Brussels, 11/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - The first ministerial session under French Presidency of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on reform of the EU institutions was mainly on the timetable and working methods for the next six months. "These working methods will change. We plan to intensify work, globalise talks and give them a more consequential political substratum", declared Pierre Moscovici, French Minister for European Affairs. Except for the month of August, the Intergovernmental Conference will now meet each week at the level of the ministerial or preparatory group. The Presidency has already drawn up the timetable for these meetings, until the European Council of Biarritz on 13 and 14 October (see EUROPE of 8 July, p.4).
Mr Moscovici restated his confidence in the possibility of reaching a compromise on reform of the institutions at the European Summit of Nice, on 8 and 9 December. And "I am not speaking of a lame compromise - but a good agreement on a good treaty", he stressed. The Austrian Foreign Minister, he said, has given her assurance that Austria does not wish to block the IGC or enlargement. "How can you expect me to be worried about anything under these conditions", he asked.
On enhanced cooperation, he said "I shall encourage each minister to answer three questions". These are: 1) How many states are needed to trigger off increased cooperation? 2) Must one observe the appeal clause at the European Council, which amounts to a right of veto for Member States? 3) Are flexible cooperation arrangements needed within increased cooperation? "The best way not to have a two-speed Europe is to have flexible increased cooperation", he had previously said.
Furthermore, after the meeting with the foreign ministers and the European Commission, Ms Fontaine felt that the "positions of participants and those of the European Parliament are very close". "Sweden, Portugal and France shared the views of the European Parliament on the need to have an ambitious Charter of Fundamental Rights, that is, one that includes economic and social rights. On the inclusion of the Charter into the Treaties, they did not however follow us but Mr Moscovici declared that the status of the Charter will be tackled at a later stage, that is, after the European Summit of Nice", said Ms Fontaine's spokesperson after the discussion.
Luxembourg Minister Lydie Polfer, for her part, felt that "enhanced cooperation must not serve as an alibi" for restricting recourse to codecision between Parliament and Council, and, she believes, it is wrong to consider that this blocks the institutional mechanism.