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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 6 Jun 1974

Vol. 273 No. 5

Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - European Commission Spokesmen Comments.

26.

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make representations to the European Commission to ensure that Commission spokesmen will not comment in future on internal affairs of this country, such as the budget.

Under the provisions of the treaties establishing the European Communities, to which the Irish Government adhere in accordance with the decision of the Irish people, the council may, acting unanimously on a proposal from the commission, decide upon the measures appropriate to the conjunctural situation in the Community. Where these measures have been adopted unanimously by the council, the commission have the further function of proposing directives for action to give effect to these measures, these proposals being subject to adoption by the council by a qualified majority. Finally, in addition to these provisions of Article 103 of the EEC Rome Treaty, Article 155 requires the commission, in order to ensure the proper functioning and development of the Common Market, to formulate recommendations or deliver opinions on matters dealt with in the Rome Treaty, to the extent that the treaty expressly so provides or if the commission considers it necessary to do so. The commission, of course, have other functions under other articles of treaties.

The representations which the Deputy proposes that I should make would accordingly be inappropriate as they would involve seeking to dissuade the commission from carrying out the functions conferred on it by the treaties to which we have adhered in response to the wishes of the Irish people.

It was not clear from the text of the Minister's reply. Under what heading of their responsibilities the particular representation to which Deputy Flanagan objects were made?

Article 103. There are a number of articles which can be involved and under which the commission have certain functions with regard to member States. Article 103 on conjunctural policy seems to be the relevant article.

Will the Minister read Article 103 again please?

The article states that member States should regard their conjunctural policies as a matter of common concern. They should consult each other and the commission on the measures to be taken in the light of prevailing circumstances.

That does not seem to give the commission any authority to make the sort of statement to which Deputy Flanagan objected.

I do not agree with the Deputy. I do not necessarily agree with the contents of the statements which may not have been——

I am not concerned about that.

The conjunctural policy in member States of the Community is the responsibility of the commission. They are entitled to give their views as to how member States should operate in this particular area. They are within their rights, whatever one might think of their judgment of our economic situation.

Did I understand the Minister to say there had to be agreement among the commissioners? In this particular case when a spokesman referred to our budget, had it been considered by the commission as a whole and had there been agreement on what he said?

Any action of the commission under the Rome Treaties has to be carried out by a formal decision of the commission acting for the majority. That must have taken place in this as in any other case.

I distinguish here between statements by spokesmen of the community on particular issues and formal action by the community.

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