Brussels, 17/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - In an open letter addressed to Guy Verhofstadt before the European Council of Ghent, Peter Sutherland, Karel Van Miert, Stanley Crossick, Hywel Ceri Jones and John Palmer, of the European Policy Centre (The EPC) think tank state that "the events of 11 September have changed to context in which the EU treaty reforms are to be addressed", and that these events provide European leaders with the opportunity of explaining to citizens that "we have no choice but to pool our sovereignty" The EPC places emphasis on:
- strengthening the role of the Commission, which must be a "strong college", of a "manageable size", and have a "strong president"; - abolition of the veto in Council except in relation to "constitutional" provisions; - more use of majority voting in the second pillar (and absorption of the role of the High Representative within the Commission); - transfer of the third pillar to the Community pillar.
(The centre has published several working papers and will publish detailed proposals before the European Council of Laeken on its site: http://www.TheEPC.be ).