Lidstaten in debat over belastingen, sociale zekerheid en justitie (en) - Main contents

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Foreign ministers meeting in Brussels to discuss negotiations on the Constitution remained split on fundamental issues such as voting on tax, social security and justice and home affairs.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini characterised the discussion on qualified majority voting (QMV) in these areas as "wide-ranging".

Some want more unanimity, some want more QMV, he said concluding that because there were calls in both directions then the draft Constitution as it stands is "a quite good compromise".

However, the issues raised are fundamental.

The UK and Ireland, both countries with a common law system, have strongly protested against moving away the veto in criminal justice areas.

Brian Cowen, Irish Foreign Minister, said that the issue had been discussed far too quickly in the Convention, which drew up the treaty. There was just one and half hour's debate in the Convention plenary, he pointed out.

London and Dublin were joined by several new member states on the issue of maintaining the veto on tax issues.

Estonia, the Czech Republic and Latvia also called to maintain a veto on tax.

Several countries also called for a veto in social security issues - which is in fact already foreseen by the draft Constitution - and social welfare systems.

"Whilst we respect the political views [of the Convention] ... it is the member states who decide" said Mr Cowen.