Address by Mr Noel Treacy, T.D., Minister for Science, Technology and Commerce on the Occasion of the First Meeting of the WELMEC Committee in Dublinat 9.30am, Thursday 24th May 2001,Grand Hotel, Malahide, Dublin

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to Malahide, Dublin, to the 17th WELMEC Committee meeting, which is being hosted by the Irish Legal Metrology Service (LMS).

Our National Standards Chairman, Mr Dan Tierney has already referred to the fact that our LMS can trace its roots back to the 19th Century Weights and Measures Office. This was a time when the need for equitable and fair-trading were identified as cornerstones of commerce and social justice.

The world has evolved in so many ways in the past hundred or so years. In our lifetime we have seen the kind of technological and social advancements that could not have been imagined by the decision makers way back then. It is therefore, all the more interesting to reflect on the fact that these central values of equity and fairness, which were identified then against a very different social and economic backdrop, are as valid today as they were all that time ago.

In everyday dealings, a citizen expects to receive the correct amount of goods for his or her money, be that at the petrol station forecourt, the supermarket or indulging in the pleasure of a pint in the evening. Likewise the trader, who sells or buys commodities over complex measuring equipment must rely on correct measurement results for business operations. Traders and consumers who place trust in all of these transactions involving measurement can, and will, only continue to do so if their confidence in the underlying system remains high.

Ensuring the credibility of this system based on accuracy and traceability, is the reason I know that every effort is expended by the Irish Legal Metrology Service despite the ever-changing landscape of the economy and society.

The Metrology Act of 1996, which established the LMS drew together the expertise and experience of a previously fragmented service that was spread out between different departments of State, local authorities and the Gardai (the Irish police force) Under the Act for the first time in the history of this State, the Service was consolidated under one office and under the control of one Director, - currently Mr Patrick Farragher. This reorganisation, I have no doubt has helped ensure that the LMS is well placed to meet the growing demands on the Service in an ever more complex regulatory and trading environment.

Ireland is very conscious of the need to have appropriate regulation and the Government commitment to Better Regulation stems from the recognition that if State regulation is excessive in quantity, or is poor in quality, it will be an unnecessary burden on economic and social activity.

Legal Metrology regulation is an example of economic regulation that affects competition, the protection of consumers and the freedom of operators to enter and exit the marketplace. And in common with many other administrations, decision makers in the legal metrology area are faced with increasing challenges in crafting better regulations. New and innovative technologies bring with them opportunities to enhance efficiencies and to record more and more information of use to both owners and users of measuring equipment. I think that it is also fair to say that a more sophisticated consumer base is making greater demands for transparency and accountability in all kinds of dealings.

More detailed measurement information is sought not only for trade transactions but also for data used for decisions that affect our health, environment and safety.

In the EU context I note that the value of products traded by mass, volume or length is enormous, estimated to be in the region of 10% of European GDP. Creating equity in the marketplace, especially one the size of the European Union, is not only an economic but also a social necessity.

It is vital therefore that co-operations such as WELMEC exist to facilitate the exchange of information and development of close ties between policy makers and enforcement services. I am particularly impressed with the widespread membership of WELMEC which goes beyond the frontiers of the European Union to the members of the European Economic Area, and wider still to take on board the concerns of the Central and European states, who are travelling the road we once took ourselves to membership of the European Union.

I would like to say a few words, about the forthcoming Referendum on the Treaty of Nice. The main purpose of the Treaty is to prepare the Union, for the significant expansion in its Membership, anticipated in the next few years.

From our point of view, we have benefited enormously from the Single Market, as Exports are very important for our Economic Growth. The Internal Market will be extended to embrace up to 500 Million People, thereby giving us additional Opportunities, for increasing our Exports. I believe that most of us know, that Europe is good for Business. The Structural and Cohesion Funds, have also been vital in developing our Infrastructure.

Naturally, the Union has recognised that to continue to operate effectively, with many new Member States, some changes will be necessary to the Union’s Institutions and decision-making Procedures.

These necessary changes will affect the Commission, Voting weights in the Council, the European Parliament and other Bodies, and extends the range of Issues, subject to Qualified Majority Voting or QMV. As a Country, it is certainly in our interest that the Union, be able to function effectively after Enlargement.

The essential interests of Ireland, as a Smaller State, have been protected in the Treaty. Very briefly, we will continue to nominate a Commissioner, until the Union reaches 27 Member States. Once there are 27 Members, there will be a Rotation System for the Commission, with each State treated on an exactly equal basis, irrespective of Size, Population or Location.

Qualified Majority Voting, already used for the majority of Council Decisions, is being extended to new areas to facilitate decision-making, in a larger Union. This means that any Single Member State cannot block Measures in these areas, which we support.

I am sure many of you are aware, that one area, which will not move to QMV is the area of Taxation, where our Taoiseach insisted at Nice, on the retention of Unanimity. We believe that Taxation is a fundamental tool of National Policy-making and must remain Subject, to domestic control within each Country.

I have no hesitation in urging a Yes Vote, in favour of the Treaty of Nice, on 7th June next.

The staging of your Committee meeting here in Ireland is also at a most interesting time in the development of European legislation for metrology with work continuing at Council level on the preparation of the new Measuring Instruments Directive – the MID, which will eventually result in establishing high levels of protection for owners and users and a free market for measuring instruments throughout the Union. I understand that the Swedish presidency has already held three successful meetings and will continue with their work on Monday next in Brussels.

It is obvious that with such a heavy agenda, along with your other common interests that you will have plenty to discuss here in Malahide. I will take this opportunity then to wish you all a most enjoyable and fruitful Committee meeting here in Ireland.