International

During a visit to Poland the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso declared that since last year's enlargement the EU had been functioning normally and that the constitution would not in fact be missed. SP Euro-MP Erik Meijer is happy to note this insight, which demonstrates considerable progress: “This constitution is, we can take it from this, definitely an out-of-date document, which I take as a compliment to those French and Dutch citizens who voted 'No'.”

According to Mr Barroso no problem whatsoever had resulted from, for example, the preservation of the veto right for twenty-five member states. Mr Meijer argues that this clearly means that there is no reason to get rid of the veto right by extending qualified majority voting. “I would like the Commission to let me know if they share Barroso's extremely constructive standpoint. We can then make a start on reversing the powers of interference of the European Union which experience has shown to be a hindrance to progress.”.

At the same time the Union could get to work on fulfilling the promises of democratisation which we heard during the referendum campaigns. “Timely consultation of national parliaments regarding proposed new EU legislation, the right of groups of citizens to demand a referendum on a particular issue, allowing the public into meetings of the Council, these are all things which in my view could be introduced tomorrow.” Mr Meijer also wants to know from the Commission how the "pause for breath" which has been promised will work in practice and how the Commission intends to ascertain what the voters actually do want to see in relation to the EU's policy- and decision-making structures.