EC 'will not force' treaty on states

EU: The European commissioner in charge of communications strategy, Margot Wallstrom, has promised that the commission will not interfere in Ireland's referendum on the EU constitution. She added, however, that individual commissioners were free to express their views on the issue, even during a referendum campaign.

"As commissioners, we have a right, and I would say an obligation, to participate in debate but we would never force ourselves upon a member state that does not want any intervention at all from us," she said.

Ms Wallstrom, who will visit Ireland this week to address the National Forum on Europe, identified voter apathy as the greatest challenge for those campaigning for a Yes vote. She said that citizens throughout the EU were suspicious of Brussels.

"There is basically a mistrust in the European Union. We have to let people see that it has a human face and that it affects their daily lives. We are so much tuned in to describing the institutions. We love to talk about this. But who cares if a measure is in the first reading or the second reading? Most people couldn't care less about that. We have to describe exactly what's in the constitution and how it would affect you in your daily life," she said.

A former cabinet minister in Sweden, Ms Wallstrom said she recognised some of the concerns expressed in Ireland about European integration, particularly in regard to defence. She insisted, however, that the constitution would not affect the policy of military neutrality shared by Ireland and Sweden.

"I think there are some countries who would like to see Europe strengthen its military capacity but there are equally many countries who would not like it. And there is unanimity on all of these decisions and that has not changed. We cannot force any member state to do anything of that kind."