Seanad debates
Tuesday, 10 June 2003
Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements.
These two arguments are not in conflict because it is largely assumed that we want to establish, what is referred to as, a United States of Europe or some other structure. What has been established in Europe is unique. It is a European structure of governance and democracy. We take for granted too often the unbelievable architecture put in place in the European Union and Community over the past 20 years. We also take for granted the fact that subsidiarity is a fundamental pillar of the institutions that must never be lost. We take for granted that, if the Convention proposal on the Commission is accepted by the Intergovernmental Conference, small countries like Ireland will have the same rights to nominate a Commissioner as a country of 70 million people such as Germany or a country of 50 million such a Britain. That is an amazing political structure that has been conceded in the talks.
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