This is the first European Treaty that can be clearly described as a "people's treaty". The Amsterdam Treaty provides new powers for the EU in a range of areas, to protect the citizens of Europe and to enhance our quality of life by:
recommitting the EU to raise human rights and freedoms
allocating new powers to the EU to combat discrimination
reinforcing co-operation between customs, judicial and police authorities of the member states in the fight against crime and drugs
placing the promotion of employment at the heart of EU policy by adding a new Title on Employment to the Treaty
strengthening workers' rights by recognising the Charter on Fundamental workers' rights
strengthening the equality provisions of the Treaties (in particular for women, the disabled and minorities)
making environment protection a core objective of the EU
establishing consumer protection as a priority of the EU
committing the EU to a high level of public health
giving the EU new powers to tackle poverty
While bringing the EU closer to the citizen in these ways, the Treaty also begins the process of adapting the European institutions to the demands of enlargement, gives the EU a stronger role on the world stage and aims to create a Europe without borders by 2004.
The Treaty endorses the right of each member state to nominate a commissioner and gives additional power to the European Parliament, the only democratically elected European institution.
The EU's commitment to employment and that of the Heads of State and Government was very sharply underlined last November when a special European Council on Employment took place in Luxembourg. The European Council identified measures which could be taken even in advance of the ratification of the Treaty. Two powerful new measures to assist in employment expansion were put in place, and the process of identifying the necessary actions at national level is already under way.
The two new measures are:
an action plan by the European Investment Bank to assist small and medium-sized enterprises, the development of new technology, new sectors and trans-European networks: this will provide some £8 billion, supporting a total investment of £24 billion
a new budget line intended to help small and medium-sized enterprises to create sustainable jobs - the "European Employment Initiative" - with an allocation of £360 million over the next three years.
The EU definition of small and medium-sized enterprises - those employing 250 people or less - covers 90 per cent of Irish enterprises.
Up to now, the EU has been largely ineffective in helping to resolve international crisis situations. The Treaty aims to redress this by strengthening the coherence of European foreign policy by setting up a Policy and Planning Unit to advise European foreign ministers and by the appointment of a foreign policy high representative.
Essentially, the Treaty gives the EU powers to act, but only where the member states can first reach agreement on the overall direction of any action proposed. For the most part key decisions require unanimity: a "constructive abstention" provision can provide an opt-out for member states that do not wish to commit themselves.
The Treaty enables the EU (if the member states agree) to participate in humanitarian and rescue tasks, in peace-keeping and in peace-making tasks (the Petersberg tasks). All measures relating to European foreign and security policy must be carried out in accordance with the principles of the United Nations.
The Treaty does not set up a common defence policy, nor does it impose any military obligation. Thus, it does not affect Irish neutrality in any way.
The Treaty incorporates the provisions of the Europol Convention, which was ratified by this State last year. This provides for a system of exchange of information and intelligence between its member states, in order to assist in fighting against international crime. The fight against international drugs-related crime is the top priority.
Although the Convention is a complex document, the thrust of its measures is rather simple and, in all conscience, rather limited in scope. The complexity arises from the very strict conditions that are imposed as to how information is provided by police force, how it is handled and stored by Europol, and how it is made available to the police forces. Furthermore, the date protection legislation of each member state remains in place, and the convention contains explicit provisions in relation to the right of each citizen on whom information is held to have access to the data.
Responsibility for the investigation and prosecution of criminal activity rests and remains firmly at national level. Claims that this constitutes the beginning of a "federal European police force" are wholly without foundation.
We are being asked to vote on this Treaty - the latest stage in European integration - after 25 years of membership. It has been a productive quarter of a century for this State, economically, socially and politically. Membership of the EU has contributed enormously to our progress over that period.
As we look back on 25 fruitful years, we have an opportunity to ratify a Treaty which will enable the EU to help the new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe to make the same kind of progress that we have made. We should seize that opportunity gladly.
