I chaired the European Council and the Intergovernmental Conference meetings held in Brussels on 17 and 18 June at which I was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, and the Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs, Deputy Roche. The conclusions of the European Council and a consolidated version of the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The major outcome of the meeting was clearly the agreement on the constitutional treaty which marked a milestone in the development of the European Union.
Before addressing the issues on which our agreement was forged, I note that the process which led to the 18 June agreement on the treaty to establish a constitution for Europe characterised the best of the European Union. Each participant in the negotiations arrived at our meeting in Brussels on 17 June with the political will necessary to achieve agreement and engaged in positive and constructive dialogue. Every participant listened to and made significant efforts to understand the concerns of others. Even where concerns were not shared, they were understood and everyone was willing to make the accommodations necessary to allow agreement to emerge. All parties left the negotiations knowing their concerns had been listened to and that every effort had been made to accommodate them. At the conclusion, each participant could justifiably claim the proposed European constitution as his or her own and recognise that his or her imprint was firmly etched on the text.
All parties were in a position to return home to begin the process of explaining the provisions of the European constitution comfortable in the knowledge that their interests and the interests of every other participant were reflected in the text. They were bringing home a constitution which in all its essentials retained the integrity of the European Convention outcome. Given that accommodating everyone's essential interests is the way the European Union does its business, our negotiations on the constitutional treaty constituted a classic EU exercise. Our collective success was particularly noteworthy as this was the first major test of the newly enlarged Union of 25 member states. The successful conclusion of these complex and critical negotiations proved that with political will, accommodation, compromise and hard work our enlarged Union can continue to forge win-win solutions for all member states and the people of Europe. Working together, we can continue to succeed for the European Union and all Europeans.
Our success in agreeing the European constitution constitutes a success for the people of Europe. The constitution brings the EU's basic law into one document for the first time and reflects the needs of a community of nations which has dramatically broadened its membership. That community will continue to expand and face new challenges into the future. The European constitution will enable the European Union to become more transparent and democratic. It sets out clearly the powers of member states and the EU and enshrines the fundamental rights of the citizen in the context of the Union's institutions. The constitution will enable the European Union to operate more efficiently and effectively and provide a framework in which the Union and all its people can grow and prosper into the future.
I propose to set out for the House the process which led to the agreement, the main issues which remained outstanding as our meeting began on 17 June, the solutions found and the manner in which negotiations on the constitution dealt with those areas of the Convention text which were priorities for Ireland.
After the failure to agree at the December 2003 European Council, I consulted, assessed and reported to the March European Council on the prospects for progress in the Intergovernmental Conference. On foot of this report, the European Council reaffirmed its commitment to reaching agreement on the European Union Constitution and decided to do so no later than the June European Council. This pledge of political will to reach agreement during our Presidency was crucially important.
In the period between the European Council meetings in March and June, formal negotiations resumed in the Intergovernmental Conference. Three ministerial level meetings of the IGC were held and an intense series of bilateral meetings continued during this period. I travelled to meet every one of my counterparts on the European Council in their capitals during May and June. These meetings allowed me to hear at first hand the views and concerns of my colleagues and to propose possible solutions to many of the issues they raised. Our officials continued to meet throughout the period, collectively or bilaterally.
During the course of the negotiation we made it clear that nothing was agreed until everything was agreed. However, our objective, building on the excellent work of the Italian Presidency, was to move as many issues as possible from the open to the closed category. The ministerial meetings of the Intergovernmental Conference, chaired by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, succeeded in moving off the negotiating table many issues on which we believed we had found solutions. In particular, they succeeded in reaching a broad understanding of where the deal would lie on the scope of qualified majority voting and unanimity.
By the time of our meeting on 17 June, we were left with only a small number of highly sensitive issues. These included the size and composition of the Commission, the definition of qualified majority voting, the number of European Parliament seats and a range of non-institutional issues of concern to specific participants.
Negotiations continued through 17 and 18 June. In addition to plenary meetings, we had an intensive set of bilateral meetings. Eventually, late on 18 June we circulated a text proposing solutions to the remaining outstanding issues. At a short reconvened meeting of the IGC all participants indicated their agreement on the basis of our proposals. It was a moment of deep satisfaction for me, for my ministerial colleagues, and for our entire delegation. We felt we had achieved a good outcome for the Union and had underscored Ireland's capacity to play a valuable role at its heart.
I will now outline the solutions found on the main outstanding issues. On the European Commission, it was agreed that each member state will nominate a Commissioner until 2014. From then on, unless the European Council acting unanimously decides otherwise, the number of Commissioners will correspond to two thirds the number of member states. Membership of the Commission shall be on a strictly equal rotating basis, in line with what was already agreed at Nice. The Intergovernmental Conference also agreed a declaration on the Commission, intended to ensure consultation and transparency in Commission decision making when the Commission is reduced in size. Overall, this is a balanced arrangement, which reconciles the twin needs for efficiency and political legitimacy.
The solution found for the definition of qualified majority voting was to increase the member state and population thresholds in the convention text by 5% each and to add a number of safeguards. As a result, a qualified majority will require 55% of the member states, comprising at least 15 of them, and representing at least 65% of the population of the Union. A blocking minority must include at least four member states. In addition, a safeguard mechanism may be invoked by a substantial minority group of member states to allow more time to work for consensus at Council. This outcome reflects the particular concerns of certain member states, while creating a voting system which will be more transparent and effective than that agreed at Nice.
The solution found on the number of European Parliament seats was to increase the minimum number of seats allocated to six, to limit the maximum allocation of seats to a member state to 96, and to increase the total number of seats in the European Parliament from 736 to 750. The specific decision on the allocation of seats per member state will be taken by the European Council before the elections in 2009 on a proposal to be made by the European Parliament. This meets the special concerns of the smaller member states, while allowing enough future flexibility for reallocation if needed.
The non-institutional issues that required negotiation up until the end covered a number of economic governance issues, some of which emerged at a relatively late stage and a range of issues of specific interest to one or a small number of delegations. In the end, satisfactory solutions were found to all of these issues.
Ireland had a number of negotiating priorities in the Intergovernmental Conference on the text that emerged from the European Convention. Satisfactory solutions were found to all our priorities in the course of the Intergovernmental Conference. There was no issue of concern to Ireland outstanding as the negotiations entered their final stage.
On taxation, we maintained a long-standing and well known position of requiring voting by unanimity in this critical area. We were successful on that. In the criminal law area, we wanted to enable the Union to act more effectively against serious cross-border crime, while ensuring that fundamental aspects of our legal system were respected. Again we were successful.
In the security and defence area the outcome, which we negotiated during the Italian Presidency last year, also represents a significant success. In the negotiations we wanted to ensure that there would be no automatic commitments in breach of our traditional policy of military neutrality. At the same time, we wanted to ensure that the Union could be more effective in pursuit of peace and justice internationally, by developing its peace-keeping and crisis management capacities.
With regard to the solidarity clause on natural and man-made disasters and terrorist attacks, which we welcomed, we wanted to ensure that any decisions with military implications would be taken by unanimity and that it would be for each member state to decide how to respond to a request for assistance.
Each of our concerns was shared by one or more member states. I am happy to say that, during the course of the Intergovernmental Conference, solutions to these issues were found. Austria, Finland, and Sweden have all indicated their support for the result in this area. The outcome of the negotiations means there is no change in Ireland's security and defence policy. On all our principal negotiating objectives, therefore, we achieved what we set out to achieve.
The preamble to the European Constitution refers to Europe's religious inheritance. An issue that arose in our discussions, nonetheless, was the possibility of agreeing an enhanced reference to God or to Europe's Christian inheritance in the preamble. I favoured an enhanced reference. At the same time, I was adamant that such a reference could only be achieved through a genuine consensus. This was not an issue that should be divisive among the member states. In the end, no agreement was possible on an enhanced reference. However, we managed to ensure that Article 1.51 of the Convention text remained intact. This article is very important as it not only recognises the status of the churches, but establishes an open, transparent and regular dialogue with them. Both the Holy See and the Conference of European Catholic Bishops, while they would have liked an explicit reference to Christianity, have warmly welcomed the successful negotiation of the European Constitution.
In addition to a successful Intergovernmental Conference we had a useful and productive European Council meeting. As Members know, it was not possible to reach a decision on the appointment of the President of the Commission at the European Council. Following further consultation and a meeting yesterday of the Council at the level of Heads of State or Government, we have now agreed that the Prime Minister of Portugal, José Manuel Barroso, will be nominated as President of the Commission to succeed Romano Prodi. Prime Minister Barroso has agreed to accept the nomination.
José Manuel Barroso will be an excellent President of the Commission as he has all the qualities of vision and decisiveness required to do the job. On a personal basis, I am delighted with his appointment as I regard him as a personal friend and know that he is, and will remain, a friend of Ireland.
Our meeting of the European Council on 18 June was addressed by the President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox. As this was his last appearance at a European Council meeting, significant tributes were paid to the constructive role that he played in the European Parliament in advancing the legislative agenda in partnership with the Commission and the Council. On a personal basis, I take this opportunity to thank him for the advice and support he has given to me, in particular during the six months of the Irish Presidency.
Following our exchange with Pat Cox, we had a discussion on terrorism. Our discussion was a follow-on from our meeting in March in the wake of the terrible terrorist bombings in Madrid, at which meeting we adopted a declaration on terrorism. At our recent meeting we reviewed the significant progress made. For example, in the 12 weeks between the two European Council meetings we adopted a directive on compensation to crime victims, we agreed an approach to the mutual recognition of confiscation orders, we re-established the Europol counter terrorism task force and we made substantial progress on establishing a European borders agency.
The European Council also reviewed our plans to continue to work on the full range of justice and home affairs issues in response to citizens expectations. It also launched the next phase in developing the Union as an area of freedom, security and justice. Our citizens want ever closer co-operation to fight terrorism and to tackle cross border crime. It is on issues such as these that the European Union gives added value to national efforts. The Union is indispensable in this area, if we are to deliver for our people.
A wide range of other issues are dealt with in the conclusions of the European Council. These include a call on the European Commission to establish a European gender institute, the provisional conclusion of accession negotiations with Bulgaria, the decision to open accession negotiations with Croatia in early 2005, and a wide range of international issues.
I want to highlight one issue in particular. I was especially pleased that the European Council agreed that the European Union would continue to support the Northern Ireland peace process. On foot of the conclusions of our meeting, the European Commission will now examine how the PEACE II programme and the International Fund for Ireland can be aligned with other Structural Fund programmes ending in 2006. This agreement provides a basis for extending the programmes for a further two years from the end of this year. The conclusions of the European Council meeting represent the substantial body of work that has been advanced during the course of the Irish Presidency. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my Government colleagues for their efforts over the past six months.
We are now in the final day of our Presidency. Tomorrow, at the National Forum on Europe, I will launch a report on Ireland's Presidency of the European Union, January to June 2004. I will arrange to have this publication circulated to all Members of the Oireachtas. At the beginning of the Presidency we set ourselves the challenge of keeping our citizens fully informed and engaged in regard to European Union developments, which affect our lives in so many ways. I hope that the transparent and open manner in which we have conducted the Presidency will be seen to have lived up to that challenge.
The report shows that while the enlargement of the European Union and agreement on the constitutional treaty stand out, we made progress during our Presidency across the broad range of the European Union's policy areas. In some cases we exceeded the objectives we set ourselves. Our agenda going into this Presidency was broad and complex. On all the issues, including enlargement, the fight against HIV/AIDS, the establishment of peacekeeping missions, relations with other neighbours and global partners, we have sought to advance the Union's agenda. The conclusions we adopted at the European Council meeting on the 17 and 18 June give some flavour of the range of issues addressed and advanced. We also made significant progress in advancing the Union's economic, social and environmental agenda. In addition to our emphasis on jobs in the Lisbon Agenda process, Health Ministers, for example, delivered on the European health insurance card and Environment Ministers agreed measures to address climate change. In the justice and home affairs area, in addition to the terrorism issues addressed at the European Council earlier this month, a very significant body of work was completed on immigration, asylum, police co-operation, crime and action against drugs.
In the international area, the Presidency worked to develop the Union's relations with the wider world. I chaired five summit meetings during the course of the Presidency with Canada, Russia, the Latin American and Caribbean countries, Japan, and most recently last week with the United States. I represented the European Union at the G8 summit. The Tánaiste chaired a summit meeting with Switzerland in May and the Minister for Foreign Affairs chaired two foreign ministerial meetings in Ireland with our Asian and Mediterranean partners. In addition, the Minister for Foreign Affairs represented the European Union at over 30 ministerial meetings with key partners all over the world. The vitality of the EU-US relationship was demonstrated by the successful EU-US summit in Ireland at which economic relations and a broad range of international issues were discussed.
During our Presidency we worked to develop the Union's relations with the wider world through the development of policies aimed at promoting a fairer, peaceful and more secure world. We placed particular emphasis on strengthening support for the United Nations system. We also put a renewed emphasis on Africa and the Union's other development co-operation priorities, giving particular attention to the millennium development goals. We made a particular effort to encourage progress in the Middle East peace process, especially through the European Union's participation in the Quartet. While the situation on the ground still gives cause for concern, there is at least the prospect of progress in Israel's planned withdrawal from Gaza.
The figures show that some 80 legislative proposals were concluded with the European Parliament during the Irish Presidency. This represents 20% of all legislation adopted during the European Parliament's five-year term. We also placed emphasis on how to keep citizens better informed and engaged on European Union issues. This will be a continuing challenge and one that is shared across the European Union. I am delighted to see that the Netherlands' Presidency will follow-up on the initiative taken by Ireland in this area.
The member states will now start the process of informing their public about the contents of the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe. We are all committed to ratifying the constitution by 1 November 2006. The time between now and then will enable us to have a discussion in Ireland and across Europe on all aspects of the constitution. I look forward to the opportunity for a lengthy and informed debate. I look forward to it, in particular, because on this occasion we will be able to rely on the text of the constitution.
The constitution sets out the values and objectives of the European Union in a way that the ordinary person on the street can understand. A clause that says that the Union's values are respect for human dignity, liberty, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights is a clause that can be clearly understood by everyone. When the constitution states that the Union's aim is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its peoples, this too will resonate with all our people. I look forward to the lively debate that will inevitably surround the ratification of the constitution. I feel confident that when people become aware of the fundamentally good values in which our Union is rooted, support for the European Union will increase in Ireland and across Europe.
We are now in the last day of our Presidency. I take this opportunity to thank all who have participated in making this a successful Presidency. I particularly thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, and the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, who spent most of the Presidency in the European Parliament. His was a difficult and time-consuming job, perhaps thankless in some regards because it is not always noted, but he did a really good job. The Minister, Deputy Cowen, also had to undertake an enormous amount of travel.
I also thank all the Ministers, Ministers of State, all our officials at every level and everybody working in the system, whether at home or abroad, whether they be gardaí, people providing security or anybody else. I also thank the main Opposition parties. They had this experience in 1996. They would understand the enormous effort required and appreciate that the results help the cause of this country. I do not believe the Presidency will come around for Ireland again for probably 15 years, unless things change. The year 2019 will probably be the next time Ireland will hold the Presidency and it will be different then because there will be a Union Foreign Minister and a President of the Council. We can say with some satisfaction this was a job well done and I thank everyone who participated and helped to make that possible.
