UK threat of obstruction carries little weight

Date: 23/05/1996

THE British newspapers may have heralded John Major's announcement of a new British policy of “non-cooperation” with the rest of the EU as a declaration of war - but it is unlikely to make much difference to the day-to-day running of the Union.

Despite claims that the new British strategy of obstructionism could bring the EU to a standstill, most European diplomats predict it will have little effect in practice.

A detailed examination of the agendas of forthcoming Council of Ministers' meetings has revealed that there are only a handful of issues upon which the UK will have the opportunity to exercise its right of veto to hold up EU business over the next two months - and most are topics upon which it might have been expected to block progress anyway.

Meanwhile, at routine meetings of Council of Ministers' working groups, the Committee of permanent representatives and Intergovermental Conference negotiators yesterday (22 May), it was business as usual, with UK officials playing their normal part in debates, although reserves were put on two items up for discussion - a customs regulation and a research programme on nuclear energy.

And while several EU leaders denounced the UK for using threats to try to get its way over beef, all member states said the British action would not affect their attitude to the issue at the heart of the dispute.