Madam President, President-in-Office of the Council Gama, Commissioner Barnier, ladies and gentlemen, firstly, on behalf of our Group of the European People’s Party and the , I would like to convey my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos and Jo Leinen for what we believe is a sound report, and it is important that we in the European Parliament – and I say this most emphatically – adopt positions on the key issues facing Europe for which there is a broad consensus within the European Parliament. Despite all the arguments and discussions we might have (and these arguments and discussions are necessary, also between the groups), what we need is a broad consensus when it comes to the future development of the European Union and the European institutions. Mr President-in-Office of the Council, you, and also the French Council Presidency that is to succeed you, bear a huge responsibility, because the outcome of this Intergovernmental Conference will be of historic significance, be it for positive or negative reasons. If the Intergovernmental Conference has a positive outcome, which is what we must strive for, then this conference will change the face of the European Union in the sense that it will mean more transparency, more democracy, and will bring the European Union closer to its people. That is what we need. But if this conference does not have the far-reaching outcome we desire and need, then this would be a tragedy for the European Union, for it would then be unable to undergo enlargement, and it would be awful if at the beginning of this century, the gates of the European Union were to remain closed to the countries of Central Europe, which have shaken off Communism, and if the Central European States were unable to gain access to the European Union. That is why we must pull out all the stops to make this conference a success. We want a strong and democratic European Union that has the power to act, and how apt that we should be making such statements only a matter of weeks before the 50th Anniversary of the day, 9 May 1950 that is, on which Robert Schuman made a proposal to the effect that Europe should develop as a community. Recital 1 sets out the benchmarks that the Intergovernmental Conference must work to: balance between the institutions, dual legitimacy of the European Union as a Union of peoples and a Union of States, and – something which is particularly important – balance between the small and large States of the European Union. The all-important benchmark – and you mentioned this yourself, Mr President-in-Office of the Council – is majority voting in the Council. That is the real heart of the matter, and we must see to it that this principle of double majority, i.e. a majority in the Council and a majority support from the people, is upheld. Certainly we have yet to discuss in detail how this is to be accomplished, but the principle of double majority is fundamentally right. If majority voting fails to be drastically extended and fails to gain acceptance as the fundamental decision-making system, then this Intergovernmental Conference will have failed, and it cannot be allowed to fail in view of the enlargement process. As far as the Commission is concerned, as I see it, the small States must still be entitled, in the future, to be represented in the European Commission, since it is felt to be important to maintain a presence in Brussels. I sympathise with this view and we must secure this, which is why the position of the President of the Commission must be strengthened. We want a strong President and a strong Commission, both now and in the future. We are particularly keen to get this message across to those who may not want to see the Commission as a strong unifying force in Europe. We must strengthen the President, and he must also be empowered to dismiss a Member of the Commission if they do not fulfil their obligations. Naturally, the European Parliament must be the decisive factor in the democratic process, and it must participate in decisions pertaining to legislative issues in the European Union. We do not want there to be less democracy in the European Union than there is at national level. Allow me to raise a final point, that of the European Court of Justice. This is a very important point and I am delighted that both rapporteurs saw fit to mention it. We are a Community of law and we must not subject the European Union and its institutions to political opportunism. That is why we must invest the European Court of Justice, as the legal body competent to settle disputes and conflicts, with the power to act and the ability to reach decisions in reasonable timeframes. Lastly, I have a request to make of you, Mr President-in-Office of the Council: could we – perhaps also in conjunction with the Commission, with Commissioner Barnier – inform the candidate countries in Central Europe, and of course Malta and Cyprus too, of the discussions taking place and the progress made at the Intergovernmental Conference? After all, the candidate countries have a legitimate interest in knowing what is being debated at the Intergovernmental Conference and what they will need to prepare themselves for. Therefore I believe we should take account of this justifiable interest on the part of the candidate countries by engaging in fruitful dialogue with them, for the truth is that we are to share a common future with them as Members of the European Union in the twenty-first century. On that note, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, I wish you every success in the work you are to undertake at the Intergovernmental Conference, and for which I thank you. (Applause) IN THE CHAIR: MR IMBENIVice-President

Political group: PPE-DE