Luxembourg, 10/04/2000 (Agence Europe) - During Monday's Intergovernmental Conference the EU Ministers for Foreign Affairs had, in the presence of the President Romano Prodi and the European Parliament President, Nicole Fontaine, an exchange of views on the extension of qualified majority voting. The Portuguese Secretary of State, Francisco Sexias da Costa, reminded that if certain delegations prefer that qualified majority voting becomes the rule (with an agreement a limited number of exceptions) within the Council, the majority seem to want an pragmatic approach consisting of proceeding with a category based assessment. The delegations are continuing to assess a list of provisions that could pass as such to qualified majority voting and this list will be revised in the future by the Presidency in the light of the positions expressed by the different Member States. The Presidency has foreseen a different approach for the questions linked to taxation (where the principal of unanimous voting will be maintained), to social security (very limited extension of qualified majority voting) and environment. The member States reiterated their positions and Robin Cook in particular insisted on the United Kingdom's opposition to all extension of qualified majority voting to taxation. This new question will be raised by the Sexias da Costa group on the 2 May and then the 6 June.
Ms Fontaine defended the EP's position in favour of extending the agenda of the IGC. EUROPE, however, has reason to believe that this concern of the Parliament has only received the support of Belgium and Luxembourg. Several ministers felt that the boat should not be overloaded. Finland, above all, spoke up against extending the agenda in any way. Ms Fontaine also took a stance in favour of the "by exclusion" approach to extending qualified majority, recommended by Italy. See EUROPE of 3/4 April, p.7.
The next meetings of the Group of Representatives will be held on 14/15 April (informal meeting in Sintra: enhanced cooperation), 2 May (extension of qualified majority), 16 May (other modifications concerning the institutions), 30 May (composition of the Commission and vote weighting in Council), 6 June (qualified majority). The next ministerial meetings are scheduled for 22 May (European Parliament, Court of Justice and other institutions) and 13 June (preparation of the European Council).