Kennedy Sets Out Three Tests for Britain's Presidency of EU

9.05.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 4th Jul 2005

Charles Kennedy MP for Ross, Skye & Inverness West, Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Charles Kennedy, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, has taken part in a debate organized by political think-tank the Centre for Reform at the London School of Economics, entitled 'Europe: where do we go from here?' Other participants were Joschka Fisher, Robin Cook, Douglas Herd and Peter Sutherland.

Mr Kennedy set out three tests for British Presidency of the EU*:

"The first is progress on the Budget Deal - requiring the UK to spell out exactly how it envisages CAP reform. The second is maintaining the momentum for enlargement - it would be a historic disaster if the EU was to turn inward, not outward, to promote stability and prosperity. Finally, there is the issue of economic reform: Britain should not lecture the rest of Europe but the EU should recognise that the single market only applies to 20% of the EU economy and that liberalisation and competition, including in services, represent and acid test for Europe's future prosperity."

Addressing the issue of the European Constitution, Mr Kennedy said:

"The Constitution in its current form is dead. It is time for a moratorium on significant treaty revision until European institutions and, most importantly, national leaders can reconnect with the people.

"If non-controversial and positive reforms can help to achieve greater transparency and efficiency - and do not involve a transfer of power to the Union from member states - then they should be enacted. These include opening up the Council of Ministers to public scrutiny - only Cuba and North Korea legislate in secret like the Council of Ministers, and pressing on with enlargement and engaging in talks with Turkey."