Resolution of the ECSC Consultative Committee on the future of the structured dialogue in the coal and steel industries

(adopted unanimously at the 354th session on 25 January 2001)

(2001/C 87/12)

1. THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY,

1.1. recalling its memorandum on matters connected with the expiry of the ECSC Treaty, which was adopted at the 320th session of 28 June 1995(1), and in particular paragraph 2.10 thereof,

1.2. recalling its declaration on the future of the structured dialogue in the coal and steel industries, adopted at the 350th session of 11 May 2000,

1.3. referring to the Communication from the Commission(2) of 27 September 2000 on the future of structured dialogue after the expiry of the ECSC Treaty,

1.4. referring to the letter of 3 November 2000 from the President of the ECSC Consultative Committee to the President of the Intergovernmental Conference,

2. WISHES TO SUMMARISE ITS OPINION ON THE ABOVEMENTIONED COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION AS FOLLOWS:

2.1. it is pleased at the positive assessment regarding the Consultative Committee's pro-active and consensus-based action;

2.2. it has also noted with satisfaction the Commission's wish to take advantage of the Consultative Committee's practices when it redefines the working methods of the Economic and Social Committee;

2.3. it shares the Commission's view that these positive aspects should be retained and therefore considers that including the coal and steel industries in the Economic and Social Committee's remit could be an appropriate step;

2.4. it has noted the proposal that, since the Economic and Social Committee's remit is to be extended to include the coal and steel sectors, the number of Committee members should be adapted in a suitable way with a view to representing the newly covered sectors;

2.5. it regrets that the initial proposal to confer genuine deputy status on the second person appointed to each seat was not adopted by the Nice European Council;

3. WISHES TO STATE ITS FIRM CONVICTION THAT, IF THE PLANNED INCLUSION OF COAL AND STEEL IN THE ESC'S REMIT IS TO BE A SUCCESS, THE FOLLOWING IS NECESSARY:

3.1. when the time comes, the number of senior members with considerable expertise appointed to the Economic and Social Committee to represent the coal and steel industries should be sufficient to ensure that due account is taken of the interests of the Member States and the categories;

3.2. the members of the Economic and Social Committee representing the coal and steel industries should have a right of initiative when matters of vital interest to their industries are raised at European level;

3.3. the members concerned should have a certain amount of independence in organising the representation of their industries within the Economic and Social Committee in the most appropriate way to ensure that their opinions are heard and that the decision-making capacity is created and maintained on a basis of consensus;

3.4. this organisation should have the backing of adequate budget funds and an independent secretariat or part of such a secretariat;

4. EMPHASISES THAT THE FOLLOWING IS ALSO INDISPENSABLE:

4.1. meetings between representatives of the two committees must be organised as soon as possible in order to draw up detailed new operating arrangements for the work of the Economic and Social Committee which will enable it to deal with the problems on a more sectoral basis. These new ESC operating arrangements must guarantee that the interests of the ECSC sectors and other important sectors of the economy are duly taken into account and that, conversely, information on the intentions of European decision-makers goes directly to companies/organisations in these sectors and, via them, to the whole of organised civil society;

4.2. the Commission should ensure that the consultation procedures are conducted effectively and in good time before important decisions on the coal and steel industries and other important sectors are taken at European level;

4.3. during the next procedure for appointing members of the Economic and Social Committee, scheduled for summer 2002, which coincides with the expiry of the ECSC Treaty, the Member States should be asked to take due account, when appointing members, of the fact that the two industrial sectors, coal and steel, are newly included in the Economic and Social Committee's remit;

4.4. on the occasion of this appointment procedure, the Council should make use of its option to seek the opinion of the ECSC Consultative Committee on the list of proposed members intended to represent the coal and steel sectors within the Economic and Social Committee.

(1) OJ C 206, 11.8.1995, p. 7.

(2) COM(2000) 588 final.