A chara, - The Nice Treaty, by introducing Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) to the formulation of the EU's common commercial policy (see Article 2.8), will remove the right of member-states to veto an international agreement on intellectual property and trade in services. Proponents of QMV say it is needed for efficient decision making. But there are good grounds to fear that decisions will be heavily influenced by corporate lobbying.
The existing power of veto allows citizens to put pressure on their representatives at the Council of Ministers and other forums. This was seen to great effect in 1998 when the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) - a charter of fundamental rights for transnational corporations being negotiated in virtual secrecy at the OECD - was rumbled by citizens' groups. The French government was forced to pull the plug.
The Nice Treaty will greatly diminish the possibility of this sort of democratic control. A mutated MAI is rearing its head at upcoming WTO negotiations on a General Agreement on Trade in Services. The thrust of these negotiations is to protect corporate interests from social regulation. With the veto, the citizens of the European Union will continue to have some chance of leaning on their respective governments and thereby countering corporate influence. Whatever the theoretical arguments for QMV, the reality of increasing corporate interference in the democratic process - see our tribunals of inquiry for evidence of homegrown examples - means that now is not the time for Irish citizens to restrict the ability of citizens across the EU to have a say in decisions that may have a significant impact on their lives.
A Yes vote on June 7th is a vote against citizens having a meaningful role in the WTO negotiations. It is a vote in favour of rule by those who know best. For the sake of citizens throughout the EU, the Irish people should vote No. - Is mise,
Conor O Briain, Fingal Place, Sraid Phruise, Baile Atha Cliath 7.