Il-votazzjoni b’maġġoranza kwalifikata se tolqot ħażin lill-pajjiżi żgħar u ta’ daqs medju

L-eks Prim Ministru u MPE Laburista Alfred Sant ivvota kontra r-Rapport dwar l-implimentazzjoni tal-klawsoli “passerelle” fit-Trattati tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Fl-intervent tiegħu waqt dibattitu plenarju tal-Parlament Ewropew dwar ir-Rapport huwa ma qabilx mal-klawsoli “passerelle” bħala mekkaniżmi li jirranġaw ir-regoli kif jittieħdu d-deċiżjonijiet li jippermettu bidla minn votazzjoni fejn ikun hemm qbil unanimu bejn il-partijiet kollha għal votazzjoni b’maġġoranza kwalifikata.

Alfred Sant irrikonoxxa li l-votazzjoni b’maġġoranza kwalifikata għandha l-għan li ttejjeb l-effiċjenza u tippromwovi t-teħid ta’ deċiżjonijiet kollettivi. Madanakollu, huwa wissa li dan il-metodu ta’ votazzjoni jippreżenta sfidi għall-pajjiżi żgħar u ta’ daqs medju. “L-influwenza limitata, it-telf tas-sovranità, l-impatt diżugwali fuq l-ekonomiji, u n-nuqqasijiet demokratiċi li jaf ikun hemm huma ta’ tħassib kbir”. F’dan l-isfond, huwa saħaq fuq l-importanza li tiġi żgurata rappreżentanza ġusta u li jiġu inklużi l-ħtiġijiet speċifiċi ta’ nazzjonijiet iżgħar fi ħdan mekkaniżmi ta’ teħid ta’ deċiżjonijiet biex titrawwem governanza globali inklussiva u effettiva. Filwaqt li nnota li r-Rapport jikkunsidra oqsma ta’ politika bħad-drittijiet tal-bniedem u l-ftehimiet internazzjonali, it-tassazzjoni u politiki fit-tul bħad-drittijiet elettorali, Sant saħaq li huwa kontra qbil b’maġġoranza kwalifikata tal-votazzjoni dwar dawn l-oqsma politiċi ewlenin kollha.

Il-klawsoli “Passerelle” huma mekkaniżmu għall-introduzzjoni ta’ bidla fit-Trattat ta’ l-UE ta’ natura speċifika ħafna. Huma jirranġaw ir-regoli ta’ kif jittieħdu d-deċiżjonijiet li jaffettwaw l-atti tal-Kunsill Ewropew, billi jippermettu bidla minn votazzjoni fejn ikun hemm qbil bejn il-partijiet kollha għal waħda b’maġġoranza kwalifikata jew minn proċedura leġiżlattiva speċjali għall-proċedura leġiżlattiva ordinarja. Ir-Rapport jitlob lill-Presidenza tal-Kunsill u lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea biex jemendaw b’mod urġenti t-Trattati u jissuġġerixxi oqsma fejn dan għandu jitwettaq b’qafas ta’ żmien gradwali u differenti.

Il-MPE Laburista insista li l-prinċipji demokratiċi li jsejsu l-kooperazzjoni Ewropea se jitilfu l-importanza tagħhom jekk il-proċessi ta’ kif jittieħdu d-deċiżjonijiet ma jkollhomx leġittimità demokratika. B’riżultat ta’ dan, il-preferenzi tal-pajjiżi se jiġu injorati. “Irid jiġi żgurat li l-użu ta’ klawsoli ‘passerelle’ tkun konformi ma’ tali valuri demokratiċi”. Dan għandu jirrispetta s-sovranità nazzjonali u jżomm il-fiduċja u l-kunsens tal-Istati Membri u ċ-ċittadini tagħhom, sostna Alfred Sant.

Ir-Rapport ġie adottat bi 347 vot favur, 241 kontra u 46 astensjoni.

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Qualified majority voting will hit badly small and medium-sized countries

Former Prime Minister and Labour MEP Alfred Sant voted against the Report on the implementation of the passerelle clauses in the European Union Treaties. In his intervention during a European Parliament plenary debate on the Report he disagreed with passerelle clauses as mechanisms that modify the decision-making rules allowing a shift from unanimity to qualified majority voting.

Alfred Sant acknowledged that qualified majority voting aims to enhance efficiency and promote collective decision-making. However, he warned that this voting method presents challenges for small and medium-sized countries. “The limited influence, loss of sovereignty, unequal impact on economies, and potential democratic shortfalls are significant concerns”. Against this backdrop, he accentuated the importance of ensuring fair representation and accommodating the specific needs of smaller nations within decision-making mechanisms to foster inclusive and effective global governance. While noting that the Report takes into account policy areas such as human rights and international agreements, taxation and long term policies such as electoral rights, Sant firmly stressed that he is against unanimity with qualified majority voting on all these major policy areas.

Passerelle clauses are a mechanism for introducing EU Treaty change of a very specific nature. They modify the decision-making rules that affect acts of the European Council, by allowing a shift from unanimity to qualified majority voting or from a special legislative procedure to the ordinary legislative procedure. The Report calls the Council Presidency and European Commission to urgently amend the Treaties and suggests areas of activation with a gradual and different timeframe.

The Labour MEP emphasized that the democratic principles that underpin European cooperation will become marginalised if decision making processes lack democratic legitimacy. As a result, the preferences of smaller countries will be disregarded. “It must be ensured that the utilization of passerelle clauses is aligned with such democratic values”. This should respect national sovereignty and maintain the trust and consent of Member States and their citizens, Alfred Sant claimed.

The Report was adopted with 347 votes in favour, 241 against and 46 abstentions.