IGC: British industry defends vetoes on tax and social policy

Following a three-month consultation with its members, the
Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has issued a
warning to its government to make sure that British
business interests do not suffer from the adoption of the
EU Constitution.

CBI's Director-General Digby Jones said:
"The draft constitution includes serious threats to British
business, hidden in a fog of bureaucratic language that
leaves so many questions hanging in the air. It is
imperative that the text is unambiguous and absolutely
watertight."

In particular, the CBI has called for
the reinforcement of the power of national parliaments to
enable them to block Commission proposals. Additionally,
British business would like to see the UK vetoes on tax and
social policy strengthened (by removing proposals for
qualified majority voting on tax fraud and administration).
British business fears that the inclusion of the Charter of
Fundamental Rights could possibly allow ECJ
re-interpretation of UK employment law.

Meeting on 28-29 November, Foreign
Ministers agreed on structured cooperation in the field of
defence but failed to make any significant progress on many
of the other outstanding issues on the EU Constitution (see
also,

EURACTIV 1 December
2003

). After an additional ministerial session scheduled
in-between (for 9 December), the IGC is due to close with a
meeting of Heads of State and Government on 12-13 December.