Ruairí Quinn
Question:70 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the implications for Ireland of the decisions reached at the Nice summit. [1595/01]
Written Answers. - EU Summits.
The agreement reached at Nice provides the basis for the effective functioning of an enlarged European Union, while at the same time maintaining essential institutional balances. It is clearly in Ireland's interest that a union with a significantly increased membership be in a position to take decisions and to function properly, while ensuring that the rights of individual member states are protected. The outcome at Nice fully meets these requirements.
By completing the process of internal institutional reform within the period envisaged, Nice allows preparations for enlargement to proceed on schedule. By providing the basis for countries from east and west to come together in a framework of democracy and human rights, enlargement lays the basis for a new stability in Europe, from which all will gain. In addition, Irish business is particularly well placed to realise the potential economic benefits of an enlarged Union.
As regards the institutional changes agreed at Nice, they represent a reasonable compromise, while also respecting essential Irish interests. While we were ready to facilitate agreement on a significant extension of QMV, we insisted that this should not include taxation. This was agreed.
In relation to the Commission, the five large member states will give up their second commissioner from the start of the next Commission. Each member state will have a commissioner until the union reaches 27, at which point the Council is required to decide by unanimity on a smaller Commission. Most importantly, any such rotation will operate on the basis of strict equality among member states. Ireland will therefore be represented on the Commission on the same basis as, for example, France or Germany.
The agreement on the re-weighting of votes in the Council takes into account the understanding reached at Amsterdam whereby those states giving up their second commissioner would in turn have their voting weight increased. The agreed outcome provides that Ireland will continue to have the same voting weight as Denmark and Finland.
The outcome in relation to the European Parliament is also satisfactory from an Irish perspective, with our allocation of seats at the top of the range proposed by the Presidency at Nice. The explicit confirmation in the treaty, for the first time, of the right of each member state to nominate a member of the Court of Justice, and of the Court of Auditors, is also satisfactory from Ireland's viewpoint. Finally, the decisions in relation to enhanced cooperation will allow countries, including Ireland, to take advantage of this procedure, while at the same time, as sought by Ireland, incorporating sufficient safeguards to ensure that the overall coherence of the Union is maintained.