Mr R. Quirk states (Letters, July 30) that 'the EU is a dictatorship' (not, as in your headline, 'is like a dictatorship').

The five roles of the Commission which he quotes from the EU website are: to propose legislation to be adopted by the EU parliament; enforce EU law; set objectives and priorities; manage EU policies and the budget; and negotiate trade agreements.

All correct, as far as it goes, but without any context. Overall policy priorities are set by the Council of Ministers, representing all the 28 Member States.

Within this framework, the Commission then arranges how business will be conducted: it can not implement any of the laws itself.

Just as UK laws are drafted professionally, not by MPs, European directives are drafted within the Commission for debate by the Parliament, directly elected by the voters of all 28 Member States. They do not accept all proposals put before them.

Moreover, the Commission is appointed by the Parliament, not by the President of the Commission. Our own civil servants are appointed, not elected.

Europe works on the basis of negotiation, with proposed legislation discussed at length in committees of MEPs.

There is little of the antagonism of the British style of parliamentary debate, but a sustained search for what can be accepted by 28 States with very different histories and traditions.

Remarkably, this can usually be achieved - but it takes time.

Mr Quirk may think that there are too many Member States, but he is wrong to regard the EU as a dictatorship.

Michael Mumford

Chair, Forward in Europe

Lancaster