In every EU member state the people are calling for the right to vote on the Amsterdam Treaty. However, this opportunity is only being given to the people of this State, Denmark and Portugal.
A democratic country, such as Holland, appears happy to transfer the power of decision from the people and their elected representatives to the specialists and bureaucrats in the EU, and this without even asking the people's permission.
The Amsterdam Treaty has been drafted by 15 men. There isn't a single woman among the co-authors. It has been prepared by bureaucrats behind closed doors. Nevertheless they tell us that a re-draft is out of the question. In format the Amsterdam Treaty is an international treaty entered into by 15 nations. In substance, however, it seems more like a confused constitution for a new state.
It isn't an "idealist" democratic constitution which begins by outlining basic rights and the establishment of parliamentary democracy. The EU undermines democratic practice in the 15 member states and replaces it with more legislative power for the bureaucrats. These bureaucrats decide on laws which are irrevocable, and there is nothing the citizens of our countries can do about it.
Maybe it is wise to reduce the scope of democratic institutions. Maybe bureaucrats and specialists are better at deciding than the people and their elected representatives. Nevertheless, should we not at least have a discussion about this, before things are set in stone?
The Amsterdam Treaty can only be amended if all 15 countries agree. It is a fact that an EU law is only amendable if a majority can be achieved among the 20 non-elected commissioners. Added to that there must be 62 votes out of 87 in the Council in support of any amendment. Bear in mind that at this level the Irish minister or high-level official have only three out of 87 votes. The people of this State can still have general elections changing both Dail Eireann and the Government and thereby the ministers who represent them in the Council. Nevertheless, they will never be able to make a new law in the EU. When you have handed over the power of decision-making to the EU your democratic rights are not worth the ballot paper you vote on.
The people then find themselves with only the possibility of voting at European Parliament elections every five years. They can change a few faces around, but even if all the Irish voted for Euro-sceptics such as Patricia McKenna, they would not be able to initiate a new law or new amendments.
For the Irish people the situation is simple. They can have elections but they can not choose a new political direction. Accountable democracy only applies to issues which are still handled by the national parliament.
We could live with that as long as the EU confined itself to cross-border problems which can only be addressed at an international level anyway. The EU needs to see its limitations outside the spheres of trade and environmental problems. Consequently the democratic problems wouldn't seem so dramatic. Regrettably this isn't the case.
Under the Maastricht Treaty the principle of subsidiarity was introduced. Since then EU legislation has increased by more than 30 per cent. In 1992 EU legislation amounted to 16,027 Directives, Resolutions and other legal acts. This number had increased to 24,150 by 1997. There are thousands of secret committees. The European Parliament, despite its best efforts, can't even get a list of names of the people who are involved in the legislative processes going on in these committees.
Anyone can visit the European Parliament and watch the debates. The fact is, however, that this Parliament doesn't have much legislative power. The Amsterdam Treaty does give the European Parliament more power. However, this power only gives the Parliament a veto on issues, such as environmental standards, where it is hardly ever opposed to EU legislation. The right of veto and amendment should not be confused with real legislative power.
It certainly is a historical paradox that the EU consists of 15 democratic nations. Each of them acclaim the principles of parliamentary democracy on a national level, but when these countries share political sovereignty within the EU they seem to forget about democratic principles. I often hear the federalists say: "Well let's re-invent the parliamentary democracy on an EU level."
It is a pleasant enough thought. Unfortunately a European people as such doesn't exist. A vivid European democracy should first and foremost be based where the people can participate and follow the political process. We do not need the continued centralisation of decisions written in to the Amsterdam Treaty. We need a change of direction.
We should stop the continuous transfer of power away from the capitals of Europe to Brussels, the capital of the EU. Instead we should thoroughly examine the existing 20,000 EU-rules, with the aim of keeping only what is absolutely necessary.
1: First of all we should get rid of every Resolution that does not regulate a cross-border issue. The EU should not be at all concerned with issues which can be addressed by one member state internally which have no negative impact on other member states.
2: If, after all, EU legislation is necessary, it is important to reshape it in a way which leaves as much self-determination to the member states as possible.
3: A number of rules could work as common minimum rules. We don't need total harmonisation and complete unification. It is possible to have common minimum rules regulating the legal amount of pesticides in bottled water sold across borders, while at the same time allowing Denmark to apply stricter rules on pesticides. Why should the Commission prevent the Danes in Denmark from fighting toxic-pollution of their water, when the Danes are the only people who drink it?
We don't want a European super-state. We want a "Europe of Nations", a Europe of democracies. Our hope is that the Irish people will show their opposition to the Amsterdam Treaty at the Referendum on May 22nd. A "No" vote would give us the opportunity to re-draft the Treaty, providing for a slimmer, freer, more open and democratic European co-operation.
Jens-Peter Bonde is a member of the European Parliament for the Danish June Movement and President of Group of Independents for a Europe of Nations