BRUSSELS - Britain and Ireland would be left out of decision making in a future border free European Union while non EU members could be allowed an active role, the Dutch EU presidency suggested yesterday.
Under a proposal put to EU treaty negotiators, officials from Norway and Iceland could find themselves sitting in EU buildings voting on matters concerning the border free Schengen area, while representatives from London and Dublin sat silent. "These countries are Schengen members," a Dutch diplomat said, referring to the two non EU countries. It would be difficult to imagine that Schengen members could not sit in on procedures."