Irish Presidency proposes sixth seat for Malta in EP

Malta Independent Friday, 18 June 2004, 00:00 Last update: about 23 years ago

On the question of the minimum number of seats in the EP parliament, the presidency paper states that “there appears to be broad consensus in favour of raising the minimum number of seats per Member State.

“It therefore proposes that this minimum number should be six, to meet the needs of the smallest Member States,” the presidency stated.

On the question of voting in the Council of Ministers, the presidency is saying that a solution on the question of voting should be based on the principle of double majority, allow for greater efficiency, and have “due regard to balance among all Member States and to their specific concerns”.

The presidency is proposing that the population threshold for approving most EU laws should be set at 65 per cent, and in no case should it be less than 55 per cent.

There should be a minimum of four member states opposed to a provision in order for it to be blocked, the presidency is proposing.

The presidency said it did not agree with suggestions that a blocking minority should also be required to include Member States representing at least 12 per cent or 15 per cent of the Union’s population.

With regards to the EU Commission, the presidency is suggesting that as from 2014, its size should be reduced to 18, including the President of the Commission and the EU foreign minister, chosen according to a system of strictly equal rotation.

Until then, there will continue to be a national from every member state. This raises the possibility of having a commission with up to 30 members.

On the presidency of the Council of Ministers, the latest draft confirmed the proposal to have an equal rotation of pre-established groups of three Member States which will hold the presidency for 18 months.

The groups will be formed “taking into account the diversity and geographical balance with the Union” of each Member State. Each member of the pre-established group will chair all configurations of the Council for a six-month period.

However, the foreign affairs configuration will be chaired by the Union Minister for Foreign Affairs, which is one of the new posts being created in the EU Constitution.