Brussels, 14/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - Presenting the position of Athens on the main themes of the IGC on Tuesday, Professor Panayotis Ioakimidis, Greek Personal Representative to the Preparatory Group of the Intergovernmental Conference chaired by Ambassador Pierre Vimont, stressed that, for Greece, it is important to guarantee the "political goal" of European construction. Mr Ioakimidis affirmed, in response to a question put by British Conservative Mr Beazley, who expressed concern about the delay that a debate on the future of Europe could entail in the enlargement process: we must not bring into question our commitment towards applicants but, in this debate over the longer term, our government is in favour of changing the Union into a "political Union of a federal kind, while remaining true to the Community model". Mr Ioakimidis, who stressed that Greece's position on institutional reform is very close to that of the European Parliament (if all the other Member States had the same attitude, things would be much better at the IGC, said Elmar Brok, EP representative at the Intergovernmental Conference. He mainly said that:
- The IGC agenda should be enlarged to cover two questions: the Charter of Fundamental Rights (we want a binding Charter, integrated into the Treaty and which will be a first step towards constitutionalisation of the treaties, he said) and defence policy (in Nice, this aspect also must be taken into account, he believed).
- According to Greece, the IGC should take decisions allowing the role of the European Parliament to be strengthened, mainly by applying co-decision to all acts of a legislative kind which will be adopted by qualified majority, and by attributing to the EP the assent on revision of the Treaty.
- Greece can accept new vote weighting in Council, according to the wording of the "double majority", with a 60% threshold of States and 60% of populations, which, it says, will allow "fundamental balances" to be guaranteed.
- Out of the 43 cases for which the French Presidency proposes to envisage the transition from unanimity to qualified majority, Greece could give its agreement on 28 cases. In answer to a question put by Mr Schwaiger (EPP, Germany) on the passage concerning intellectual property, investments and services to the qualified majority regime, Mr Ioakimides replied that this would pose problems in Athens in the maritime transport sector.
- Greece, which was opposed to Amsterdam regarding flexibility is today in favour of easing the enhanced cooperation system, as with the new enlargement it will be necessary to have a mechanism that also guarantees the consolidation of integration. Such an instrument must be used as a last resort, but Greece can also accept it for the second pillar. (Giorgio Napolitano, Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, congratulated it on its commitment in favour of an easing of the Greek position on increased cooperation).
In response to questions put by MEPs, Mr Ioakimidis also spoke of:
- The definition of a "legislative act". British Labour member Mr Corbett expressed concern about the reflections being made on this subject and said he feared that the Parliament would in the end have to give its views on principles only. "I would like to avoid an over-complex and opaque system", replied Mr Ioakimidis, who feared, however, that, in this field, "we shall end up examining on a case by case basis" the application of codecision to the different areas of legislation.
- The future of CFSP and ESDP. In response to Mr Dimitrakopoulos (EPP, GR), Mr Ioakimidis acknowledged that these policies are essentially developing in an intergovernmental framework - which, he said, "does not meet with Greece's satisfaction". Despite the esteem I have for Mr Solana, I cannot forget what Mr Patten said about the Commission's role regarding external relations, he remarked, considering that the EU's foreign policy should "come closer to the Community model".
- The European political parties. In answer to Mr Gil-Robles (EPP, Spain), Mr Ioakimidis pointed out that the French Presidency had told him that this theme will be dealt with at the IGC early in October. According to Greece, he added, the European political parties have a fundamental importance for European democracy, and Athens may accept the European Commission's proposals on this subject, "barring a few minor details".
Luxembourg Socialist Mr Poos said this account "breaks up the ambient pessimism a little". He felt that, if there were the determination to do so, "the IGC could be brought to a successful conclusion in Biarritz", without waiting for Nice:
we were presented "such well though-out proposals that we could have finished rapidly, though maybe not on the list of Articles that move to qualified majority voting", he felt. "What could be more logical", in fact, that the proposals aiming to keep one Commissioner per Member State, or those on a double majority in the Council?, asked the former Luxembourg Minister for Foreign Affairs. Personally, I believe that the result of Nice will be good, even if it is not "the final point, but a starting point for future debate", felt when concluding Mr Ioakimidis, who, with regard to the Commission, said in particular: "I do not think that this is a major problem; what is needed, is to re-establish the political role of the Commission". (With regards to the Greek position over the European Commission, also see yesterday's EUROPE, p.3).