B4-1343, 1345, 1371 and 1372/96

Resolution on the preparations for the meeting of the European Council on 13 and 14 December 1996 in Dublin

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the conclusions of the European Council meetings in Madrid and Florence,

- having regard to the Dublin I informal European Council meeting of 5 October 1996,

- having regard to the outline for a draft revision of the Treaties,

A. whereas the Heads of State and Government are faced with major responsibilities in relation to the serious economic and social problems confronting European citizens,

B. whereas the Union has to produce adequate solutions to the challenges which must be faced,

C. whereas the weakness of the response to citizens' expectations is increasingly leading to a crisis of confidence in relation to European construction, and it is deeply regretted that the expectations founded upon the Maastricht Treaty in this respect have not been fulfilled,

1. Makes a formal appeal to the European Council meeting in Dublin to take those essential decisions capable of creating the economic, political and social conditions necessary to give a fresh impetus to the Union and to bring it closer to its citizens;

Intergovernmental Conference

2. Recalls the positions adopted on the IGC in its resolutions 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.)) and 13 March 1996 embodying (i) Parliament's opinion on the convening of the Intergovernmental Conference, and (ii) an evaluation of the work of the Reflection Group and a definition of the political priorities of the European Parliament with a view to the Intergovernmental Conference ((OJ C 96, 1.4.1996, p. 77.)) and the mandate given to the IGC negotiators by the European Council in Florence concerning the need for greater democracy and efficiency in EU institutions;

3. Welcomes the Irish Presidency's General Outline for a Draft Revision of the Treaties, which provides a clear overview of the issues at stake and believes that the Presidency did the best it could in the present unsatisfactory situation;

4. Expresses its deep disappointment in particular at the total inadequacy of proposals regarding the institutional reforms necessary for the smooth functioning and democratization of the Union with a view to future enlargements and points out that, unless the efficiency of the decision- making process is improved considerably, no progress can be envisaged in the context of enlargement;

5. Notes, moreover, with deep concern that the Irish Presidency's document shows a lack of ambition on such essential questions as the extension of qualified majority voting in the Council and the democratic role of the European Parliament, but welcomes the proposals to reduce, in principle, the number of decision-making procedures to three - assent, a simplified codecision procedure for normal legislation and consultation;

6. Welcomes the improvements to the codecision procedure, but rejects the proposal to set a deadline for the convening of the Conciliation Committee, which will lead to meetings being held when the negotiations are not sufficiently advanced and at times which will not suit Parliament's calendar of meetings, thus rendering void the need to obtain the agreement of the President of Parliament; expresses concern about the proposal to limit the agenda of the Conciliation Committee to the common position and Parliament's amendments, which might prevent the Committee from making new compromise amendments that are necessary in order to reach agreement on a joint text;

7. Calls for an overall reform of the EU budgetary procedures with a view, in particular, to ensuring the unity of the budget for the whole TEU and full budgetary co-decision;

8. Welcomes the introduction of an anti-discrimination article;

9. Strongly regrets that no progress is envisaged in issues concerning citizenship;

10. Notes the proposals by the Irish Presidency on the environment and on consumer protection;

11. Welcomes the introduction of a new Title on employment leading towards a common strategy in this field; reiterates its requests for inclusion of the Social Protocol in the Treaty as well as coordinated measures to combat social exclusion and the elaboration of fundamental social rights;

12. Is astonished at the absence of any explicit reference to the concepts of public services or services of general economic interest when these are one of the essential components of the fundamental rights of the citizens of the Union;

13. Deplores the absence of any reference to safeguarding public services, the aim of full employment or the means to be used to implement common job- creation policies;

14. Calls for the protection of citizens' rights to be guaranteed by Community law, with the Court of Justice having the necessary powers; notes with approval the trend towards communitization of the rules for crossing external borders, asylum, immigration and visa policies, policies on third- country nationals, the consistency of measures to combat drugs, and measures aimed at giving EUROPOL operational capacity; for all these questions the use of normal Community procedures and institutions is absolutely necessary; insists, moreover, on better use of Community institutions and procedures in the remaining third pillar;

15. Considers that the proposals put forward by the Presidency are totally insufficient to provide the Union with instruments to be able to create an authentic common foreign and defence policy;

16. Considers that, with regard to transparency, the Treaty must make progress in order at last to inspire the citizen with greater confidence in the decision-making process of the EU, and that the existing Presidency text is inadequate in this regard, notably as regards the public nature of Council proceedings when it acts in its legislative capacity;

17. Notes that the question of 'increased cooperation' is now at the heart of the IGC; is concerned at the continuing ambiguity surrounding matters relating to increased cooperation, flexibility and the consequences this may have for the unity, institutional balance and cohesion of the Union;

18. Appeals to the incoming Dutch Presidency to develop and deepen the above points and to attain the necessary high level of ambition for the future Treaty;

Economic and Monetary Union and employment

19. Emphasizes the need to adopt, in good time before the transition to the third stage of EMU, the legislative provisions required to govern the issue of the euro and a regulation guaranteeing economic convergence and monetary stability within the single currency area (based on criteria which are as clear as the convergence criteria);

20. Reaffirms the necessity, given both the commitments made at Essen and the Commission proposal for an employment confidence pact, of all measures intended to encourage the creation of new and lasting jobs which adhere to the European social model and welcomes the decision to support the launch of local and regional employment pacts at the Dublin summit;

21. Is concerned about the discussions on a further strengthening of the independence of the forthcoming European Central Bank and calls on the Council to come forward with proposals on how to overcome the institutional imbalance of the ECB;

22. Welcomes and supports the adoption of the Joint Employment Report by the Social Affairs Council and the Ecofin Council as a sign of the continuity of the process begun in Essen; regrets, however, that this process has not been made more transparent and measurable, in particular through the establishment of common indicators and concrete targets;

23. Recalls, in this connection, the imperative of sustained job creation and of the reduction and reorganisation of working time, and stresses the need for Member States and social partners to recognise their responsibilities by creating high quality opportunities for individuals and to encourage companies to offer opportunities to newly trained young people seeking their first job;

24. Invites the European Council to pursue an economic policy for the Union which is global and coherent and which incorporates the rules governing competition policy, the conditions necessary for the smooth functioning of the internal market and the requirements of an industrial policy;

25. Calls on the Council to move forward and deepen the focus of the work of the Group of High Representatives in the field of tax harmonization, in order to complete the internal market, and in the field of taxation, in order to eliminate the tax barriers which continue to pose an obstacle to firms in Europe;

26. Reiterates its criticism of the recommendation for the 1996 broad economic guidelines, as endorsed by the Council, as an unrealistic and inadequate response to the current economic situation in the EU which continues to be characterized by sluggish growth and massive unemployment; insists that the 1997 broad economic guidelines should contain a reinforced chapter on employment;

27. Urges the Heads of State of Government to take due account of Parliament's concerns about overly rigid budgetary constraints to be imposed on Member States in a forthcoming Stability Pact; expresses particular concern as to implications of the Pact for levels of public investment and the ability of Member States to respond to cyclical economic fluctuations; stresses that the parameters of the Stability Pact should not exceed those laid down in the Treaty; suggests that under the excessive deficit procedure attention has to be paid not only to fiscal criteria but also to the situation and development in 'real economy';

28. Urges the Heads of State or Government to support urgent measures - including legislative measures - to ensure legal security for consumers - in terms of their contracts, savings, earnings and purchasing power - before the single currency is introduced;

29. Stresses how vital research is as a European job creation instrument and, in view of that, calls on the European Council to make a statement laying down policy guidelines for the Budget and Research Councils re-emphasizing the priority which must be given to a revision of the financial package for the fourth framework programme, as provided for by the relevant decision taken in 1994;

30. Urges the Council to take on board the conclusions of the Ecofin Council of 2 December 1996 regarding the SEM 2000 programme and to give maximum political support to its implementation;

Common Foreign and Security Policy

31. Supports the decision of the Council to nominate a special envoy to the Middle East and urges the Union to intervene politically and in accordance with its role as the main provider of funding, in order to promote the speedy implementation of the Peace Process in the Middle East, in line with the commitments made in the Oslo Accord by both the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority and in accordance with its resolution of 14 November 1996 on the Middle East peace process ((Minutes of that Sitting, Part II, Item 4.));

32. Believes that a more precise definition of the Union's strategy on human rights is needed vis-à-vis the Union's external relations, whilst ensuring greater coherence and interinstitutional coordination; requests that, when revising the Treaty on European Union, a provision be included providing a legal basis for action by the European Union in the field of human rights at international level;

33. In this context, deplores the Union's incapacity to participate actively in conflict prevention, in particular in relation to the Great Lakes situation and recalls, in this connection, its resolution of 14 June 1995 on the creation of a European Union Centre for the Analysis and Prevention of Crisis ((OJ C 166, 3.7.1995, p. 59.)); believes it essential that this body become operational as soon as possible and urges the Union to equip itself more effectively to take part in initiatives to secure peace;

34. Emphasizes the need for the EU to maintain an autonomous and separate policy from that of the US in its relations with Cuba, in accordance with the resolutions and agreements adopted by the Parliament, the Commission and the Council; to this end, supports a constructive political dialogue directed towards the future negotiation of a trade and cooperation agreement between the European Union and Cuba, as was formulated by the European Council of Madrid, approved in Florence and adopted in the common position of the Council;

35. Records its opposition to the Helms-Burton Act and calls for a frank and open dialogue to be stepped up with the Cuban authorities and negotiations to be resumed with a view to a cooperation agreement;

36. Calls on the Council to respect its earlier decisions relating to future enlargement of the EU to include the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus both with regard to the prerequisites for accession and to their timetables; emphasises security aspects in the context of any future enlargement and the significance which it accords to the territorial integrity of the Union and its duty to uphold it;

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