Brussels, 13/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - Circles close to the Council Presidency as well as European Commission observers have the impression, in the light of work this week within the Preparatory Group chaired by the French permanent representative (Vimont Group) that something is now moving in the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on institutional reform, after several months of almost total immobility. Of course, essential problems remain on the table and can only be resolved at ministerial, if not summit, level. But guidelines are taking shape on some issues. We pointed out in yesterday's EUROPE, p.3, the comments and reactions of two MEPs who are taking part in the negotiations, Mr Brok and Mr Tsatsos. We give below an overview of aspects discussed this week:
1. Eventual procedures in the case of violation of EU fundamental values. A majority of Member States is in favour of revising Articles 6 and 7, in order to introduce the mechanisms for common assessment. Nonetheless, the United Kingdom and Denmark maintain their reserve and France and Germany share the aims of the exercise, but ask whether the procedures proposed are a good solution. For the Presidency, the point of departure are the conclusions of the Feira Summit. The European Commission has not yet given its stance, but the services under Mr Barnier are preparing a position paper which could be presented at the end of the month, together with that on other subjects (such as "European prosecutor").
2. Reorganisation of the Treaty. The Vimont Group confirmed that this theme does not belong to the current IGC but noted consensus on the fact that the new Treaty, by launching intergovernmental work on this subject, will already indicate that reorganisation will in no way affect acquis communautaire. Its result will be "equal rights", that is, without changing anything in the context of common policies or other aspects of the Treaty. A body still to be decided will begin the technical work after conclusion of the IGC, taking as a basis the work of the university institute of Florence.
3. Court of Justice. Some points are now established (including the principle: one judge per Member State). On others, guidelines are taking shape, concerning for example: the number and the role of advocates-general; the possibility of the Court of First Instance being able to make preliminary rulings (for specific matters to be set out in the statutes), the unification of texts currently existing in the three European Treaties, etc. The suggestion made by the European Commission to provide for "specialised chambers" for specific areas (like patents, for example), is considered as premature by several delegations. The Belgian proposal to give the European Parliament and the Committee of the Regions the right to appeal on the same level as the Member States received the backing of the Netherlands and Austria.
4. Majority votes in Council. The Presidency considered that the work is sufficiently advanced to allow for development of draft articles of the new Treaty, even if, of course, there is still no uniform list of subjects for which the rule of unanimity is abandoned.
5. European Commission. A majority of delegations remains attached to the principle of "one country, one Commissioner", but the Presidency does not renounce its ambition to gain acknowledgement of the fact that the number of Commissioners could be fewer than the number of States, the Commission not having the objective - he believes - to be a body representing Member States. A majority agreement is taking shape on other aspects, such as the reinforcement of the role of the Commission president.
The Conference noted the new contributions of Member States, including those of Belgium concerning the role of the Committee of the Regions and that of Finland concerning EU adhesion to the European Convention on Human Rights.