Dutch seek give and take on flexibility issue

Date: 16/01/1997

FOREIGN ministers will plunge into one of the most crucial areas of Union reform next week when they examine to what extent EU policy flexibility should be allowed between member states.

The Dutch presidency, which is determined to bring forward a complete revised draft of the Maastricht Treaty by May, believes formal approval of the concept is one of the keys to concluding the Intergovernmental Conference negotiations at June's Amsterdam summit.

The flexibility principle is attracting growing support among member states. It is also finding favour with the European Commission, which is setting aside part of its meeting today (16 January) to establish a coherent policy on the principles and procedures it believes should be applied.

However, senior officials also warn that flexibility on its own will not be enough to ensure the Union is equipped to handle the new decision-making environment after its next enlargement.

Despite the public determination of all involved to meet the mid-June deadline, Luxembourg, which takes over the rotating EU presidency at the beginning of July, has pencilled in dates in July and October in case an emergency summit is needed to unblock a stalemate.