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Accord reached on E.U. power structure

By Batuk Gathani

The former French President and current Chairman of the European Convention, Valery Giscard d'Estaing (centre), at a session at the European Headquarters in Brussels in this May 30 file photo.

BRUSSELS JUNE 9. After days of tough negotiations, the 105-member `European Convention' under the chairmanship of the former French President, Valerie Giscard d'Estaing, has reached a compromise on the power structure for the European Union.

The new deal at the Convention was hammered out in the early hours of Sunday and will be presented to the leaders of member states at their summit in Greece on June 20. Mr d'Estaing has tried to ensure that the rights of the smaller member states are protected. For example, each member state, regardless of its size, is guaranteed a seat on the European Commission — the executive arm of the E.U. — and members will also have the privilege of chairing the sectional ministerial councils. Secondly, to make the decision-making process transparent and efficient, Mr d'Estaing has proposed a mechanism whereby the national veto in foreign affairs could be replaced by majority voting, provided everyone agreed. Even Romano Prodi, the current President of the European Commission, and a prominent critic of Mr d'Estaing, conceded that "important progress'' had been made. The Convention's proposals will satisfy those who believe in a Europe of nation states and those who support deeper integration.

Mr d'Estaing's strategy has been to seek a middle way and also to bolster key institutions of the E.U. The ultimate authority will rest with the European Council of Ministers, which will be chaired by the President of the E.U., who will be elected by the member states.

The President will be elected from among leaders of Government of member states and the two most-talked-about names for the post at present are the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and his Spanish counterpart, Jose Maria Aznar.

The Convention will hold one more meeting this week before Mr d'Estaing presents his final proposals to the summit meeting of E.U. heads of Government on June 20. The member states will then further `refine' the process and a treaty adopting the Constitution of the E.U. will be signed in the first half of 2004. The expanded E.U. will have a population of nearly half a billion, compared to the current 375 millions. With a GDP of nearly $8 trillions, the E.U. will be the world's second largest economic power after the U.S. whose economy is likely to reach $10 trillions by the middle of this decade.

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