SOMERSET VOTES FOR REFERENDUM ON EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION (23/07/03)

At this week’s meeting of Somerset County Council, councillors voted to support a referendum on whether Britain should sign up to the proposed new European Constitution.

Said Christopher Wolverson, leader of the Conservative Group, ‘We were delighted to initiate this action to ensure that the Government takes account of the views of the people of Somerset.The draft Constitution may have considerable implications for all living in Somerset. Do we really want unelected bureaucrats in Brussels and Strasbourg to tell us how to run and fund our local structures, priorities and responsibilities?

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Background to Convention:

·charged with charting the course for enlarged EU.Convention has 108 members.Although there will be changes to the draft, it is unlikely that the broad thrust and major proposals will be changed.The proposed constitution will create a new Union, separate from member states, with its own legal personality and status.It will derive power form its own constitution and is law will have supremacy over the law of member states.

Draft Constitutional Treaty's key points:

·Common Foreign and Security Policy

·Eurojust - a body set up to co-ordinate member states' prosecuting bodies

·Exclusive competencies, including ability to sign all international agreements, common commercial policy , monitary policy for the Eurozone conservation of marine biological resources.

·Shared competencies including the internal market, agriculture and fisheries, transport, energy, social policy, economic and social cohesion, environment, public health, consumer protection and the area of freedom, security and justice.However, the Treaty states, 'Member States shall exercise their competence only if and to the extent that the Union has not exercised its.'