Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the 'Next Intergovernmental Conference (IGC)'
Date: 1999-11-18
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: intergovernmental conference (EU)

29.2.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 57/103

Resolution of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Next Intergovernmental Conference (IGC)’

(2000/C 57/17)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the conclusions of the European Council in Cologne confirming its wish to convene an
Intergovernmental Conference with the task of resolving the institutional questions that were not settled
at Amsterdam and which must be resolved before enlargement;

having regard to the decision of the European Councils in Cologne and Tampere to draw up a Charter of
Basic Rights of the European Union;

having regard to the declarations of the President of the European Commission, Mr Prodi, to the effect
that the Conference to be launched at the European Council in Helsinki should extend its objectives;

having regard to the Committee of the Regions’ opinion of 15 September 1999 on the institutional
aspects of enlargement ‘Local and Regional Government at the heart of Europe’ (CdR 52/99 fin) (1);

having regard to the report of the European Commission’s group of experts chaired by Mr Dehaene;

having regard to the European Parliament’s Resolution of 18 November 1999 on the preparation of the
reform of the Treaties and the next Intergovernmental Conference;

having regard to the contribution of the European Commission to the preparation of the Intergovernmen-
tal Conference adopted on 10 November 1999;

considering the double democratic legitimacy of the European Union based both on States and on
peoples;

considering the present democratic deficit, which can only grow after enlargement;

whereas membership of the European Union means adopting the principle of subsidiarity;

considering the consequences of enlargement for the Committee of the Regions;

has adopted the following Resolution unanimously at its 31 plenary session of 17 and 18 November
1999 (meeting of 18 November).

The Committee of the Regions

namely the size and composition of the European Commis-
sion, the weighting of votes within the Council and the
extension of qualified majority voting;

1.

2.

feels that the basic aims of the next institutional reform
will be to strengthen and democratise the European
institutions, giving them the proper tools for meeting the
challenges posed by enlargement;

the view,

is of
the Intergovernmental
Conference will have to extend its objectives and not limit
itself to the institutional questions left open at Amsterdam,

therefore,

that

3.

recalls the prime role played by the Committee of the
Regions as an ambassador to the citizens of Europe, thus
helping to anchor the European idea in their daily lives
and enabling them to understand the intentions and
objectives of the Union, and requests a better distribution
of terms of reference between the different
levels of
decision-taking — European, national and regional/local;

(1) OJ C 374, 23.12.1999, p. 15.

4.

requests the European Commission to take account of the
claims of the COR when it adopts its formal proposal;

C 57/104

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

29.2.2000

5. asks to be fully involved in the process of negotiating the
next round of institutional reforms and in drawing up the
Charter of Basic Rights, which should enable each citizen
to identify his or her European citizenship as the source of
new direct rights;

6.

requests that the role of local and regional authorities in
implementing and respecting the principle of subsidiarity
be enshrined in the Treaty;

7.

requests that the principle of local autonomy be enshrined
in the Treaty;

8. calls for general application of the principle of consulting

the COR within informal Councils;

9.

requests that the number of COR members be redefined,
with a maximum of 350 members being laid down;

10. repeats its request that the Treaty contain an obligation for
its members to possess a political mandate underpinning
their legitimacy;

11. repeats its request that the COR be recognised as having

the status of an institution;

12. requests that the COR have a right to appeal to the Court
of Justice of the European Communities if its prerogatives
are not respected;

13. instructs its President to submit this resolution to the
European Commission,
the
Council, the governments of the Member States and to
national parliaments.

the European Parliament,

Brussels, 18 November 1999.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Manfred DAMMEYER