Madam, - Anthony Coughlan claims (Opinion & Analysis, June 28th) that the new EU Treaty "would deprive member-states of the right to be represented at all times on the Brussels Commission".
There is no such right. The European Commission does not consist of representatives of the member-states. In fact, the commissioners are forbidden to speak on behalf of, or accept instructions from, their countries of origin.
One advantage that a smaller commission would have over the present one is that the individual commissioner would be under greater pressure not to act as advocate for a particular state.
Mr Coughlan doesn't seem to be too keen on the idea of giving greater voting weight to the more populous states. It strikes me as a rather democratic move, even if Ireland would lose by it. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL DRURY,
Avenue Louise,
Brussels,
Belgium.