By Emily Smith - 17th May 2004
Europe could still manage to agree on an EU treaty before June 18, according to the European Commission.
Despite apparently stalled constitution talks between national governments in Brussels this week, justice commissioner Antonio Vitorino believes ‘last minute’ nerves will be enough to push things through this summer.
“I think the typical drama when a deadline approaches will be enough to speed things up,” Vitorino told journalists.
He added that the “mood for negotiation is not yet totally there” but “does that mean we’re pessimistic? No not at all”.
The commissioner refused to be drawn on political wranglings apparently blocking agreement this week, saying a final deal was likely to come together all at once.
“In this case nothing is agreed until everything is agreed – I don’t comment on tactics of negotiations.”
But the commission remains committed to the idea all decisions being taken by qualified majority vote (QMV), in spite of objections from member states who fear this could see national powers sacrificed to Brussels.
Some countries – notably the UK and Ireland - would prefer to keep the current voting system, under which they can unilaterally block proposals in certain sensitive areas, particularly justice and social security.
But Vitorino said that “once decisions on own [financial] resources are taken by unanimity, there should be no obstacle to moving to QMV”.
Opponents of the veto are offering the ‘emergency brake’ to nervy capitals afraid for their national sovereignty.
Under this alternative governments could appeal to EU leaders if they felt an EU law conflicted with their national legislation.
But there are fears from – among others – France, Spain and Belgium that appeals could drag on indefinitely, unless strict time limits are imposed from the start.
Vitorino suggested that six months would be the ideal period in which appeals had to be dealt with.
The commission also came out in support of a compromise deal – put forward by the Irish EU presidency this month – under which there will be one commissioner per member state “at least until 2014”.
“I hope on the basis of this proposal it will be possible to find agreement.”
Though the idea of choosing 2014 as the date at which things will be revised remains a subject of controversy, Vitorino said that whatever date was ultimately chosen should be set it stone.
“I prefer a fixed timeframe, to give legal certainty to the evolution of the EU institutions.”
But the Portuguese commissioner concluded on a happy note, claiming that “things are going in the right way”.
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