An enlarged European Union can only be effective if it has an efficient and transparent decision-making system, according to a new report from the Institute of European Affairs (IEA).
In its report, The Next Step in European Union - an Irish Analysis, the IEA states that the European Union must continue to be "a union of states and peoples", if it is to respect the equality and diversity of its member-states.
An enlarged union must be "characterised by the kind of carefully worked-out balances between the EU institutions, and between large and small member-states, which have been a unique feature of the sharing of sovereignty to date," the report recommends.
The report is based on the work of the institute's "Future of Europe" group which is chaired by Dr Garret FitzGerald.
It highlights the issues which will require "serious attention" by this State's negotiators during the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) which begins on Saturday. The conference will be considering the draft Constitutional Treaty for the European Union.
The IEA recommends that the composition and size of the Commission, under the new treaty, be decided at a later date so that the EU has time to see the new 25-member Commission in action first.
It calls for clear rules of procedure for the proposed full-time chair or president of the European Council. The IEA is also seeking clarity on the new formations of the Council of Ministers, especially the proposed legislative council.
The institute recommends that our negotiators keep a close eye on the principle for distributing seats in the European Parliament. "From a national viewpoint, it will be necessary to watch carefully how it is implemented," the report states.
