Strasbourg, 12/04/2000 (Agence Europe) - During the plenary on Wednesday on the Dimitrakopoulos/Leinen report concerning the European Parliament's proposals for the Intergovernmental Conference, the rapporteurs of certain parliamentary committees called for codecision to be extended to several EU policies, such as agricultural, commercial and competition policy. Two hundred and twenty amendments were presented for the Dimitrakopoulos/Leinen resolution, to be voted on Thursday.
The participation of the European Parliament at this Intergovernmental Conference is "far greater" than during the previous negotiations, and this is "very promising", stressed the Council President Jaime Gama, who took stock of the situation on the unfolding of five meetings of the Preparatory Group and three ministerial meetings of the IGC which have been held so far. Mr Gama discussed:
1) Extension of qualified majority within the Council. The last discussion on this subject (last Monday) brought to light "certain openings" but also "considerable reticence", which may no doubt be overcome during the negotiation, according to Mr Gama.
2) Parliament-Council codecision. Here too, Mr Gama notes a certain openness regarding the extension of codecision should the Council vote by qualified majority, but, he adds, without necessarily establishing "systematic correlation" between codecision and majority vote (some countries raise objections, for example, to codecision on Common Agricultural Policy).
3) Extension of the IGC agenda. In our report for the de Feira summit we shall be able to propose such an extension, recalled Mr Gama, repeating that the Presidency will envisage the inclusion of questions concerning Security and Defence Policy and the insertion of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the Treaty in relation to the unfolding of work on these two issues. At the same time, he stressed the need to avoid all delays regarding the aim of concluding the IGC by the end of this year.
4) Configuration of the European Commission. There is consensus on the principle that the Commission to emerge from this IGC should be strong, independent and legitimate, and that its collegial character should be preserved, said Mr Gama. On the other hand, the main point of divergence concerns the number of Commissioners, the "small and medium-sized" states insisting on equality between Member States and certain "large" States taking a stance for a fixed number of Commissioners, independently of the number of Member States. Regarding Commissioner's individual accountability, the consensus is to maintain the commitment obtained by Romano Prodi (resignation of Commissioners whose action is seriously brought into doubt), but some States would not want this commitment to be made official in the Treaty. As far as collective accountability is concerned, Mr Gama noted "a tendency to accept certain amendments" and cited in this respect the possibility that the Commission should submit a motion of confidence to the Parliament (ED.: a proposal in the Dimitrakopoulos/Leinen report).
5) Vote weighting in Council. There is consensus for considering that provisions on this subject take into account two "elements which are at the basis of European construction", namely that the Union is a Union not only of peoples but also of States, said Mr Gama. However, there is still division between those who are in favour of double majority (States and population) and those who prefer re-weighting of current votes.
6) Enhanced cooperation. This is a theme which is "difficult to deal with" because there are no concrete examples of this kind of cooperation, and because those who want this do not give "theoretical" examples either, noted Mr Gama. He feels above all that, if one finally decides to introduce enhanced cooperation in the second pillar also (foreign and security policy), then it will be necessary to provide for "specific arrangements" and not "copy" what is to be done with the first pillar. Furthermore, the majority considers it not necessary to foresee enhanced cooperation for European security and defence policy. A certain amount of opening, added the Council president, is shown in order to no longer demand intervention by the European Council for initiating enhanced cooperation.
Several parliamentary rapporteurs propose additional changes to the Treaty
In his brief presentation, Mr Dimitrakopoulos (EPP/GR) insisted above all on keeping a balance of the powers that have proved their worth in European construction, and on the conception of enhanced cooperation which ensures that the aim of this flexibility will be really and solely to make European
integration move forward. Mr Leinen (German Social Democrat) felt that the success of the IGC will first of all be judged by progress made concerning extension of qualified majority, and said he was concerned by the way negotiations were held on this subject: there is not yet a "single point" on which there is agreement, and this, he believes, shows that the method of negotiations chosen "'is not the best".
The rapporteurs of the different parliamentary committees defended their amendments aimed in general at enlarging the scope of the Dimitrakopoulos/Leinen resolution still further. Mr Brok, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, mainly encouraged the Portuguese Presidency to propose, in its report for the Feira summit, the extension of the IGC agenda on ESDP (security and defence) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. In his opinion, the EU should take up Article V of the WEU Treaty (on mutual assistance) in a Protocol to the Treaty, and also define more clearly "who is responsible for what". A "clear structure of powers" is needed. Ms Theato, Chair of the Budgetary Committee, above all took a stance in favour of the creation of the post of European Prosecutor and said that the Parliament hopes, in the context of the discharge procedure, to be able to also receive information from Member States. Ms Palacio Vallersundi, speaking for the Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, insisted on the role of the Parliament in the selection of judges at the Court of First Instance and on the right of Parliament, in the third pillar, to "proceedings on annulment". The notion of "social market economy" must be embodied in the Treaty, affirmed Mr von Wogau, speaking for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs. He also asked for EP codecision on competition matters (concerning the establishment of general rules, he specified) and the right of Parliament to be really consulted on economic and monetary policy matters. Mr De Clercq, speaking on behalf of the legal committee, defended his amendments which include an amendment aimed at also giving national parliaments the right to initiate proceedings before the Court of Justice, mainly for abuse of power and incompetence. Speaking on behalf o the Committee on Budgets, Mr Colom I Naval called for the Parliament to fully participate in the deliberations on own resources, and clarification in the Treaty concerning the budgetary trilogue (which, in his view, is currently somewhat "virtual"), whereas Ms Plooij van Gorsel, for the Committee on External Trade, called for codecision on commercial policy and also on energy policy (which should, with view to forthcoming enlargement, include rules for nuclear power plants). Mr Pronk, speaking for the social committee, urged for the EU to be attributed a legal personality (which will allow it to settle certain problems in the future concerning the ratification of international agreements, he said, citing the ILO texts not yet ratified by the EU). Mr Graefe zu Baringsdorf, rapporteur of the agricultural committee, requested codecision for CAP (recalling that national parliaments are not empowered in this respect, and that Common Agricultural Policy is only decided by the Executive), and Ms Langenhagen urged for an independent status for fisheries policy in the Treaty. Ms Karamanou, on behalf of the committee on women's rights, called for a legal base concerning gender equality in every field, and the affirmation of these rights in the Charger of Fundamental Rights. Mr Sanchez Garcia, spokesman for the regional committee, mainly called for recognition in the Treaty of the role of the regions and the affirmation of the role that tourism plays in favour of regional employment and development.
Speaking at the opening of the debate, Mr Ribeiro e Castro of the Union for Europe group, had requested that the report be declared inadmissible because of the initialling of the resolution that affirms that "no action may be brought in connection with the interna corporis affairs of the European Parliament". This report serves no purpose, he stated, and Mr Berthu said he was entirely right and considered that the report "violates a certain number of rights". It is not fair to ask for the report to be considered inadmissible simply because of one point, which may, moreover, be rejected during voting, said Mr Dimitrakopoulos. Mr Brok went further stating it is the request for inadmissibility that is inadmissible as the Amsterdam Treaty demands this report. The plenary rejected the request of the UEN: 13 for, 113 against, 4 abstentions.
Barnier notes major convergence between Commission and Parliament on reforms and
hopes for fresh impetus on security and defence issues in Feira
The positions of the Commission and of the Parliament are close on a large number of points, noted Commissioner Michel Barnier. He notes:
a) Commission composition. What counts is opening the debate, giving oneself time to reflect on the advantages and the disadvantages of the various solutions in order to come to a responsible and enlightened decision.
b) Qualified majority. The EP rapporteurs state that qualified majority must become the general rule. The Commission did not say any different and recommended a method to achieve this result, by identifying the categories of decision where it is "conceivable" to maintain unanimity. For certain residual categories
It proposed rewriting articles of the Treaty in order to make the field of qualified majority move forward "as far as necessary", said Mr Barnier, who recognised that this may pose problems for certain member States. He cited taxation as an example. The duty of the Commission and of the Parliament, however, is precisely to overcome such reticence, by sincerely and honestly posing the question of coherence and effectiveness.
c) Composition of European Parliament, strengthened cooperation, Court of Justice and Court of First Instance. Here too, Mr Barnier notes major convergence between the Commission and Parliament, whose deliberations have always taken the general European interest into account. The active commitment of the EP, its work of explanation and dialogue with national parliaments and with the citizens is extremely important in order to bring this reflection to a satisfactory conclusion.
d) Agenda of the IGC. Interrogations over the "right size" of the agenda are behind us, said Mr Barnier. Apparently, it seems it is possible to work on the basis of the Helsinki mandate, leaving certain subjects aside for now as this agenda is "reasonably consistent". However, in his view, the moment will soon come when a decision must be taken. For this reason, he submitted certain elements of reflection to the Assembly on the following themes: