Brussels, 05/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - The President of the EPP-ED group in the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, told reporters on Friday that the meeting with the Presidents of the EPP-ED groups in national parliaments had given rise to a very positive discussion on the working document "A Constitution for a strong Europe" written by Wilfried Martens, President of the European People's party, and Wolfgang Schäuble (who both took part in the meeting). Amendments can now be tables (for discussion at the EPP summit in Seville on 20 June and adoption by the EPP congress in Estoril in October, Ed), and the European Parliament's EPP-ED group will be considering whether it wants to table amendments itself, explained Mr Pöttering. Answering questions, he said amendments would probably be tabled on issues like power-sharing (the EP's EPP-ED group wants a description of powers, but stresses it has to be a "flexible" system since a solution adopted in 2002 cannot last for ever) or future regional policy (the CDU MEP said he personally was convinced that the European framework had to be maintained but perhaps regions should be given "a little more freedom".
The meeting (the third of its type) adopted a resolution on the Middle East that calls for the Israeli troops to withdraw "from re-occupied Palestinian territory and the removal of restrictions imposed upon Mr Arafat, the Palestinians' elected leader" and proposes "that the EU, USA and the Russian Federation with the UN Security Council and on the basis of the relevant UNSC Resolutions, undertake a joint effort with a view to re-starting the negotiating process, cooperating with those states in the region willing to participate in this endeavour". Speaking to reporters, Mr Pöttering added that the EPP-ED was not calling for a suspension of the EU/Israel Association Agreement. According to a press release, the European Commission President Romano Prodi intervened in the debate, saying that the EU's patience had its limits.
Romano Prodi announces 3 Commission contributions to future of Europe debate
Addressing EPP MPs and MEPs, Romano Prodi said that at the end of April the European Commission would publish its first contribution to the European Convention, on Europe of tomorrow, focussing on activities specific to the EU (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.6). In May, he said, a Communication on the EU's policies and powers would be published, and there would be a third contribution on institutional issues to round off the Commission's structured contribution to the Convention's work.
The meeting also discussed the enlargement of the EU with Commissioners Günter Verheugen and Franz Fischler. Speaking to reporters, Mr Pöttering confirmed that Mr Verheugen had repeated his hope that the accession negotiations with the ten candidate countries would be concluded in time for the accession treaties to be signed at the beginning of 2003. For Romania and Bulgaria, Mr Pöttering said that the MEPs agreed with the Commissioner that it was not yet possible to set out a timetable for when their negotiations with the EU might be concluded.