Brussels, 13/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - In the context of the debate on the reform of the European Union institutions before enlargement, the European Commission will explain, on Tuesday, what it believes should come under Council qualified majority vote in the fields of taxation and social security. It proposes that, in order to guarantee the correct functioning of the single market in an enlarged Europe, certain technical decisions should be taken by qualified majority. The aim is therefore not to block decision-making by a Member State right of veto.
The European Commission examined on a case by case basis all the provisions that could be concerned. It envisages the transition to qualified majority for measures 'linked to free movement", explained the spokesperson for Michel Barnier, the Commissioner responsible for the Intergovernmental Conference. This covers certain aspects of the VAT and the fight against fraud, in the tax field, and social protection and the free movement of workers in the social security field.
The Commission presented on 25 January its overall opinion on reform of the institutions. This contribution, of a more technical nature, is the last of its kind, after a previous one devoted to the European Court of Justice, last month. All these documents are of course addressed to the Intergovernmental Conference in progress.