Chris Davies campaign for greater EU openness pays off

Date article online: 11/07/2006

A successful campaign by Rochdale Euro-MP Chris Davies to bring greater openness to EU business was marked on Tuesday 11 July when a debate between European finance ministers was broadcast live on the internet.

It was the first time ever that discussion between government ministers meeting in Brussels was transmitted across the world.  (The meeting opened at 09.15am).

The meeting discussed the Finnish Presidency’s programme for the next six months but any risk of embarrassment was avoided.  The Finns insisted that cameras should only be directed at ministers actually speaking in the discussion.

EU Heads of Government agreed last month that all ministers should meet in public when they debate draft new laws, and that the principle of openness should be applied at other times when appropriate.

The new arrangements, which are on a trial 6-month basis, have been welcomed by Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies, who led an all-party campaign to secure the change.

He said:  "Now that the decision has been made I don’t see the doors ever being closed again.

"It’s an important step forward for Europe and for democracy.  If MPs in national parliaments are to hold Ministers to account they need to know what is said in Brussels on their country’s behalf.

"This will be quite a culture change for many Governments.  It is very easy for politicians to talk of the need for openness and transparency, but a lot harder for some to accept that the principles will actually be put into practice."

"I doubt if 'Government Ministers - Live' will make great TV but the broadcast of their discussions is a step forward for European democracy."

The change in procedure is the first agreement by Heads of Government to accept a specific demand included within the EU Constitutional Treaty, which insisted that deliberations between Ministers about draft new EU laws should take place in public.

Chris Davies commented: "I hope this brings to an end the nonsense that no part of the Constitution should be accepted without a referendum.  No-one in Holland or France voted against the treaty because they wanted more secrecy. Europe has moved on."

Details of internet video links of future meetings between ministers can be found by accessing:

www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_fo/showPage.asp?id=1102&lang=en