Brussels, 05/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - In the context of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on institutional reform, Belgium has proposed a mechanism implementing Art. 7 of the Treaty, i.e., article that allows for the rights of a Member State to be suspended in case of "serious and persistent violation" of the fundamental principles of the European Union (freedom, democracy, respect of human rights, etc.). Article 7 sets out possible sanctions (going as far as the suspension of a State's right to vote) and stipulates the modalities by which the possible decision is taken (assent by the European Parliament, unanimous vote in Council without taking account of the vote of the country concerned), but contains no warning mechanism.
Belgium is proposing that statuting through a qualified majority, the Council should be able to "note that there is a threat of a violation of the fundamental principles in a Member State, and address an appropriate recommendation, if necessary accompanied by adequate measures, to the State concerned, having invited the government of that Member State to submit all its observations in the matter". Observers note that, in relation to the present situation, the Belgian proposal: a) provides for the possibility of pre-alert; b) provides for the Member State concerned being involved in the procedures from the outset with possibilities of submitting observations (which, we know, did not occur in the case of the "bilateral sanctions" taken by the fourteen against Austria).
The Commission spokesperson observed that the Belgian initiative adds to what the European Commissioner Michel Barnier, said as of the 14 February to the press. Then, during the meeting in Sintra of the "Sexias da Coasta group", he invited all the Member States to give their opinion on the opportunity of a alert mechanism in case of "democratic risk" in a Member States. The Belgian initiative can be considered as an answer to this Commission initiative. The introduction of measures over this issue in the negotiations presently underway increase the "democratic value" of the IGC by exceeding the framework of the Institutional reform.