COMMISSION COMMUNICATION On certain arrangements for the debate on the future of the European Union

The Treaty of Nice was signed on 26 February 2001. The Intergovernmental conference that drew up this Treaty was not designed to undertake far-reaching reforms of the institutional architecture of the Union, but only to adopt the Treaty changes that were needed to ensure that the Union is ready to welcome new Member States in the coming years. In order to go further, the Intergovernmental Conference adopted the Declaration on the future of the Union, which calls for "a deeper and wider debate about the future development of the European Union" and briefly sets out the steps of a process that will lead to the convening of a new Intergovernmental Conference.

On 7 March 2001, the Swedish and Belgian Presidencies, the European Commission and the European Parliament took part at the highest level in a meeting to mark the launch of the European debate. A specific website [1] was opened on this occasion with the support of the European Commission.

[1] http://europa.eu.int/futurum

This communication does not predetermine how the Commission itself might take part in each of the other phases of the process envisaged in the Nice Declaration. It offers a few thoughts - which are necessarily first thoughts - on the forms that this debate with all interested parties could take and sets out the contribution that the European Commission could make. It suggests, in particular, that the debate should draw on the experience gained in the Dialogue on Europe operation, which the Commission took the initiative to organise back in February 2000 in order to encourage direct contacts between European leaders and citizens.

The Commission believes that is essential, in order to ensure that the debate called for by the Nice Declaration is a success, for the European institutions to take the time to think about the methods and tools needed to accompany the debate.

1. Framework fixed by the Declaration

The Declaration on the future of the Union (attached as Annex 2) sets out a process comprising three phases:

- 2001 will see the start of a phase of open reflection. The Declaration calls on the Swedish and Belgian Presidencies, in cooperation with the Commission and involving the European Parliament, to encourage "wide-ranging discussions with all interested parties". A report will be drawn up for the Göteborg European Council, and the European Council is invited to adopt a Declaration "containing appropriate initiatives for the continuation of this process"at its meeting in Laeken/Brussels (December 2001);

- although this open debate will naturally not be concluded at the end of 2001, it will be necessary to embark on a phase of structured reflection in the following years. Under the arrangements to be agreed at the European Council of Laeken/Brussels, the process of reflection on the future of the Union will focus on preparing a new revision of the Treaties:

- an intergovernmental conference will then be convened in order to make the necessary changes to the Treaties. Under the terms of the Declaration of Nice, this Conference will be convened in 2004.

The Declaration adopted in Nice also indicates which parties will be involved in the debate on the future of the Union. This debate will not be limited to discussions between European political leaders (governments of the Member States, European Parliament, European Commission), but will also involve "representatives of national Parliaments and all those reflecting public opinion: political, economic and university circles, representatives of civil society, etc.". The applicant countries will also be involved in this process.

As far as the subjects for reflection and debate are concerned, the Declaration specifically mentions the delimitation of powers between the European Union and the Member States, the status of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, the simplification of the Treaties and the role of national Parliaments in the European architecture. It also mentions the need to improve and to monitor the democratic legitimacy and transparency of the Union and its institutions. Moreover, the text adopted in Nice makes it possible to address all questions concerning the future of the Union.

This approach meets the concerns expressed by citizens during the Dialogue on Europe. It is also corresponds to the developments that the Commission wants to encourage in order to improve European governance.

2. Public debate and structured reflection

As the President of the Commission had the opportunity to point out to the European Parliament on 13 February 2001, the open debate should not be confused with the preparations for the forthcoming intergovernmental conference. The exercising of political responsibilities will be preceded by a phase of reflection that is open to all sections of civil society. However, for obvious reasons of democratic legitimacy, these two processes will have to remain separate.

It would obviously be advisable to give some structure to the preparation of the next intergovernmental conference, although it is not necessary to define in detail here the operating arrangements of the body to be set up. The Commission has already had an opportunity to indicate its interest in a formula based on the agreement which led to the drafting of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and which brought together the institutional partners that are the national governments and parliaments, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission.

In any event, it will be necessary to ensure that this structure pays heed to the debate and is in a position, not only to respond to the opinions expressed, but also to pass on any questions or thoughts that arise during its work to all the interested parties. This interactive dimension can only be achieved if the structure that is to be set up operates in a completely transparent way. It is by taking account of the deep and wide debate called for by the Nice Declaration that this structure will draw up a coherent and sustainable plan for reforming the Treaties and thus prepare for the forthcoming intergovernmental conference.

The establishment of a structure with responsibility for preparing the next reform of the Treaties does not mean that political leaders do not need to take part in the debate called for by the Nice Declaration. On the contrary, it is necessary for the members of the European Parliament, national parliaments and regional and local assemblies, as well as the members of the national governments and the European Commission, to take full part in this debate.

This debate will be pursued beyond 2001. After a general phase, it should become increasingly specific as preparatory texts (e.g. the Laeken Declaration) or processes (e.g. the discussions with the national parliaments on their role in the European architecture) provide it with more precise subject matter.

3. The debate

What questions will the debate address-

Despite their importance, the four questions specifically identified in the Nice Declaration and restated above are not the only ones to be considered in the reflection on the future of the Union. If the debate is to lead to radical reform, it must address the question of the transparency and democratic legitimacy of the Union and its institutions and cover, in general, all the questions that arise concerning the process of European integration, whether they relate to its final objectives, its institutional structures or its policies. Citizens must have the opportunity to express their specific expectations and concerns during this debate.

And yet, there can be no serious debate without pointers or points of reference. The achievements of the past are not sacrosanct, but the results of fifty years of integration in terms of the reconciliation of peoples, political stability or economic growth cannot be ignored.

In order to ensure that the debate retains a minimum degree of coherence and remains relevant, particular attention should therefore be paid to the wording of the questions and issues for this phase of open reflection. Like all the other parties that will wish to contribute to the debate, the Commission may submit, when the time comes, topics that it considers important for consideration, in order to define the next stages of European integration, the policies to be conducted and the institutional adjustments needed to achieve these objectives.

Ensuring that the options expressed are listened to

In order to ensure that the debate is productive and that the objectives of the Declaration of Nice are really met on this point, the opinions expressed must be listened to, examined, summarised objectively and passed on to the political authorities, and to public opinion in general and the media. While it is up to each Member State to draft its national summary, the task of evaluating all the national summaries should be carried out at European level. For practical reasons, it would therefore be advisable for the institutions to give concerted thought to the way in which the executive summaries of these debates could be made and used. This important matter should be dealt with swiftly.

In any event, the Commission believes that it would be desirable for the structure that will prepare the next intergovernmental conference to be organised in such a way that it can receive the contributions of those who take part in the debate, which implies the introduction of specific resources and tools. For public opinion, this structure would thus be the European focal point to which thoughts and proposals may be sent.

National initiatives and European initiatives

The wide-ranging debate called for by the Nice Declaration cannot be restricted to exchanges between European experts. It must be based on active national debates. The debate on the future of Europe will therefore have to have two separate, but interactive, dimensions:

- Each Member State should organise debates, depending on its own constraints, and, in so doing, encourage meetings between people of different nationalities and with different opinions. While the responsibilities in this area clearly lie at national level, the debate on the future of the Union would take on a new dimension if the Member States, at the initiative of the successive Presidencies, were to compare their practices. Although it is not appropriate to draw up common guidelines on the way in which national debates should be conducted, it would obviously be helpful to have regular contacts between Member States, within the Council, in order to exchange information and compare resources and methods. The arrangements for this joint reflection on the national initiatives could be included in the report that will be presented to the European Council in Göteborg. In this connection, it would be useful to find out what the applicant countries think about the way that the national debates are going.

The Commission could offer practical support or, even, more extensive cooperation based on the experience of the Dialogue on Europe to any Member States that so desire. This initiative, which was introduced in March 2000 by the Commission, with the support of the European Parliament, in order to encourage debates on the issues of the institutional reforms, led the Commission to conclude agreements with certain Member States in order to contribute to the organisation of events of general interest. The contribution from the Community budget must naturally remain limited because this is a case of encouraging certain initiatives organised at national level, rather than replacing them.

The Commission's representations in the Member States, in accordance with the priorities that the Commission assigns to them, will monitor the national debates on the future of the Union and help to raise the profile of these exchanges among the national and regional media.

The European debate will also have to develop, taking account specifically of the European and transnational dimension of the debates organised by the Member States and the applicant countries. This debate is based largely on European contributions and events. It is mainly in this area that the Commission will take practical initiatives.

4. The European dimension of the debate

While the Member States are responsible for organising the national debates on European issues, the Presidencies, starting with the Swedish and Belgian Presidencies, are responsible for developing the European dimension of the debate, in cooperation with the Commission and involving the European Parliament.

The parties to the debate

The Declaration of Nice foresees a large-scale operation, because it will be necessary to involve, for the national and European initiatives, "representatives of national Parliaments and all those reflecting public opinion: political, economic and university circles, representatives of civil society, etc.", and the applicant countries.

It will no doubt be necessary to vary the measures to be taken depending on the target groups and the representative bodies to be mobilised. The debate with the national parliaments, which is particularly important, will have to be organised in a specific way. It will also be necessary to examine how to draw on the multiplier potential of the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

The mobilisation of the opinion multipliers identified in the Nice Declaration does not rule out the organisation of citizens' debates. The issues of the European debate must be explained to as many people as possible so that, when the time comes, each person can express a view with a knowledge of the facts.

The European initiatives

There are naturally many ways of creating a forum for European debate: encouraging politicians to speak in countries other than their own, encouraging the media to report on the debates that are held in other countries, translating and making accessible the content of the debates that take place in Europe, and making use of European networks or federations of networks (political, economic and university circles, civil society, etc.).

It will be important to ensure that the debate has a high profile by, no doubt, organising several European-scale events and by ensuring the quality of the futurum Internet site opened with the practical support of the Commission on 7 March 2001.

The Commission proposes that the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament agree on the practical arrangements for encouraging the European debate. This methodology could be evaluated by the European Council at its Göteborg meeting.

5. The involvement of the applicant countries

The Declaration on the future of the Union states that "the candidate States will be associated with this process in ways to be defined". Without predetermining the initiatives that the successive Presidencies of the Council might take, it should be pointed out that all the interactive tools (Internet site and discussion forums) that the Commission will make available to citizens in the Community languages will be accessible to the citizens of the applicant countries, who will thus be able to contribute directly to the debate.

As in the case of the Member States, the Commission considers that the initiative to develop national debates on the future of the Union should come from the political authorities of these countries. Consequently, it does not plan to organise any events itself, apart from events relating to the visits of European personalities to these countries and financed under the normal amounts allotted to the Commission's Delegations for this purpose.

It is also necessary to point out the operations planned by the Commission as part of the information strategy on enlargement. This initiative, which pursues its specific objectives using specific methods, will also contribute to the reflection on the future of Europe.

6. Practical arrangements for the debate - contribution of the Commission

Annex 1 to this Communication sets out the measures that the Commission proposes to take to encourage the debate.

As far as resources are concerned, it should be emphasised that, in order to have a European debate that lasts several years, it will be necessary to mobilise tools and services that operate continuously. The Commission proposes taking over responsibility for managing the support services and tools.

In the Dialogue on Europe operation, which was set up in February 2000 to accompany the last reform of the Treaties, the Commission can claim proven experience in organising debates, collecting and disseminating contributions, developing partnerships and mobilising interactive communication tools.

The Dialogue on Europe was designed precisely to encourage the public debate on Europe. It made it possible to conduct over 200 debates on Europe in the Member States. The interactive site of the Dialogue did much to increase the involvement of citizens, especially through the discussion forums.

This activity could be refocused so that the institutions are able to meet certain operational needs of the debate on the future of Europe.

It should be noted that the Dialogue on Europe:

- already has an interinstitutional operating framework which, under the PRINCE programme, defines its guidelines;

- uses a specific budget line, B3-306, which also covers other information provision operations (the euro, enlargement and the area of freedom, security and justice);

- operates in a flexible and decentralised way, with the involvement of the public authorities concerned, but also of organisations from civil society at national and European level;

- uses, in particular, the new information technologies specially developed for establishing interactive communication (discussion forums) and functioning in a network and in cooperation with the States.

In order to adapt the Dialogue on Europe initiative, the interactive electronic dimension will have to be strengthened. The subjects dealt with, which initially concentrated on institutional issues, will have to cover the major questions on the future of the Union. The target groups will have to be broadened to include the multipliers of opinion identified in the Nice Declaration. The whole initiative will have to take on a new dimension.

The tools introduced to conduct the Dialogue on Europe, especially those for interactive communication on EUROPA, could be used in their current form, provided that the essential budgetary resources for their maintenance and use in the more ambitious context of the debate on the future of the Union are made available. The instruments of the Dialogue on Europe would thus raise the profile of the national and European initiatives and permit interaction with public opinion, the press, the media, political, economic and university circles, etc.

As in the case of the other measures needed for encouraging the European debate, the specific arrangements for giving a new focus to the Dialogue on Europe will have to be established by common accord with the Council and the European Parliament.

It will also be necessary to develop as much synergy as possible with the other information campaigns of the PRINCE programme, whose issues are an essential dimension of the debate on the future of Europe, even though the initiative presented in this Communication does not constitute a measure that comes under information policy. A permanent system for information exchange will be set up between the departments responsible for these activities and will concern both the content and the form of the debates.

ANNEX 1

GUIDELINES FOR THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE COMMISSION TO THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF THE EUROPEAN DEBATE

Key criteria for a successful debate

Three criteria have to be met to ensure that the debate is a lasting success:

- a bottom-up, citizens-driven approach is used;

- the debate is constantly stimulated by contributions from politicians and other senior officials;

- last but not least, an efficient feedback mechanism is established to ensure that contributions from citizens and others in the debate are summarised and channelled back to the political level for information and reaction.

Actions proposed for 2001

1. The Commission's main contribution from the beginning would be to put "Dialogue on Europe", its lessons and its instruments at the disposal of the debate:

a) the "Dialogue on Europe" Internet site (transformed into the futurum "Future of Europe" website);

b. the discussion forums on the website (with a forum for each priority theme in the great debate);

c. active promotion of the website and the discussion forums (such as special buttons to be offered to the websites all over the Commission, in the other European institutions, and in governments, regions, organisations, the media, etc.);

d. internet chats;

e. active involvement of the Commission's relays all over Europe;

f. active involvement of civil society partners with transEuropean networks;

g. active involvement of the media;

h. interactive cross-border events (with the help of video conferences or "Europe by Satellite")

i. involvement of schools in the Member States and the applicant countries;

j. assistance in preparing and translating summaries of meetings, discussions and chats.

2. The Commission can prepare the ground technically for a more intensive debate in 2002 with more partners involved, by:

a. arranging a tender to find partners who are willing to take part in, and promote, the debate as of January 2002;

b. preparing an electronic mail system, which through push, as well as pull, technology can target and reach particular groups in the Member States and the applicant countries;

c. preparing the necessary budget and human resources for a larger operation from 2002 onwards.

3. The Commission can take part in the preparations for the active and direct participation of organisations in the debate. These efforts should involve, with the active support of the Commission's Representations in the Member States and its Delegations in the applicant countries:

a. political circles (political parties; youth organisations; regions);

b. economic circles (such as organisations at European level);

c. university circles (such as the Jean Monnet professors, « think tanks »);

d. representatives of civil society;

e. the media.

Resources needed /Actions proposed for 2002

1. A stronger central team to assist and coordinate the debate.

2. A larger budget under the PRINCE budget line

3. A network of active partners in places all over Europe and in each activity area (following the tender conducted in 2001).

4. The debate website to be further developed.

5. Interactive possibilities via Internet and other modern means (teletext, webcasting, etc.) to be explored.

6. A new electronic mailing system (push/pull), with all important target groups included.

Organisation and budget

1. The new "Future of Europe" debate has to be well coordinated both politically and technically. A coordination committee, made up of officials of the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament, will ensure that the operation goes smoothly. Specialised working groups may be established, where necessary (for the website etc.). It might also be useful to envisage a political steering committee.

2. A large part of the total funding allocated to the "Dialogue on Europe" operation in the Community budget can be earmarked for the new debate initiative, especially the new website, and for the preparation of the new initiatives to be conducted in 2002.

3. It would be advisable to prepare a suitable name and a professional logo for the debate in all the Community languages (and the languages of the applicant countries).

ANNEX 2

Declaration on the future of the Union

1. Important reforms have been decided in Nice. The Conference welcomes the successful conclusion of the Conference of Representatives of the Governments of the Member States and commits the Member States to pursue the early ratification of the Treaty of Nice.

2. It agrees that the conclusion of the Conference of Representatives of the Governments of the Member States opens the way for enlargement of the European Union and underlines that, with the ratification of the Treaty of Nice, the European Union will have completed the institutional changes necessary for the accession of new Member States.

3. Having thus opened the way to enlargement, the Conference calls for a deeper and wider debate about the future of the European Union. In 2001, the Swedish and Belgian Presidencies, in cooperation with the Commission and involving the European Parliament, will encourage wide-ranging discussions with all interested parties: representatives of national Parliaments and all those reflecting public opinion, namely political, economic and university circles, representatives of civil society, etc. The candidate States will be associated with this process in ways to be defined.

4. Following a report to be drawn up for the European Council in Göteborg in June 2001, the European Council, at its meeting at Laeken/Brussels in December 2001, will agree on a declaration containing appropriate initiatives for the continuation of this process.

5. The process should address, inter alia, the following questions:

- how to establish and monitor a more precise delimitation of powers between the European Union and the Member States, reflecting the principle of subsidiarity;

- the status of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union proclaimed in Nice, in accordance with the conclusions of the European Council in Cologne;

- a simplification of the Treaties with a view to making them clearer and better understood without changing their meaning;

- the role of national Parliaments in the European architecture.

6. Addressing the above-mentioned issues, the Conference recognises the need to improve and to monitor the democratic legitimacy and transparency of the Union and its institutions, in order to bring them closer to the citizens of the Member States.

7. After these preparatory steps, the Conference agrees that a new Conference of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States will be convened in 2004, to address the above-mentioned items with a view to making the corresponding changes to the Treaties.

8. The Conference of Member States will not constitute any form of obstacle or pre-condition to the enlargement process. Moreover, those candidate States which have concluded accession negotiations with the Union will be invited to participate in the Conference. Those candidate States which have not concluded their accession negotiations will be invited as observers.

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Policy area(s):

Activity(ies):

Title of action: debate on the future of Europe

1. BUDGET LINE(S) + HEADING(S)

B3-306 PRINCE (Programme for the Information of the European Citizen)

This financial statement only concerns the section "Debate on the future of Europe", and therefore does not relate to the other actions covered by this line.

2. OVERALL FIGURES

2.1 Total allocation for action (Part B): EUR million for commitment

The cost of the operation is estimated to be no more than EUR 9 500 000:

2002 financial year*: EUR 4 500 000

2003 financial year*: EUR 3 500 000

2004 financial year*: EUR 1 500 000

(*): All the figures set out above and in the tables of this financial statement are given purely for guidance, since the availability of appropriations depends on the annual decision of the Budgetary Authority.

2.2 Period of application:

2002 to 2004

2.3 Overall multiannual estimate of expenditure:

a) Schedule of commitment appropriations/payment appropriations (financial intervention) (see point 6.1.1)

EUR million (to 3rd decimal place)

>TABLE POSITION>

b) Technical and administrative assistance and support expenditure (see point 6.1.2)

>TABLE POSITION>

c) Overall financial impact of human resources and other administrative expenditure (see points 7.2 and 7.3)

>TABLE POSITION>

2.4 Compatibility with financial programming and financial perspective

|x| Proposal compatible with existing financial programming.

| | This proposal will entail reprogramming of the relevant heading in the financial perspective.

| | This may entail application of the provisions of the Interinstitutional Agreement.

2.5 Financial impact on revenue

X No financial implications (involves technical aspects regarding implementation of a measure)

| | Financial impact - the effect on revenue is as follows:

3. BUDGET CHARACTERISTICS

>TABLE POSITION>

4. LEGAL BASIS

Measures taken by the Commission by virtue of its institutional prerogatives

5. DESCRIPTION AND GROUNDS

5.1 Need for Community intervention [2]

[2] For further information, see separate explanatory note.

The debate on the future of Europe was decided by the Nice European Council.

5.1.1 Objectives pursued

Process of preparing for the IGC planned for 2004.

The Heads of State and Government called (in the Declaration on the future of the Union, to be included in the final act of the IGC) for a deeper and wider debate about the future development of the European Union. The objective of this operation is to encourage this wide-ranging debate, to involve all interested parties through partnerships, to provide the resources and the interactive tools to ensure that this debate involves as many participants as possible and to facilitate the drafting of a summary at European level. To this end, it is planned to mobilise the European networks of civil society and political, university and economic circles for the organisation of the debate and to set up an electronic interactive platform at European level in order to ensure general access to the debate and provide a tool for the production of its results. The operation includes communication activities to give the debate a high profile and encourage citizens to take part.

5.1.2 Measures taken in connection with ex ante evaluation

The proposed measure corresponds to the mandate from the intergovernmental conference concluded in Nice in December 2000, which called for the rapid launch of a deep and wide debate about the future development of the Union and gave the institutions the responsibility for encouraging the debate.

5.1.3 Measures taken following ex post evaluation

An initial evaluation will be conducted at the end of 2001 that will make it possible to carry out any adjustments needed to the way in which the instruments are used.

5.2 Actions envisaged and budget intervention arrangements

These involve:

designing, developing and managing an Internet site with interactive systems (citizens' forums): services contracts

concluding partnerships with national governments and networks from civil society in order to promote the development of discussion meetings throughout Europe over three years: financial contributions and agreements

producing communication material: contracts for products and services

5.3 Methods of implementation

The electronic tools will be developed and managed by firms under contract, under the instructions of the officials of the service. The communication products will be developed to order (firms under framework contract) or by invitation to tender. Partnerships will be negotiated and concluded with governments of the Member States, and the planned measures will be managed by the Member States on the basis of agreements. Partnerships with networks will be concluded on the basis of calls for proposals.

6 . FINANCIAL IMPACT

6.1 Total financial impact on Part B - (over the entire programming period)

6.1.1 Financial intervention

(Commitments in EUR)

these costs are based on the working hypotheses (cf. Table 6.2)

>TABLE POSITION>

>TABLE POSITION>

6.2. Calculation of costs by measure envisaged in Part B (over the entire programming period) [3]

[3] For further information, see separate explanatory note.

(working hypotheses) Commitments in EUR million (to the 3rd decimal place)

>TABLE POSITION>

7. IMPACT ON STAFF AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURE

7.1. Impact on human resources

>TABLE POSITION>

7.2 Overall financial impact of human resources

>TABLE POSITION>

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months.

7.3 Other administrative expenditure deriving from the action

>TABLE POSITION>

The amounts are total expenditure for twelve months.

(1) Specify the type of committee and the group to which it belongs.

I. Annual total (7.2 + 7.3)

II. Duration of action

III. Total cost of action (I x II) // EUR594 000

3 Years

EUR1 782 000

8 FOLLOW-UP ARRANGEMENTS

8.1 Follow-up arrangements

Monitoring and evaluation will be based on permanent instruments and on specific evaluation exercises. The eurobarometer survey will provide indications on the state of public opinion and how it develops. Although the objective pursued is mainly political, since the task is to introduce an interactive mechanism to bring citizens and European politicians closer together, it is felt that the number of visits to the site devoted to the debate and the number of electronic contributions to the discussion forums are data that can be used to evaluate the success of the operation. The departments consider that an objective of 100 000 hits per month is an operational objective for the first indicator. A figure of 300 contributors, on average, for each of the discussion forums that will be open over the three years is a minimum objective for the second indicator.

8.2 Arrangements and schedule for the planned evaluation

an interim evaluation will be carried out in the first half of 2003

a final evaluation will be carried out in 2004

A monitoring and evaluation system will accompany the conclusion of the partnerships for the Member States with which agreements are implemented. For the meetings, debates and partnerships, each financial contribution will be the subject of an activity and financial report drawn up by the beneficiaries; this report will subsequently be evaluated.

9. ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES

The contracts will be drawn up using the tendering procedures under the financial regulation in force. Partnerships with the Member States will be covered by co-financing agreements for common information plans. Covering of costs for meetings and debates will be based on agreements on financial contributions and will comply with the relevant rules, particularly those set out in the Commission's vade-mecum.