EU Constitution outline welcomed

THE basic outline of a constitution that will shape and govern the future of the European Union was broadly welcomed by Ireland’s representatives on the convention yesterday.

Europe Minister Dick Roche described it as a work in progress and said there was nothing in it that was unduly alarming.

The main fear for the Irish and the other smaller member states is that it would propose a federalist approach like that in the United States of America with all countries subject to an overall governing body.

“There is some federalist language here but this is not a federalist document,” said Mr Roche.

Ireland favours having a strong European Commission as a counterbalance to the power of the big states.

John Bruton, who is on the Convention’s 14-member steering committee, wants Ireland to play a leading part in the next stage when the role of the EU institutions, including the Commission, the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament will be debated. Mr Bruton urged the Irish Government, rather than being critical of the ideas being put forward, to come up with their own solutions: “It is very important for Ireland to have a strong and efficient Commission that works, because this ensures the smaller countries are better protected.

“If the Commission is weak the bigger countries will set the agenda,” said Mr Bruton.

Convention member Proinsias De Rossa said national parliaments must be guaranteed a role in European law- and policy-making in the future. He did not back a proposal in the constitution framework for a senate or congress.

“There should in my view be no new legislative institutions, no new talk shops. In other words, there must be no European Senate, even if it’s called a Congress.”

Green Party TD John Gormley who is a stand-in member of the Convention, warned against what he saw as a move towards recreating a United States of America in Europe by the Convention president, Valery Giscard d’Estaing. “He interchanged the word Union with State a number of times. The implication is that we are dealing with the United States of Europe and are not really recognising the intrinsic value of every State”, he said.