B4-1563/95

Resolution on the agenda for the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference with a view to the Madrid European Council

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its resolution of 17 May 1995 on the functioning of the Treaty on European Union with a view to the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference - Implementation and development of the Union ((OJ C 151, 19.6.1995, p. 56.)),

- having regard to the Treaty on European Union and, in particular, Article N which provides that the European Parliament must be consulted before the convening of an intergovernmental conference,

- having regard to the report of the Reflection Group ((SN 520/95, 5.12.1995.)),

A. whereas the objectives of the process of European integration are peace, political stability and guaranteed harmonious economic and social development for the benefit of all citizens of the Community,

B. whereas the European Union must in future secure greater support from the general public, make its action more effective and clearly define its objectives,

C. whereas the Treaties, which were initially designed for six countries, already no longer function satisfactorily for fifteen Member States, much less for an even greater number,

D. having regard to the new major challenges now facing the European Union, as outlined in its resolution of 17 May 1995,

E. whereas the necessary strengthening of existing policies is conceivable only with the prospect of the merger of the three pillars and within a single institutional framework,

F. whereas the Member States will have a heavy responsibility to bear if they fail to respond to these challenges and whereas were the conference to be a failure or the revision of the Treaties lacking in ambition, the whole process of European integration could suffer a serious setback,

Reflection Group report

1. Shares the view of the members of the Reflection Group that, to meet the challenge of enlargement, substantial reforms are required as well as proper implementation of existing European policies, to respond to the growing disenchantment and disaffection of European citizens;

2. Considers that the Reflection Group's report highlights the main changes required for the future enlarged European Union and welcomes the positive role played by Parliament's representatives and by the chairman of the Reflection Group in securing the support of a large majority of members for the European Union to be deepened as far as possible during the IGC;

3. Regrets that there is no consensus on the main reforms necessary in the Union but welcomes the fact that a large majority supports the main options put forward by Parliament, in particular with regard to democracy in the Union and the effectiveness of the institutions (extending use of the codecision procedure and qualified majority voting), citizenship and fundamental rights and with regard to freedom, internal security and transparency;

4. Regrets that the report has a number of major shortcomings and fails to give a full and clear answer to vital questions such as the abolition of the pillars, particularly in the area of the common foreign and security policy and defence policy, the effectiveness of the Union institutions, the coordination of the economic policies of the Union and budgetary procedures; also regrets the lack of any reference to the cultural impact of the Union's policies;

5. Considers it vital that, on the basis of the 'acquis communautaire' which must remain intact, the Union should define clear and precise aims and objectives shared by all the Member States which can in no circumstances be called into question;

Appeal to Madrid European Council

6. Urges the European Council to define a mandate for the IGC which takes account of the priorities established by Parliament in its resolution referred to above, namely:

- to give political substance to citizenship of the European Union, to ensure that citizens and social operators have genuine rights to be informed and consulted and real powers of control and to guarantee respect for both fundamental rights and human rights;

- to make the institutions of the European Union more effective and more democratic (in particular by making greater use of qualified majority voting, by simplifying and democratizing Community decision- making procedures, which should therefore be reduced to three, i.e. codecision, assent and consultation, and by conferring greater responsibilities on the European Parliament, in particular by making the codecision procedure involving Parliament and the Council the general rule on legislative matters);

- to permit the adoption of policies leading towards improved European competitiveness, full employment, reinforced economic and social cohesion, and enhanced environmental protection;

- to develop a social policy by incorporating into the Treaty the Charter on Fundamental Social Rights and the Protocol on Social Policy;

- to equip itself with the institutional and political resources required for the implementation of a proper common foreign and security policy for peace-keeping and to ensure a more effective Union presence on the international scene;

- to ensure real progress in the fields of justice and home affairs, by bringing them within the Community sphere and by using Community procedures and institutions, in order to promote, in particular, a European asylum policy and to strengthen internal security in the European Union by combating crime in the Union and drug trafficking effectively;

- to strengthen Community and national instruments for combating fraud and maladministration at European Union and Member State level;

- to guarantee real openness and transparency and, to this end, to open up the legislative process by providing for Council meetings and votes to be held in public where the Council is acting in its capacity as legislator;

- to unify and simplify the Treaty and all Community legislation by making them easier for the citizens of the European Union to understand;

- to establish in the Treaties a role for public services of general economic and social interest, and to develop a universal right of access to these services of general interest;

- to clarify the sources of law by establishing a hierarchy of acts;

7. Proposes that in the period between the Madrid European Council and the start of the Intergovernmental Conference technical work on the simplification and codification of the Treaties should continue so that the conference can begin its substantive work on the basis of a text which has already been simplified and codified;

Treaty revision procedures

8. Reminds the European Council that the difficulties in securing public acceptance at the time of ratification of the EU Treaty prove the need to adopt a more open and democratic procedure for the revision of the Treaty;

9. Undertakes to stimulate public debate so that citizens are involved in the process of revision of the Treaty, as it did, for example, by holding a public hearing on 17 and 18 October 1995;

10. Reaffirms its desire for close cooperation with the national parliaments, particularly within the framework of revision of the Treaty;

11. Considers that it should be informed on a regular basis of developments in the IGC and involved to the greatest possible extent during both the negotiating phase and the ratification process;

12. Considers it essential to review the operation of the interinstitutional conference to make it a forum for genuine cooperation between Parliament, the Commission, and the governments of the Member States;

13. Considers that the Madrid European Council must adopt the requisite arrangements in terms of transparency and access to information and appropriate arrangements to ensure the fullest possible involvement of and cooperation with Parliament at the Intergovernmental Conference and suggests that the best way of achieving this is for Parliament observers to take part in the conference;

14. Considers that if it were invited to send observers to the IGC, their role and the arrangements for their participation would have to be clearly defined in advance;

15. Considers that the governments of the Member States must undertake not to submit the new Treaty for ratification without having obtained its approval and that Article N will have to be amended accordingly at the Intergovernmental Conference;

16. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Council, the Council, the Commission and the parliaments of the Member States.