WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1554/97 by Klaus LUKAS to the Commission. Petition for a referendum on the Euro
Date: 1997-05-06
Institutions: European Parliament, LUKAS
Subjects: Austria, Economic and Monetary Union, European Movement, code of conduct, press release, referendum, self-employed person

C 45/50

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

10. 2. 98

(98/C 45/60)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1554/97

by Klaus Lukas (NI) to the Commission

(6 May 1997)

Subject: Petition for a referendum on the Euro

In a recent newspaper interview (Der Kurier, 22 March 1997) the Head of the Commission(cid:146)s Representation in
Vienna, Dr Wolfgang Streitenberger, said that Austria would make itself an international laughing-stock and lose
credibility if there were a petition for a referendum on the Euro incorporating a proposed bill.

1.

Does this statement reflect the Commission(cid:146)s view?

If so, will the Commission explain why Austria would make itself an international laughing-stock and lose

2.
credibility if there were a petition for a referendum on the Euro?

3.

4.

Did this official act on instructions from the Commission?

If so, who issued them?

5.
Does the Commission basically regard all grass-roots democratic initiatives as laughable and lacking in
credibility, or only those which do not suit it politically? If not, will the Commission correct this public statement
of position, which appeared in its name, in an appropriate manner?

6. What  is  the  Commission(cid:146)s  view  of  the  wish,  which  has  been  voiced  in  many  quarters,  to  see  the
introduction of the Euro made subject to a Europe-wide, grass-roots democratic decision?

7.
Can the Commission envisage greater grass-roots involvement for European citizens in decision-making
processes at European level? If not, why not? If so, in which cases could grass-roots democratic decision-making
be envisaged?

Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission

(11 July 1997)

1. Mr Streitenberger(cid:146)s explanations concerning the legal possibility of a (cid:145)Volksbegehren(cid:146) (referendum) on the
introduction  of  the  Euro  reflect  the  position  of  the  Commission.  His  evaluation  of  the  possible  effects  of  a
(cid:145)Volksbegehren(cid:146)  reflects  his  private  opinion.  In  fact,  he  started  his  speech  in  Mayerhofen  by  saying  that  all
elements  other  than  facts  in  his  speech  ›  opinions,  judgments,  evaluations  ›  are  his  private  views.  The
Commission has not dealt with the possible effects of a referendum in Austria and has not made speculations on
any effects of it.

2.
The introduction of the Euro is a constituent part of the EC Treaty. Parliaments of all Member States have
ratified the Treaty according to their constitutional law, either directly or, as far as the new Member States are
concerned,  through  the  accession  treaties.  By  ratifying  the  treaties,  by  referendum  or  through  their
representatives, the people have agreed to what governments had concluded and signed before.

3. and 4.
Heads of the representations of the Commission are authorized to give public statements without
prior  clearance  from  the  Commission.  In  addition,  Mr  Streitenberger  made  clear  to  the  audience  that  his
evaluations are his private ones.

5. What matters to the Commission is that the provisions of the EC Treaty, once ratified by Member States
according to their national rules, are applied. The Treaty does not foresee instruments of direct democracy on
particular provisions or policies to be implemented.

6. and 7.
plebiscites or public referenda. This is left to Member States.

The  Commission  does  not  take  any  position  towards  domestic  political  procedures  such  as