Brussels, 03/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - On the occasion of the entry into force of the Treaty of Nice, the Greek Presidency of the EU Council published the following Statement:
"The Treaty of Nice enters into force on 1 February 2003. This amending Treaty opens the way for the greatest enlargement in the history of the European Union, and lays the institutional bases required to achieve this strategic goal of historical importance.
The Treaty contributes towards the strengthening of the democratic nature of the Union by preserving the fundamental balances between institutions and between States and to the greater effectiveness of decision-taking mechanisms. In particular, it establishes the weighting of votes in the Council and the distribution of seats in the European Parliament of the enlarged EU, thus settling basic questions on which the realisation of enlargement depends. It also adjusts the size of the Commission and strengthens the role of its President in matters relating to its internal functioning. It also provides for arrangements for financing the European political parties. Furthermore, the Treaty extends qualified majority voting to most cases in combination with the adoption of the codecision procedure: this strengthens the role of the European Parliament and enhances the democratic nature of the functioning of the EU.
An important aspect for the institutional development of the EU is the simplification of arrangements for enhanced cooperation. In this context, the open nature of the system has been ensured to enable all Member States who wish to do so to participate in any such measures.
The Treaty also has a direct impact on the citizens of Europe. In the area of social policy, significant improvements are being introduced in that there is express provision for the EU to take action to combat social exclusion. Further important aspects are the facilitation of access by the European citizen to the judicial system of the EU and more readily available financial support for Member States dealing with natural disasters.
The ratification of the Treaty of Nice completes the institutional changes which are required for the accession of the new Member States. However, the wider and more detailed talks on the future of Europe which are being conducted within the framework of the European Convention are aimed at dealing comprehensively and in the long term with the demands of enlargement, both from the point of view of institutions and as regards policies and the means to achieve them."