James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of areas that were previously subject to unanimity that will move to qualified majority voting in the Lisbon Treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10334/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) has long been an important feature of decision making within the Union. Many of the EU's achievements, such as the creation of the Single Market, would not have been possible without use of QMV. Under the Reform Treaty, QMV becomes the standard rule for adoption of legislation, known as "the Ordinary Legislative Procedure", although sensitive areas such as defence and taxation will continue to require a unanimous decision in Council.

Under the Reform Treaty, 22 areas from the existing Treaties will move from unanimity to qualified majority voting (QMV). In many cases, the extensions to QMV are limited in scope, involving only aspects of a Treaty Article, or the further use of QMV in an Article already chiefly subject to it. Areas moving from unanimity to QMV include incentive measures in the cultural field and aspects of the Statute of the European Court of Justice. Other examples are in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice where Ireland has a special arrangement which enables us to participate in measures on a case-by-case basis.

Under the Reform Treaty, there are also a number of new areas not previously covered in the existing Treaties which will be subject to QMV. The areas from the existing Treaties which will move from unanimity to qualified majority voting (QMV) are as follows:

Art 2.36 Diplomatic and Consular protection measures

Art 2.51 Social security for migrant workers (with an "emergency brake" whereby if a proposal is particularly sensitive it can be referred to the European Council for a decision by consensus)

Art 2.54 Provisions for self-employed persons

Art 2.70 Establishment of rules concerning transport

Art 2.90 Certain measures relating to the Broad Economic Guidelines and excessive deficit procedure

Art 2.93 Amendment of some articles of the Statute of the European System of Central Banks

Art 2.126 Incentive measures in the cultural field

Art 2.158 Aspects of the common commercial policy

Art 2.211 Establishment of specialised courts

Art 2.226 Amendment of aspects of the ECJ Statute

Art 2.228 Appointment of the president, vice-president and members of the ECB Governing Council by the European Council

Art 2.236 Rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission's exercise of implementing powers (Comitology)

Art 2.273 Internal Financial Regulations

The following areas are moving to qualified majority voting but Ireland is not obliged to participate and may opt-in on a case-by-case basis:

Art 2.65 Measures concerning border checks

Art 2.65 Measures concerning a common European asylum system

Art 2.65 Aspects of Immigration Policy

Art 2.67 Judicial co-operation in criminal procedural matters

Art 2.67 Minimum rules for criminal offences and sanctions

Art 2.67 Crime prevention

Art 2.67 Regulations concerning aspects of Eurojust's structure, operation, field of action and tasks

Art 2.68 Police co-operation (aspects)

Art 2.68 Europol