Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Commissioner, in common with my co-rapporteur, Mr Dimitrakopoulos, I take the view that the agenda agreed on in Helsinki is not up to meeting the challenges that enlargement of the EU by 13 new states will bring. As far as we are concerned, mini reform would represent a lost opportunity. Mini reform would also jeopardise the stability of the European Union. The European Parliament could not, indeed must not, allow the European Union to be jeopardised in this way, that is by overstretching it and falling short when it comes to deepening. We would like to take this opportunity to remind the governments once again that Parliament must give its consent before a new Member can accede to the Union. Parliament is also sure to form the decision it has to make on enlargement in the light of the outcome of this Intergovernmental Conference. On 18 November 1999, we named the key points on our agenda for the Intergovernmental Conference 2000. I would just like to reiterate a few points: provisions for reinforced cooperation with these 20 and 25 Member States, integrating security and defence policy into the Community framework, incorporating the Charter of Citizens’ rights into the new Treaty, constitutionalising the Union by dividing it into a main part and a subsidiary part, reforming Article 48 so that when it comes to future treaty amendments, Parliament will play a real part in the negotiations on an equal footing, and – another thing worthy of mention – a statute for European parties so that the next European elections are actually fought on the basis of European issues rather than taking the form of national debates on domestic policy. Last but not least, there is the strengthening of institutions and instruments for the common economic, social and employment policy, as a counterbalance to European monetary union and the single currency, which we have, of course, already adopted. In addition to a wider agenda we also want an improved method for the elaboration of this new European treaty. In the interests of the citizens, we must provide for greater transparency in the political process during the Intergovernmental Conference. That is why we demand Parliament’s extensive involvement at all levels. The Union has a two-fold basis of legitimacy; it is a Union of States but it is also a Union of peoples. It is high time that this found expression in the method for elaborating a new treaty. All the more reason for the representatives of the European Parliament to participate fully in the preparation group, at ministerial level as well as at the meetings of the European Council, insofar as this Council concerns itself with matters pertaining to the Intergovernmental Conference. The national governments decided to open this Intergovernmental Conference on 14 February. Parliament will deliver its opinion in tomorrow’s mini-sitting, thereby creating the pre-conditions for the opening of the Intergovernmental Conference. I cannot deny that many of my fellow MEPs would have preferred to have waited until we had a report from the Portuguese Presidency to hand following its tour of the capital cities, so as to be able to discover if there is any progress towards or impetus for a wider agenda. However, we have faith in the Portuguese Presidency and we have faith in the commitment it has testified to here to proposing additional points for the agenda at the Lisbon Summit in March. We urge the governments to support the Portuguese Presidency in its proposal. As such, this represents a vote of confidence and we very much hope that we will not be disappointed if we deliver our opinion at this early stage, without knowing exactly what there is in the way of fresh impetus and what the additional points on the agenda will be. The opinion we are placing before you is a clear signal to the governments not to miss the last opportunity we will have before enlargement to implement ambitious reforms within the EU and to raise the level of acceptance of this next European treaty, which is more transparent and provides for the full participation of Parliament. I too would like to thank the Portuguese Presidency and Commissioner Barnier for their cooperation. I would urge this Parliament to produce a consensus of opinion in favour of adopting our opinion. IN THE CHAIR: INGO FRIEDRICHVice-President

Political group: PSE