DIFFERENT VOICES

Date: 11/07/1996

“As so often in the EU, you have to make a choice between knocking copy that plays to the gallery and constructive proposals that stand a chance of convincing our partners. Even in the pre- electoral season, it is overwhelmingly in Britain's interests to drop the knocking copy and get on with the serious task of negotiation ... Voters are not so foolish as some politicians would have you believe.”

British Commissioner Sir Leon Brittan warning the UK government against calling for the European Court of Justice's powers to be curbed just because a handful of high profile cases had gone against it.

“If the European Community had not existed before the 'mad cow' crisis, it would have had to be invented.”

Socialist MEP Ken Collins, chairman of the European Parliament's environment committee, speaking at a hearing on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD).

“We must shift away from our old self-confidence, and sometimes arrogance, and we must say 'yes, we need foreign investment' and provide incentives without undermining our tax system.”

Czech Trade Minister Vladimir Dlouhy warning of a tendency towards arrogance and nationalism in some emerging economies and insisting Eastern European businesses must learn to overcome prejudice.

“Americans can now say 'the dollar is our currency, but it's your problem'. We need a currency that can stand up to the dollar.”

Deutschebank chief economist Norbert Walter speaking out in favour of EMU.

“The choice of the Russian people was a victory of the future over the past and an endorsement for democracy ... There are no half measures with democracy: the transformation must now be completed.”

European Parliament President Klaus Hänsch welcoming Boris Yelstin's re-election and stressing the need for the Russian president to continue the process of economic and political reform.

“What we do not want is more competences ... The spirit of the Commission is not to grow in competences and take on initiatives.”

Marcelino Oreja, the Commissioner responsible for institutional affairs, insisting that the Commission had no desire to increase its powers at the

Intergovernmental Conference, but simply wanted to improve the way the EU institutions work.