Realities behind votes in Council

Date: 05/10/1995

By Ole Ryborg and Rory Watson

GERMANY and Britain - two of the European Union's largest members - lose more votes than any other EU country when the Council of Ministers ballots to adopt legislation.

Evidence that size is no sure guarantor of success in the complex 15-sided negotiations which climax in the approval of draft legislation emerges in a comprehensive investigation by European Voice into votes cast in the Council over the past two years.

With its Euro-sceptical reputation, the United Kingdom's track record of abstaining or being outvoted 35 times between 6 December 1993 and 1 September this year is somewhat predictable.

What is more surprising is that the pro-Union Germany found itself in the same isolated position on 22 occasions.

The Netherlands, another country regarded as one of the EU's most enthusiastic members, also emerges as one of the most frequent dissenters. Dutch ministers were outvoted 15 times in the period covered by the investigation, putting them on a par with the Danes and far ahead of other member states with a reputation for standing firm when vital national interests are at stake rather than accepting a compromise.

The investigation also sheds light on the extent to which countries decide to abstain, instead of taking a firm line against draft legislation.

At one end of the scale is Greece, which has totally shunned abstentions over the past two years. At the other are the UK and Spain which used the device 19 and 10 times respectively. Both adopt tough negotiating positions, often at variance with their partners. Abstention lessens the impression of frequent political isolation.

But it is the voting record of the Germans which will surprise many EU observers.

German sources maintain that the frequency with which their ministers are outvoted owes less to a penchant for more extreme policies and more to the country's size, mentality and above all its extremely consensual style of government.

They say the country's complex political scene - whereby agreements need to be reached among the Länder, federal government and coalition partners - may explain Germany's inability to adapt its negotiating stance to changing events in the Council of Ministers.

The same cannot be said of the Netherlands, whose elevated position in the league table surprised Dutch officials. The best explanation they could offer was that the results reflect an unwillingness on the part of Dutch ministers to risk a backlash from their national parliament if they give way on key issues of principle.

The Dutch may now have more company when moral issues come into play.

An analysis of the votes cast since January reveals that during the first nine months of its EU membership, Sweden cast as many No votes as the Netherlands.