THE future of the European Union was plunged into chaos tonight after Irish voters rejected the controversial Lisbon Treaty.
Although 18 of the EU's 27 member states have already ratified the major reform package, Ireland's constitution forced it to put the treaty to a public vote.
And today the Irish electorate plunged the future of the treaty into doubt by rejecting i
t.
Reacting to the result, European Commission President Manuel Barroso still called on other members states to ratify the treaty.
"I believe the treaty is alive and we should now try to find a solution," he told reporters in Brussels.
Mr Barroso said Europe's governments would now have to decide what to do next.
He said he had spoken to Irish prime minister Brian Cowen this afternoon, who had insisted that the no vote should not be seen as a vote against the EU.
Mr Barroso went on: "Indeed, both sides in the campaign stressed the benefits of Irish membership.
"I believe that Ireland remains committed to building a strong Europe and playing a full and active part in the EU."
The commission president continued: "The Irish government and the governments of the other member states will now need to assess what this result means for the process.
"The treaty was signed by all 27 member states, so there is a joint responsibility to address the situation."
He said next week's EU summit in Brussels was the place where joint decisions should be taken on an issue that concerned everyone.
"The no vote in Ireland has not solved the problems which the Lisbon Treaty is designed to solve," continued Mr Barroso.
"The ratification process is made up of 27 national processes. Eighteen member states have already approved the treaty and the European Commission believes that the remaining ratifications should continue to take their course.
"At the European Council (summit), we will want to confer with each other, to hear Prime Minister Cowen's analysis, as well as his ideas on how to address the concerns expressed by those who chose to vote no.
"At the same time, the EU institutions and the member states should continue the work of delivering for the citizens of Europe on issues like growth and jobs, social cohesion, energy security, climate change and fighting inflation.
"Working together in the EU remains the best way to deal with the challenges affecting Europeans today."
