Addressing MEPs in Strasbourg this week, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz returned to what he called his “campaign” on the “obvious” need for reform of EU decision-making, specifically member-state vetoes in the European Council.
Longstanding concerns about the union’s inability or slowness to agree decisions by unanimity have been compounded in recent years by particular frustration over Hungary’s solo blocking of common positions on Russia and Ukraine, and taxation. Its willingness to threaten the veto on unrelated issues in order to twist arms over matters which are subject to majority voting is regarded as particularly uncollegial. And how could the union possibly enlarge further, if it would mean bringing in yet more veto-wielders ?
Scholz, who added tax policy to his wish list, is not alone. Last week a group of other states – Belgium, Finland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain – joined the call for majority voting on foreign and security policy, a position also endorsed by Denmark and Sweden.
Ireland, however, is not among the reformers, reluctant to submit to majority voting on the sacred cow of taxation, and fearful of embarking on treaty reform given the domestic complications of referendums. Reluctant, too, to embrace fully the transition of the EU from an intergovernmental union to a supranational union in which sovereignty is shared.
Since the 2007 Lisbon treaty, a substantially new legal mechanism, the passerelle, has provided the means by which specific provisions of the EU treaties may be transitioned to majority voting, without the full traditional hoopla of treaty change and individual member-state vetoes. The passerelle, which has only been used once, is seen by increasing numbers as the way to bring about such changes, notably in foreign and security policy. It can be invoked by the heads of government in the European Council, but this is also subject to the very unanimity rule it seeks to circumvent.
It may take some time yet, but use of this is a cause that Ireland should back.