The Foreign Affairs Committee agreed today to recommend ratification of amendments to the EU Treaty of Lisbon which address concerns by the Republic of Ireland on the Right of Life and the Family, the right of member states to retain their competence on taxation matters, and the right of veto on certain decisions regarding security and defence.

Once introduced in the treaty, these concerns will apply to all member states.

Foreign Minister George Vella explained that this amendment would be included in the Treaty when Croatia joined the EU in the coming weeks.

The Irish requested the amendments as a result of a referendum held in 2005. He said that these clauses protected other member states. Malta, he said, like Ireland opposed abortion. Like Ireland, Malta was a neutral country and both counties shared the same views on retaining control over defence and taxation matters.