Brussels, 04/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - At the latest meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference Preparatory Group, chaired by Francisco Seixas da Costa, the Portuguese Presidency presented a new paper on the extension of qualified majority. In this document, the Presidency stresses the need to "obviate the risk inherent to unanimity that the Council might in future be prevented from adopting provisions essential for the proper functioning of the Union". It also presents a list of 25 articles that potentially could be switched to qualified majority voting (see below) and envisions the extension of qualified majority to: - certain aspects of taxation (measures related to VAT and excise duties that "modernise or simplify existing Community rules", measures concerning direct taxtion with the sole purpose of preventing fraud and tax evasion, measures whose main objective is environmental protection); - certain social provisions (measures needed in the area of social security, for the free movement of workers and non-employed persons; collective representation and defence of the interests of workers and employers); - certain environmental provisions; - certain questions related to Article 308 (such as the creation of decentralised agencies). The Presidency explains that it is not his intention to enter into a detailed discussion of the list at this stage, but simply to ask delegations to make known any major objections of principle on specific points.
Indeed, objections were expressed on Tuesday last, beginning with the United Kingdom, which, in a five-page document, confirmed its strong opposition to dropping unanimity on taxation issues. Portugal voiced opposition to the extension of qualified majority to environmental taxation and decisions on the structural and cohesion funds (in some cases, the position of the Portuguese delegation differs from the Presidency's, admitted Mr Seixas da Costa), and Spain expressed similar reluctance about the structural and cohesion funds (as did Greece) and environmental taxation. Austria presented a position of principle on the IGC (to which EUROPE will return) in which it states that unanimity should be maintained on issues such as water resources, regional planning, land-use plans and the choice of energy sources. France is also known to have serious difficulties agreeing to give up unanimity on third-pillar issues.
The 25 articles, which the Presidency believes "deserve study with a view to a switch to qualified majority", concern: the appointment of special CFSP representatives; international CFSP agreements in areas in which a common action has been adopted by qualified majority; authorisation of enhanced co-operation in the first and third pillars; measures to combat discrimination; provisions to facilitate EU citizens' right to free movement and freedom of residence in other Member States; access to and the practice of self-employed activities; procedures and conditions for the issue of visas and uniform visa rules; measures on asylum, refugees and displaced persons and immigration policy; measures related to judicial co-operation in civil cases with cross-border impact, if necessary for the proper functioning of the internal market; measures to ensure co-operation between Member State administrations and thes administrations and the Commission on visas, asylum and immigration; possible derogations when application of the principles of transport systems is likely to affect seriously the standard of living and level of employment in certain regions; the compatibility of state aid with the internal market; economic measures in the event of difficulties securing supplies of certain products; actions (with the exception of harmonisation) serving as incentives for culture; support for Member States' actions in the area of industry; specific actions for economic and social cohesion not covered by the structural funds; rules applicable to the structural and cohesion funds; the association of overseas countries and territories; the MEP statute; the Rules of Procedure of the Court of First Instance and Court of Justice; the financial regulation; establishment of the list of dual-use goods; the association agreements when they concern areas for which qualified majority is required for the adoption of internal rules.