Prodi attacks UK over veto

Romano Prodi attacks the UK's stance over its veto

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has been verbally attacked by EU commission president Romano Prodi over his government's negotiating stance ahead of this week's crucial EU summit in Nice.

In a British newspaper interview, Mr Prodi denounced the UK government's attitude towards tax and the national veto.

Under torture you cannot convince me that this would be reasonable

Romano Prodi

Mr Prodi objected to the prime minister's long-held stance that Britain will not allow the introduction of qualified majority voting, (QMV) on areas like tax-harmonisation and social security.

But Mr Prodi argued that the wish to retain the UK's veto in these areas was at odds with a stated British desire for EU enlargement.

Referring to the UK stance on the veto, Mr Prodi told The Independent: "Under torture you cannot convince me that this would be reasonable."

He added that the UK should agree to tax-harmonisation as: "Income and company tax will remain in the hands of the nation states."

The UK is not alone is seeking to retain its veto rights in areas of key national interest.

Cultural veto

Other EU countries such as France have already made clear their wishes to keep their veto over cultural issues while the Germans want to protect their right to control immigration policy.

Mr Blair's government is likely to find allies over it's stance on taxation but perhaps not over social security.

In the interview, Mr Prodi also expressed unhappiness over the Labour government's stance suggesting that they had failed to respond to a thorough explanation of the proposals under discussion.

The EU argument is that changes in taxation are designed to help the single market run more smoothly and are not a bid to seize control of areas that are currently governed by sovereign member states.

Politically incorrect?

"I think this is not correct political dialogue. I want to be taken for what I am saying," Mr Prodi said.

The public criticism of the British by Mr Prodi is an indication of the difficulties faced by Europe's leaders at the Nice summit - which may well prove to be the most important since Maastrict.

Other problems that could surface at the summit include arguments between Berlin and Paris over increasing German votes in the council of ministers.