European Parliament resolution on the outcome of the European Council on 7-11 December 2000 in Nice
Date: 2000-12-14
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: European Council, intergovernmental conference (EU), summit meeting

C 232/342

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

17.8.2001

Thursday 14 December 2000

13. European Council meeting of 7-11 December 2000 in Nice

B5-0938, 0939 and 0942/2000

European Parliament resolution on the outcome of the European Council on 7-11 December 2000
in Nice

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the European Council report and Commission statement on the outcome of the
European Council meeting on 7-11 December 2000 in Nice and in particular the outcome of the
IGC negotiations,

Regarding the European Council in Nice

1.
Notes with satisfaction the agreement in the Presidency conclusions on issues such as the social
agenda, common security and defence policy, food safety, public services, the statute for the European
companies and environmental questions;

2. Welcomes the offer made to the applicant countries of a timetable consistent with Parliament’s pro-
posal and insists that no further obstacle should now be put in face of the enlargement process;

3. Welcomes the proclamation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights but regrets the fact that it has
neither been incorporated nor even referred to in the new Treaty;

Regarding the IGC

Notes, pending a detailed examination of the draft Treaty, that, yet again, an IGC results in some
far short of what Parliament considered necessary to

4.
improvements to the Treaties, but which fall
strengthen the Union’s capability for enlargement and its democratic legitimacy;

5.
Considers that the way in which most Heads of State and Governments have led their final negotia-
tions on the Treaty of Nice shows that they gave priority to their short-term national interests rather than
to EU interests;

6.
Notes that progress has apparently been achieved concerning the nomination, the composition and
functioning of the Commission and particularly the increased powers of its President; Article 7 on estab-
lishing a warning system in case Member States contravene the basic principles upon which the Union is
founded; and the statute of political parties;

7. Will examine carefully apparent shortcomings such as Council decision-making procedures, particu-
larly regarding the raised thresholds for obtaining a qualified majority, and its complexity; the insufficient
extension of the scope of qualified-majority voting in matters important for enlargement; the fact that no
automatic link was made between qualified-majority voting (both old and new cases) and legislative code-
cision by Parliament; the fact that,
in enhanced cooperation, Parliament’s assent is only occasionally
required;

8.
Instructs its Committee on Constitutional Affairs to make a detailed evaluation of the draft Treaty
and make an assessment of whether an enlarged Union can function transparently, democratically and
efficiently on the basis of the new Treaty, and to do so in time for Parliament to adopt a decision before
national ratification procedures begin;

9.
Considers that the European Council in Nice demonstrates that the traditional IGC method is unsui-
table; considers therefore that work on the ‘post-Nice’ agenda is vital; to this end a Convention similar to
the one which produced the Charter of Fundamental Rights should be convened, comprising representa-
tives from the applicant countries as well as those of the Union in which no party has a right of veto; after

17.8.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 232/343

a broad public debate it should produce a draft to reform, simplify and reorganise the Treaties into a
single, clear and concise document (‘Constitution’);

Thursday 14 December 2000

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Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Council, the Council, the Commis-

10.
sion and the parliaments of the Member States.

14. Taxation of aircraft fuel

A5-0334/2000

European Parliament resolution on the Commission communication to the Council, the European
Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on taxation of
aircraft fuel (COM(2000) 110 0 C5-0207/2000 0 2000/2114(COS))

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission communication (COM(2000) 110 (cid:1) C5-0207/2000),

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission communication ‘Air Transport and the environment (cid:1) towards

meeting the challenges of sustainable development’ (COM(1999) 640),

(cid:1) having regard to the proposal for a Council Directive ‘Restructuring the Community Framework for
the Taxation of Energy Products’ (COM(1997) 30) (1) and its opinion of 9 February 1999 thereon (2),

(cid:1) having regard to the report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament under
Article 8(6) of Council Directive 92/81/EEC, on the situation with regard to the exemptions or reduc-
tions for specific policy considerations as set out in Article 8(4) of Directive 92/81/EEC and concern-
ing the obligatory exemption of mineral oils used as fuel for the purpose of air navigation other than
private pleasure flying and the exemptions or reductions possible for navigation on inland waterways
other than for private pleasure craft as set out in Articles 8(1)(b) and 8(2)(b) of the same directive
(COM(1996) 549) and its opinion of 13 June 1997 thereon (3),

(cid:1) having regard to Rule 47(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

(cid:1) having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and the opinions of
the Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism and the Committee on the Environment,
Public Health and Consumer Policy (A5-0334/2000),

A. whereas air traffic is expected to continue to increase significantly over the next few years,

B. whereas adequate measures must be found as fast as possible to limit the negative impact of this

increase on the environment,

C. whereas these measures must promote environmental protection while respecting fair competition and

the proper functioning of the internal market,

D. whereas at this stage introduction of a tax on aircraft fuel would, due to legal constraints, be possible
only for intra-Community flights operated by Community air carriers, but would benefit the environ-
ment and result in net reductions of CO2,

(1) OJ C 139, 6.5.1997, p. 14.
(2) OJ C 150, 28.5.1999, p. 82.
(3) OJ C 200, 30.6.1997, p. 249.