Brussels, 13/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - "We hear from different quarters that the intergovernmental conference on reforming the institutions is deadlocked, but in fact there is not reason to dramatise the situation", Luxembourg's representative in the IGC Preparatory Group said on Thursday. Speaking to members of the European Parliament's Committee on Constitutional Affairs on the eve of the debates in Biarritz on the IGC, Nicolas Schmidt wanted to show himself "less pessimistic" than some, while stressing that the pessimism sometimes shown could also be seen as a means of pressure to move forwards in the talks.
The representative for the Grand-Duchy called for the "danger of the presentation of a so-called conflict between the large and small countries" to be avoided. He called for "all to be done to get rid of this claimed conflict from the final work of the Conference", while recognising that on the two issues of the re-weighting of votes in Council and the number of Commissioners, there certainly were differences between the large and small States. "The small countries in no way want to play down the role of the larger ones, on condition that they themselves are not sidelined", he stressed, pleading in favour of reforms that are not merely "mathematical".
Should a "small majority" emerge in favour of a simple re-weighting of votes in Council, on the basis of the current system, Nicolas Schmidt said that Luxembourg would retain its preference for the dual-majority system (number of votes and population). Luxembourg "does not reject re-weighting out of hand", but would like the future system "not to enable a decision to be taken through a qualified majority representing only 11 of the 27 countries".
Luxembourg's representative then welcomed the "very clear" majority in favour of maintaining the principle of one Commissioner per Member State. This is the stance of those who want a strong and representative Commission, said Nicolas Schmidt, in passing having a dig at "those countries (France and Germany, he stipulated a little later) which always forget to mention the Commission as central body" and now say they want a strong Commission that, for them, should have fewer Commissioners.
"Every country has its domain on which it does not want to give way", Nicolas Schmidt emphasized regarding the extension of qualified majority voting. Here too, he wanted to show himself to be relatively optimistic, counting on the "final dynamic" to settle these issues. Foremost sensitive issue for Luxembourg, taxation - and this is not only because there is a large financial market in the Grand Duchy -, he told several parliamentarians who questioned him on this subject. The idea of voting through a qualified majority or unanimity depending on the type of fiscal decision has not apparently yet convinced Luxembourg, which finds the dividing line very "vague". Other difficult issues, social security and the free movement of workers. On this last subject, Luxembourg would like the principle of unanimity to be extended for a further five year period.
On the issue of enhanced cooperation, Luxembourg would like to see the right of veto abolished, and backs the German-Italian proposal (see EUROPE of 11 October, p.6) but also backs the system that should enable all those who so want to to be able participate in enhanced cooperation.
In answer to questions from parliamentarians, the Luxembourg representative turned to the possibility of a further IGC, considering it "better to give the institutional building site a rest". Asked about the use of a second parliamentary chamber, he stipulated that the question would arise if small States felt themselves sidelined.