EUROPEAN UNION: MICHEL BARNIER URGES OVERHAUL OF COMMUNITY MODEL.

"Proposals along the lines of those tabled by Joshka Fischer focus on medium- and long-term prospects. They are not intended to apply today or in the near future, whereas a start has to be made on preserving the operation of the present system", according to Mr Barnier. He claims priority for the next few months should be given to the present IGC and the institutional reforms needed for enlargement of the EU. To consider any other development at this stage would be counterproductive for the negotiations and send out the wrong signals to prospective member countries. "When the candidate countries are making major efforts to catch up, is it right to offer them the uninviting prospect of seeing the train leave when they have scarcely reached the station?", he asks. Mr Barnier recognises the "strength and skilful" approach adopted by Joschka Fischer, who has managed to earn the praise of the Gaullists in France and the Federalists in Belgium and Italy.Mr Barnier admits the justification for pondering ways of ensuring "European countries continue to be built around a strong, coherent process". He singles out three key paths. The federal path, which apparently holds no fear for him. It has to be based on an elected executive, answerable to a two-chamber parliament, made up of a) the European Parliament, representatives of European citizens and b) a chamber of nations, representatives of the Member States. Under this plan, the Court of Justice would become a supreme court. Next is the inter-governmental path: the European Council and the Council of Ministers would act as the executive and the Commission would be turned into a simple administration, with the legislative part being played by one or two chambers without distinction, he reckons. "This design takes it for granted that the Council would be able to evolve the collective interest apart from...