What is the impact on neutrality?
A. The Lisbon Treaty further militarises the EU by calling on states to progressively improve their military capabilities (Art 28c). This is the only area in which the treaty specifically calls for member states to increase public spending. In the area of common security and defence policy commitments and co-operation shall be consistent with commitments under NATO (Art 28). The treaty therefore further strengthens EU links to NATO and allows the EU to develop common foreign and security policy creating the office of a Minister for Foreign Affairs. The EU, like NATO and the USA, requires no UN mandate for military action. Article 28 commits member states to assist third countries in the interests of combating so called terrorism potentially justifying invasions of countries such as Afghanistan. Members of the Twenty-Six County army are currently operating with NATO forces in Afghanistan and the Dublin government has supported US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan by allowing S
