The European Parliament is preparing to increase the pressure on the Council of the European Union so that the latter rapidly adopts a common position on the modalities and objectives for the Conference on the Future of Europe.
MEPs are calling on Member States to overcome their differences and promptly come forward with a position committing them to “a meaningful follow-up” to the outcome of the Conference and allowing for “all possible outcomes, including legislative proposals and the initiation of a treaty change”, says a motion for a resolution agreed by the EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL groups, which will be adopted at the mid-June plenary session.
According to MEPs, citizens should also debate the shortcomings seen during the Covid-19 pandemic and the fiscal and economic recovery instruments currently being put in place at the European level.
In order for the Conference to start its work “in the autumn”, an interinstitutional agreement must be reached before the summer recess, according to the 10-point draft resolution.
On Monday 8 June, Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs criticised the Croatian EU Council Presidency for the delay in finding a compromise, while acknowledging that the health crisis had played a role.
However, Domènec Ruiz Devesa (S&D, Spain) pointed out that “the fact that the EU Council does not have an opinion in June is due to the fact that there was no agreement between Member States even before the pandemic”. Like Damian Boeselager (Greens/EFA, Germany), he agreed that the issue of EU institutional reform should be on the table.
Referring to the discussions held at the last ‘General Affairs’ Council (see EUROPE 12493/27), the Croatian State Secretary for Relations with the European Parliament, Nikolina Brnjac, assured MEPs that the Croatian Presidency of the EU Council was trying to reach a consensus. “We are working on a text that will take into account the reality of Covid-19”, she said. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)