The Amsterdam Treaty has been a "less than emotional experience", the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, told delegates at the ICTU conference on the treaty. The main barrier to public understanding of the treaty had been "systematic misinformation about it from some of its opponents".
Mr Andrews believed it was a measured response to the challenges faced by the European Union. The treaty would do two things, he said. "It will enable the Union to address more effectively the direct concerns of its citizens."
There would be a focus on more effective co-ordination to fight against unemployment and crime and to deal with such issues as consumer protection and the environment. It would also equip the EU to function more effectively through more powers for the European Parliament and qualified majority voting.
