ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
DE LA COMMISSION 
 
 
 
COLLECTION RELIEE DES 
DOCUMENTS "COM" 
 
 
 
 
COM (85) 445 
 
 
 
Vol. 1985/0172 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the openi ng to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this f ile is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 198 3 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 243 vom 27 .9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5  
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.  
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
C0M<85) 445 final 
Brussels, 22 July 1985
COM MISSION OPINION 
O F  22 JULY 1985
O N  TH E  P R O P O S AL F O R  A M E N D M E N TS  T O  TH E TREATY ESTABLISHING 
THE E U R O P E A N  E C O N O M IC  C O M M U N ITY  PR E SEN TED  B Y  
TH E G O V E R N M E N T  O F  THE G R A N D  D U C H Y  O F  LU X E M B O U R G
C0MC85) 445 final

COMMISSION OPINION  
OF 22 JULY 1985
ON THE PROPOSAL FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING  
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY PRESENTED BY  
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG
TH E  COM M ISSION O F  TH E  E U R O P E A N  COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to A rtic le  236 of the E E C  Treaty,
Having regard to the proposal fo r amendments to the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community presented by the Luxembourg Government to the 
Council of the European Communities by le tte r dated 2 July 1985,
H E R E B Y  DELIVERS TH E  FO LLO W IN G  OPINION
1. The European Council in Milan on 28 and 29 June 1985 decided to convene a  
conference of representatives of the Governments of the Member States to d ra ft 
the provisions needed to achieve concrete progress on European Union with 
regard to a com m on foreign and security p o lic y , changes to be m ade to the 
decision-making process and the inclusion of new spheres of a c tiv ity  in 
Community competence.
Following th is  decision the Luxembourg Government presented a proposal fo r 
amendments to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community to the 
Council of the European Communities.

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2. The Commission n a tu ra lly  supports the convening of an intergovernmental 
conference. This in itia tiv e  is  a lo g ica l extension of the process set in tra in  
many years ago which prompted production by the European Parliament of its  
d ra ft Treaty establishing the European Union and presentation of a report by 
the Ad Hoc Committee fo r In s titu tio n a l A ffa irs  set up by the European Council 
at Fontainebleau in June 1984. As agreed by the European Council in Milan i t  
is necessary, in the general context of tra n s itio n  to European Union, to make 
fresh progress not only on economic and social inte gra tion but also on foreign 
p o lic y . Indeed, the fact that the two form an in d iv is ib le  whole should be 
recognized by incorporating the proposed new provisions in a single framework.
3. The proposed in s titu tio n a l changes should strengthen the democratic base 
of the European venture through increased involvement of the European 
Parliament, using procedures designed to fa c ilita te  rather than complicate 
decision making. This was the tenor of the suggestion the Commission m ade to 
the European Council in Milan.
A  second series of amendments should concentrate on the Council and the 
Commission. The Community today finds i t  d if f ic u lt  to take decisions or takes 
them too la te . I f  i t  is  to face up to the challenges of the modern world the 
Community, as proposed by the Luxembourg Government, must improve decision 
making w ithin the Council (notably by extending m ajority voting) and give the 
Commission increased executive powers.
The years have also revealed the need fo r reform in another area: i f  the 
Community is to achieve its  a llo tte d  aims and liv e  up to the expectations of 
the people of Europe, Community competence must be defined and, in certain

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instances, extended. F ir s tly , the Community should be in a  po sition to press 
ahead with implementation of the p o lic ie s  provided fo r by the Treaties even i f  
the aims of action taken are not exclusively economic (the obstacles to the 
creation of a people's Europe could, fo r instance, be removed). Secondly, the 
Community should be in a po sition to promote -  in areas such as human rig h ts , 
education and the arts -  the shared values which are an essential ingredient 
of European id e n tity .
4. E ffo rts to consolidate, strengthen and widen cooperation between the 
Member States on com m on foreign and security policy (the expression used in 
the Milan communiqué) must draw on the experience of fifte e n  years of 
p o litic a l cooperation.
5. I f  there is a genuine desire to move towards European Union, i t  is 
imperative that the two areas of a c tiv ity  be combined. Otherwise fresh 
obstacles w ill be created, m u ltip lying possible sources of c o n flic t and 
weakening the p o te n tia l and dynamism of the Community established by the 
Treaties of Paris and Rome. R e a listic conditions fo r osmosis between economic, 
s o c ia l, fin a n c ia l, and monetary a ffa irs  on the one hand and foreign po licy on 
the other must be established.
At the end of the day only u n ifie d  in s titu tio n s  -  one Council, one Parliament, 
one Commission -  w ill prove e ffe c tiv e  and speed progress towards European 
Union.
6. The step-by-step approach adopted to establish the com m on market should 
be emulated by those d ra ftin g  the proposed new provisions. What is essential 
however, is that the conference should define objectives with the c la r ity  and 
courage the current situ a tio n  requires in the in te rests of European 
in te g ra tio n .

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7. The objectives and p rin cip le s endorsed by the Commission colour its  view 
of how the conference should conduct its  business.
I f  Community and p o litic a l cooperation a c tiv itie s  are to remain w ithin a 
single in s titu tio n a l framework, i t  is essential that a single conference deal 
with both.
I f  the objectives set in Milan are not to be compromised, discussions must 
proceed at a steady pace and representatives of the Governments of the Member 
States attending the conference must be in a position to devote the necessary 
time and energy to the exercise. A  time lim it must be put on discussions so 
that the European Council in Luxembourg can debate the findings of the 
conference and take decisions.
F in a lly , the European Parliament should be closely involved in the work of the 
conference and consulted on the outcome.
I
8. In conclusion, the Commission, subject to the observations set out above, 
hereby 'd e live rs a favourable opinion on the convening of a conference of 
representatives of the Governments of the Member States with a  view to 
amending and expanding the Treaties establishing the European Communities. 
Only i f  the conference completes its  business ra pidly can the Community, 
w ithout' more ado, channel a ll its  energies into accomplishing the p r io r ity  
tasks i t  has assigned it s e lf .
!
9. The Commission w ill present proposals on a ll areas covered by the 
conference in due course.