B4-0449, 0450, 0451 and 0452/97

Resolution on the results of the meeting of the European Council of 23 May 1997

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Council report and the Commission statement on the results of the European Council of 23 May 1997,

- having regard to 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.)), 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 definition of the political priorities of the European Parliament with a view to the Intergovernmental Conference ((OJ C 96, 1.4.1996, p. 77.)), 14 November 1996 on the Commission report pursuant to Article 189(b)(8) of the EC Treaty on the scope of the codecision procedure ((OJ C 362, 2.12.1996, p. 267.)), 11 December 1996 on the preparations for the meeting of the European Council on 13/14 December 1996 in Dublin ((OJ C 20, 20.1.1997, p. 50.)), 16 January 1997 on the Dublin European Council of 13 and 14 December 1996 ((OJ C 33, 3.2.1997, p. 63)) and 13 March 1997 on the Intergovernmental Conference ((Minutes of that sitting, Part II, Item 9.)),

A. pending a detailed evaluation of the Council Presidency's draft treaty in June 1997 prior to the European Council meeting in Amsterdam,

B. recalling that the endorsement of the new Treaty by the European Parliament is a pre-requisite for ratification by some national parliaments,

C. reconfirming its priorities for the IGC as follows;

TO CREATE A CITIZEN'S EUROPE

1. In recognition that there is an urgent need to reconnect the concept of European integration with its citizens, and to place their priorities at the top of the European agenda, calls on the IGC explicitly to provide for the effective protection of fundamental rights, including social rights, non-discrimination and equality of men and women as rights of Union citizens, while taking into account the status of third-country nationals legally resident on Union territory;

2. Asks for the incorporation into the EC Treaty of an improved version of the Agreement on Social Policy, and calls for an effective employment chapter with the aim of reaching a high level of employment in Europe by coordinating economic policies;

3. Calls for a strengthening of the provisions of the Treaty dealing with all aspects of public health, environment and consumer protection and the fight against fraud;

4. Reiterates its request for the establishment of an area of freedom, security and justice by incorporating into the Community sphere most of the areas covered by the provisions on justice and home affairs, including the gradual application of the Community method to areas covered by intergovernmental cooperation, including Europol; asks for the incorporation of the Schengen agreement into the Treaty;

5. Insists on the need not only to include a provision enabling the joint adoption by the institutions of general rules guaranteeing citizens full access to information, but also to combine and simplify the Treaties;

TO PREPARE THE UNION FOR ENLARGEMENT

6. To deal with the Union's cumbersome and inefficient structures, asks for the decision-making procedures to be reduced from twenty-three to three (codecision, assent and consultation), on the understanding that all genuinely legislative acts should be adopted under a simplified codecision procedure with Parliament and the Council placed on an equal footing and the Council acting by a qualified majority;

7. Will not accept any effort to restrict Parliament's existing budgetary powers under the second and third pillars; reiterates its demand for genuine codecision eliminating the distinction between compulsory and non-compulsory expenditure, together with the stipulation that Parliament's assent should be required for decisions concerning own resources;

TO PROMOTE PEACE AND STABILITY

8. To enhance the Union political presence on the world scene asks for the Union's external identity to be strengthened by conferring on it a single legal personality; is convinced that in the case of the CFSP, qualified majority voting in Council must be the rule, avoiding blocking by a single country; external representation must be organised in such a way as to place the Commission on an equal footing; a planning and analysis unit must be set up under the joint auspices of the Council and Commission, Parliament must be consulted prior to decision-making and Parliament must give its assent to important international agreements;

TO ENHANCE PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY WITHIN THE UNION

9. In acknowledging the need to strengthen parliamentary democracy, insists on the necessity of adopting joint principles to govern the procedures for the election of Members of the European Parliament, provisions clearing the way for measures concerning European political parties and a single joint statute for the Members of the European Parliament;

10. Considers that Parliament's assent should be required for Treaty amendments (as is currently the case for enlargement), decisions based on Article 235 of the EC Treaty and any other institutional or quasi-constitutional decisions;

11. Takes the view that these reforms are essential for the commencement of negotiations with a view to enlargement and for a positive conclusion by the European Parliament;

12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council Presidency, the Intergovernmental Conference, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Commission and the other institutions of the European Union..