(Reports of the plenary session of June 1991 in Strasbourg)

Monday, 10 June Parliament voted 130 to 66 with 10 abstentions in favour of Hans-Gert Poettering's (G, EPP) amended resolution supporting the inclusion of foreign and security policy into the Community's decision making structure, albeit under democratic control through the European Parliament. A majority of MEPs want fundamental decisions i.e. to go to war or on arms control to be subject to Parliament's assent in the form of an absolute majority of members. The House also wants to see the arms industry brought under the Community's ambit and to include a policy on arms exports.

Members voting against the resolution did so for a variety of reasons. The Greens had unsuccessfully tabled a series of amendments seeking to steer the Community in a more pacifist direction while others, such as Luciana Castellina (I, EUL) were worried about giving a carte blanche to Ministers in a policy area which in reality she felt would not in fact be subject to parliamentary control.

Some British Labour members such as Ian White (Bristol), Peter Crampton (Humberside), Ken Coates (Nottingham) and Henry McCubbin (North East Scotland) were unhappy with what they felt was a policy harking back to the past and dependent on a now outdated nuclear deterrent at a time when a new visionary approach was needed. It was the reference to the WEU Treaty acting as a basis for EC acction that they objected to, although political affairs committee spokesman HansGert Poettering was at pains to point out that as far as he was concerned the WEU should be seen as a reference point for a transitional period until the Community was in a position to work out its own arrangements. And, indeed, another British Labour member Richard Balfe (London South Inner) was firmly of the view that it was not feasible to contemplate a Federal Europe unless the participants were willing to defend each other and, he argued, the situation in Eastern Europe was a threat to stability.

But Proinsias de Rossa (Dublin, LU) disagreed. He rejected the idea that Ireland was any less 'communitaire' for its position on neutrality. Parliament's position was a relic of the cold war and only offered more of past policies which would lead to unnecessary arms build ups which would in effect act as a threat to the Third World.

NB One amendment adopted suggests inviting EC non-WEU members Denmark and Ireland to participate at meetings as observers. Another amendment seeking support for a 'mutual defence' policy agreed at the IGC was rejected.

A new Eurobarometer opinion poll released today shows 73% in faovur of European Political Union with a common defence policy and just 19% against.