Europe needs new ways of thinking

European Commission chief Romano Prodi was today joining The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern for a tour of the picturesque Ring of Kerry.

The sightseeing trip comes at the end of a visit to Ireland which saw the EU supremo admitting to the need for ‘‘a new way of doing things in Europe’’.

Mr Prodi has also used his visit to express his mixed feelings about the shock referendum rejection by the Irish electorate of the European Union’s Treaty of Nice that would have permitted the expansion of the EU.

Speaking at Cork’s University College last night, the commission president stressed that the treaty was a ‘‘political condition for enlargement’’.

Earlier yesterday Mr Prodi had extensive talks with many of the groups and individuals whose campaigning led to a 54% rejection of Nice in the June 7 referendum.

He declared: ‘‘I fully respect the democratically expressed will of the Irish people - but it is hard for me to understand exactly why they voted as they did.

‘‘I cannot believe that they voted against the EU or against enlargement. On the other hand it is possible that they were expressing their incomprehension of how the European project is developing - and their discontent with many aspects of the way decisions in Europe are taken.

‘‘If that is so, the vote Ireland delivered sends European leaders a clear signal that ordinary citizens do not feel involved enough in European affairs - that they are not ready simply to endorse decisions taken by committees and conferences meeting behind closed doors, and that business as usual is no longer an option.

‘‘I have much sympathy with such sentiments. We do need a new way of doing things in Europe.’’

Mr Prodi went on, though, to dispute some of the arguments advanced by the referendum No camp in today’s meeting - among them the threat to the long-standing policy of military neutrality and to the national identity of countries.

He also denied that any measures envisaged in the Nice Treaty would reduce the role of smaller member states like Ireland.

On the question of neutrality, the EC boss insisted: ‘‘There is no intention of turning an EU rapid reaction force into an EU army.

‘‘It is designed to restore peace and order in conflict situations, and Irish troops assigned to it will remain Irish troops.

‘‘The deployment of Irish troops will be the result of sovereign decisions taken on a case-by-case basis here in Ireland.’’

Earlier, Mr Prodi made it clear that if a second Irish referendum on Nice also turned down the treaty, it would fall.

But he said that a more open debate on the questions raised was ‘‘very healthy’’.

‘‘I believe the people of Ireland want an efficient enlarged EU. But, above all, they want an EU they can understand and control through democratic means.’’