France accused of ‘hypocrisy’ in QMV talks

Date: 05/10/00

By Simon Taylor

FRANCE is fighting to keep its national veto in more Union policy areas than any other member state except Spain, despite President Jacques Chirac's repeated calls for further political integration.

Paris is resisting attempts to move to qualified majority voting (QMV) in 16 of the 49 areas of EU policy-making included on a list of possible contenders drawn up by France itself, as the current holder of the Union presidency. Madrid is also battling to retain the veto in 16 areas.

France's stance has prompted accusations of hypocrisy from MEPs because Chirac has been one of the strongest advocates of governments pooling their sovereignty at EU level, calling again this week for a core group of member states to press ahead with further integration without waiting for the rest.

"This just shows that the French should stop acting as poseurs and should bring appearance into line with reality," said British Liberal MEP Christopher Huhne. He added that Paris still had the worst record of any member state on implementing Union legislation despite having one of the most competent and efficient national administrations.

The justice and home affairs policy poses the biggest problems for France, with Paris opposing the extension of QMV to rules on issues ranging from visa and asylum rules to border controls.

France is also isolated in its refusal to end national vetoes on trade rules relating to investment, services and intellectual property rights. Diplomats warn that the EU's ability to negotiate trade agreements is weakened by the need to secure unanimous approval from all 15 member states for the terms of any accord.

Spain is blocking moves to extend majority voting to justice and home affairs, tax law, social security rights and measures relating to the bloc's regional aid policy, of which Madrid is a major beneficiary.

The UK is fighting to keep the national veto in 15 areas, although diplomats claim that London's list would be longer if it did not have an opt-out on all justice and home affairs issues. British objections to QMV include taxation, some rights relating to free movement and minimum social standards.

Germany emerges as the country most strongly in favour of moving to more QMV, signalling that it only wants to keep its veto for rules allowing people to carry out their professions in other member states and some asylum measures. But officials point out that Berlin is unlikely to be able to sign up to QMV in at least eight other areas because of objections from Germany's federal states, which must approve the treaty which emerges from the Intergovernmental Conference talks.

Union leaders will discuss the progress made by IGC negotiators on majority voting and other key reform issues at their meeting in Biarritz next week. Diplomats say abolishing national vetoes will be most difficult in the areas of taxation, justice and home affairs, anti-discrimination measures, social security and trade issues.

France is fighting to keep its national veto in more Union policy areas than any other Member State except Spain, despite President Jacques Chirac's repeated calls for further political integration.