EU:The European Green Party (EGP) will urge Irish Green Party members to support a motion calling on the party to campaign for the EU Reform Treaty.
In a recommendation that will be sent to the party leadership next week, the EGP will praise the reforms in the new treaty for strengthening democracy, the citizens' role in the union and the protection of fundamental rights.
It will also try to refute arguments that the new treaty will boost militarisation that anti-treaty campaigners such as Green Party member Patricia McKenna are likely to employ.
The EGP, which is a federation of 31 European parties including the Irish Greens, agreed the recommendation at a committee meeting last week in Georgia.
"We are recommending to all the Green parties in Europe to help ratify the Reform Treaty," said EGP spokeswoman Ulrike Lunacek, who added that she was confident the Irish Green Party would support the treaty.
Green Party members will vote next month in the Republic on whether the party can support a European referendum for the first time in its 25-year history.
The party leadership supports the treaty but Ms McKenna is campaigning for the party to oppose it.
Both sides need a two-thirds majority to have their motion adopted. If neither motion secures the necessary majority, delegates will be asked to support a third resolution to ensure the Greens back the holding of a treaty referendum.
At a briefing in Brussels yesterday, the EGP threw its full weight behind the leadership's motion and called on grassroots supporters to support the treaty.
Ms Lunacek singled out the charter of fundamental rights, which is a bill of rights for citizens, and a new citizens initiative that forces the commission to consider proposals that are advocated by petitions signed by one million people, as real benefits.
Articles that protect public services from privatisation and strengthen a common EU foreign policy that is based on UN approval are also points in favour of the treaty, she said.