Nice gives the Lilliputians of Europe a real fighting chance
The argument is threefold: firstly that Ireland will lose its automatic right to appoint a commissioner; secondly that qualified majority voting will be extended, thus removing our veto and, thirdly, that enhanced co-operation will create a two-tiered Europe.
If Nice were to be ratified, from 2005 the bigger states would lose their right to appoint a second commissioner. The ten accession states would each have the right to appoint one commissioner, thus providing for a commission where tiny Malta would have precisely the same representation as Germany. Qualified majority voting will be extended to cover 25 areas, all of which are set out in the treaty.
At the Council of Ministers there is a total of 237 votes. In order to reach a qualified majority one needs 169 votes, just over 70%.
To be clear, even if Germany, France, Italy, the UK, Spain, Portugal and The Netherlands voted together, they still would not have reached the required number. With enlargement it becomes even more difficult.
It is very rare for a vote to be taken as the member states almost inevitably come to agreement on the issues.
Finally there is enhanced co-operation. There are strict conditions here: at least eight countries must agree; it must be used as a last resort; its operation must not discriminate between states or distort competition; it must be open to all states so that any one of them can join at any time.
It is reasonable to assume that enhanced co-operation, if applied at all, will be in very specific areas, none of which could create a two-tiered Europe.
Nice will enable tiny states like Malta, Cyprus, Estonia and others to become fully-fledged members of the European family. To prevent this would be a tragedy, but to prevent it in the name of equality would be shameful.
Ross Maguire
32, St Kevin’s Road,
Portobello,
Dublin 8
