EU must accept reforms, says Prodi

PRESIDENT of the European Commission Romano Prodi yesterday said the EU must accept a one Commissioner per member state system.

The new draft Constitution for Europe proposes a two-tier Commission for the enlarged union of 25 member states, with just 15 Commissioners at any one time having a vote.

The Irish Government has said it will accept the proposal because it will not discriminate against countries as every country will be without a voting Commissioner at some stage.

But most of the smaller countries have said the move will make the Commission irrelevant.

The governments of the 25 member states will begin finalising the draft constitution in two weeks time when they meet in Rome.

Mr Prodi yesterday cited four changes he said must be made to the draft Constitution if the EU is to meet the challenges of the future.

He has previously said a Commission of 25 or more members would be unworkable, but yesterday he said it was matter of how they are organised.

Mr Prodi proposed grouping the Commissioners around different policy areas such as the open market, environment and social policy, giving all of them votes.

"No people of the Union deserve to be represented by a second-class Commissioner," he said.

The Commission is demanding a reduction in the number of areas where governments have a veto. It currently stands at 50, even after the Convention, which spent 18 months drawing up the draft, reduced the number.

"If unanimity remains the rule in combating fraud and tax evasion, the Commission has nothing to lose but companies and taxpayers might have a great deal [to lose]," Mr Prodi said.

The same was true for discrimination, environment and health issues, where national governments have a veto at present but where, he said, a way could be found to reduce the number of veto issues without jeopardising a country's sovereignty.

Ireland and Britain are adamant they must retain the veto on taxation. They can use their veto at the Inter-governmental conference.

The Commission wants greater economic-policy co-ordination spelt out in the new Constitution and proposes that document can be changed with an 83.5% majority among member states and approval by the European Parliament and the Commission.