Press Association, 9th September 2008

BRITAIN 'SHOULD HAVE SPECIAL EU OPT OUT'

Britain should have a ``special status'' in the European Union to allow it to opt out of moves towards closer integration, the author of the failed EU Constitution said today.

Former French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing argued closer integration could continue with Britain's involvement - provided the UK was not ``party to progress which it deems incompatible with national prerogatives.''

But he criticised the ``permanently antagonistic standpoint'' from which many negotiations towards closer union had been carried out.

He accused European governments, including Britain, of ``complicating negotiations, flattering nationalisms, or by deploying very smart manoeuvrings towards a new enlargement''. This was something British diplomacy was ``awfully good at'', he said.

Giscard said the UK could be given a semi-detached status which would maintain close ties but prevent them acting as a brake on the core EU states. However, this would have to be ``carefully tuned''.

Giscard was the chairman of the European Convention which drew up the constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

His intervention came at a conference in Westminster on Britain's future relationship with Europe hosted by euro-sceptic campaign group Global Vision and the Daily Telegraph.

In a speech delivered in French, Giscard said Britain had a ``complex and ambiguous'' relationship with Europe and often sent ``contradictory signals'' about its intentions.

He said: ``The union of Europe must be more efficient and transparent and more democratic.

``Decisions within the effective remit of the European Union...should be taken by double qualified majority, thus avoiding the delays and the uncertainties of possible vetoing by the 27 member states.''

Giscard went on: ``Differences of opinion can be handled from the basis of a permanently antagonistic standpoint - some wanting to advance integration through new initiatives, others trying to slow it down by complicating negotiations, by flattering nationalisms, or by deploying very smart manoeuvrings towards a new enlargement.

``The sort of things that British diplomacy is awfully good at. This current approach is exhausting for all concerned and it is disappointing...because public opinion is only presented with negative outcomes.''

He went on: ``European integration can continue while remaining compatible with the involvement of Great Britain provided it does not have to be party to progress which it deems incompatible with national prerogatives.

``The recognition of all these exemptions would amount to granting Great Britain a special status whose operational arrangements would have to be carefully tuned.

``Let us be clear - we are not talking about a two-speed Europe which would arbitrarily separate the good from the bad, the strong from the weak, I am against this type of two-speed Europe...it would lead to a very acrimonious dislocation of the system.

``On the contrary, already united Europe should continue its integration at a realistic pace while respecting the identity and jurisdiction of member states.

``This approach...would be open to all but could include...opt out clauses. In the case of Great Britain and because of its insular situation...these opt-out clauses should take the form of special status.''

The UK is among 22 of the 27 EU states to have ratified the Lisbon Treaty, which replaced the failed constitution.

The Treaty, which creates the post of a permanent president of the European Council and a single EU representative for foreign affairs, is due to come into effect next year. But several obstacles remain in the way of its adoption, including the No vote in Ireland's referendum and court cases in Germany and the Czech Republic.

Global Vision's chairman, Tory peer Lord Blackwell said: ``The time has come for Britain to say clearly that it does not want to continue down the road of further political and economic integration in Europe.

``A regional European bloc is an outdated concept in the globalised world of the 21st Century, and is tying us into inward-looking, uncompetitive protectionism and regulation.

``We should take this opportunity to negotiate a new, looser relationship with the EU that preserves the benefits of free trade and co-operation but allows us to opt out of the project of political and economic integration that others seem committed to follow.''