 |
| 1.1 MR PÖTTERING IS INVITED TO DINNER BY MISTAKE | 7 |
| 1.2 THE MAKING OF THE CONCLUSIONS ON THE TREATY OF LISBON | 8 |
| 1.3 THE CONCLUSIONS REGARDING THE LISBON TREATY (PARAGRAPHS 1-5) | 11 |
| 1.3.1 Interrupted business: the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty | 11 |
| 1.3.2 Why the Irish voted ‘No’ | 14 |
| 1.3.3 The Irish government is given ‘more time’ | 15 |
| 1.3.4 The ratification process goes on | 15 |
| 1.3.5 A rendezvous in October | 16 |
| 1.4 THE PROSPECTS FOR THE LISBON TREATY FOLLOWING THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL | 16 |
| 1.5 RECASTING THE TERMS OF DEBATE ABOUT THE EU | 18 |
| 2. FOOD AND OIL (PARAGRAPHS 25-40) | 22 |
| 2.1 THE PROBLEM | 22 |
| 2.2 THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL AS A LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR: THE PRELIMINARIES | 24 |
| 2.3 THE HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT HAVE THEIR SAY | 26 |
| 2.4 TWEAKING THE CONCLUSIONS | 28 |
| 2.4.1 Short-term measures to mitigate the impact of the rise of food prices (paragraph 29) | 28 |
| 2.4.2 Support to agriculture in developing countries (paragraph 32) | 28 |
| 2.4.3 The social and economic consequences of the surge in oil and gas prices (paragraph 37) | 29 |
| 2.4.4 Climate change, energy efficiency, energy savings and the diversification of the EU’s energy supply (paragraphs 38 and 39) | 30 |
| 3. OTHER BUSINESS | 30 |
| 3.1 SLOVAKIA AND THE EURO | 30 |
| 3.2 THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL | 30 |
| 3.2.1 Freedom, security and justice (paragraphs 6-24) | 31 |
| 3.2.2 Economic, social, health and environmental issues (paragraphs 41-51) | 31 |
| 3.2.3 Western Balkans (paragraphs 52-56) | 31 |
| 3.2.4 External Relations (paragraphs 57-78) | 33 |
| 4. THE POLITICS OF THE COUNCIL OR A TALE OF THREE PRESIDENCIES | 34 |
| 4.1 DIFFICULT TIMES FOR THE COMMISSION PRESIDENT | 35 |
| 4.2 REQUIEM FOR THE SLOVENIAN PRESIDENCY | 36 |
| 4.3 THE ‘INCOMING PRESIDENCY’ SEEKS THE LIMELIGHT | 38 |
| ENDNOTES | 40 |
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