Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-11-05-Speech-3-094"
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"en.20031105.7.3-094"2
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"Mr President, we all agree that decision-making procedures within the EU institutions need to be streamlined to take account of the ten new countries which are joining the Union next May.
We need to reform the way in which we take decisions in a broader European Community, but we also need to ensure that, in the context of putting in place a new European Union Treaty, vital national interests are protected. For example, from an Irish perspective, I have some concerns relating to a number of issues.
First, the retention of effective national control over taxation policy is a matter to which the Irish Government and other European governments have consistently attached the highest importance. Negotiations which took place at the Nice Summit with regard to this issue guaranteed that unanimity was retained for decisions on all taxation questions at EU level. I believe that taxation issues are best controlled by national governments and local authorities as opposed to a centralised European Union.
Second, while enhancing the effectiveness of the fight against cross-border crime, I am concerned at a proposal to extend qualified majority voting to issues relating to criminal law. I believe that this is an ineffective proposal because it does not take account of the different legal traditions in the various Member States.
Third, in the area of security and defence, it is important that no new obligations are imposed on Ireland which threaten our traditional policy of military neutrality. The Irish Government and other EU governments must also retain discretion at a national level over the participation in any future military operations.
And last but not least, I would strongly request that smaller Member States should retain the right to appoint one Member to the European Commission."@en1
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