By Bruno Waterfield - 23rd May 2004
Dublin’s EU presidency will stick up for the European Parliament during Europe’s constitution horse-trading, say MEP representatives at the talks.
Europe’s only directly elected institution is beating off a power grab by national governments keen to keep control of the EU’s purse strings.
And the parliament has no say at inter-governmental negotiations to seal a constitution by June 17.
But MEP observers at constitution talks believe the Irish EU presidency will stand up for their rights.
Socialist MEP Klaus Hänsch suggests that Dublin will rally a majority to avoid parliament being trampled by big EU national players including Germany, Britain and France.
“The great thing is that certainly a majority do not want to humiliate the parliament,” he said.
“Together with those… and the Irish presidency we hope to maintain the balance.”
Proposals would rob MEPs of a final say on EU budgetary control making the issue a “tie-breaker” between the parliament and council of Europe’s finance ministers.
Hänsch’s colleague at talks German centre-right MEP Elmar Brok describes the the issue as “a key question”.
“The text tabled is one we can not accept,” he said.
“There will be a certain amount of wrangling [but] we are certainly not prepared to abandon our position lightly.”
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