Brussels, 03/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference Preparatory Group, chaired by Francisco Seixas da Costa, held on 2 May for further discussion of the extension of qualified majority, revealed the extent of support for the Presidency's latest paper on this question, which most negotiators consider to be the central issue of the IGC. The Portuguese Presidency enumerates in this paper (to which EUROPE will return) some 20 issues on which there could be a switch from unanimity to qualified majority, including some very sensitive issues such as certain aspects of taxation and social security.
During debate, the European Parliament representatives and European Commissioner Michel Barnier stressed once again the need to enlarge substantially the use of qualified majority in the Council if a Union of 25 to 28 members is to be capable of efficient decision-making. Some "big" countries like Germany, France and Italy also called for wider use of qualified majority and even the more reluctant countries did not call for removal from the Presidency's list of certain questions that raise problems for them (some participants pointed out that, if things proceeded thus at this stage, the Presidency's paper would be reduced to very little).
It will be recalled that the next meeting of the Seixas da Costa group, to be held on 16 May, will focus on other Treaty amendments related to the institutions that could prove necessary, over and above the "Amsterdam leftovers".