Brussels, 16/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - MEP Andrew Duff, who led the Liberal component in the European Convention, has just made two proposals to break the deadlock on the provisions of the future European Constitution which remain the most controversial: the voting system in Council, and the composition of the European Commission. The British Liberal Democrat suggests:
- the formula of double majority in the Council (of Member States and population) chosen by the European Convention should be retained, but with small changes to the figures, going from 50% of Member States and 60% of the population of the EU to 55% of Member States and 55% of population. This would mean 14 Member States out of 245 representing 55% of the population of the EU, which would boost the positions of the small and medium-sized Member States and stop France, Germany and the United Kingdom from forming a blocking minority amongst themselves, explained Mr Duff.
- The Constitution should not determine the exact size of the future Commission, and the criterion of equal rotation for all nationalities should go (the integral text can be found of the Financial Times website: news.ft.com/world/Brussels).