Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-11-17-Speech-3-218"
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"en.19991117.7.3-218"2
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"Mr President, I would like to thank Parliament for this report. It will have an important part to play in preparations for the Intergovernmental Conference, and I have to say that I agree wholeheartedly with the general aims set down in the report to make the Union more effective, transparent and democratic.
There are many points on which all those involved in preparations for the conference are effectively united. Firstly, whatever opinion we have on the scope of the IGC agenda, the main theme must be enlargement and the reforms that this necessitates. Secondly, nobody is questioning the fact that Europe must gain strength through enlargement. Decision making in the European Union and its potential for action cannot be allowed to weaken as a result of enlargement. Thirdly, all parties involved wish to commit to a timetable, meaning that the talks would be drawn to a conclusion by the end of 2000, during the French Presidency. We must achieve unanimity on the reforms whilst adhering to a tight schedule, so that enlargement is not delayed due to internal problems with the timetable in the EU.
I have focused in my speech only on the changes required by the IGC. We must bear in mind, however, that the institutions can also be reformed without amending the Treaties. In my opinion, these reforms must be carried forward coherently and effectively at the same time as the IGC.
I venture to hope that modernising the institutions and changing the way we do things could bring the European Union and its citizens closer to one another. Finland, as the country to hold the Presidency, has emphasised the need to improve the Union’s efficiency in its work, as well as its transparency. During our Presidency, we have taken a step forward in this area. Since its Presidency Finland has put into effect those recommendations in the
report that do not require a separate decision by the Member States. We have tried to improve transparency in the Council and make it easier for people to have access to documents. As an example of concrete action, we have made public the agendas and schedules relating to meetings of both the Council and the working parties. We have also made a proposal that all agendas of meetings relating to Council legislation be made public.
This, then, has been a brief overview of the situation regarding preparations for the Intergovernmental Conference in 2000. Next week I will have the opportunity to discuss the matter with you in more detail when I speak in Brussels to the Committee on Constitutional Affairs on the progress being made in preparations for the IGC. We once again have before us important decisions to take on the future of the Union. Making these decisions and eventually implementing them will require smooth and selfless cooperation on the part of all the institutions. For my own part, I can confirm the Council’s desire to cooperate with the European Parliament to make the forthcoming conference a success.
Let me speak, however, of the progress that has been made during the Finnish Presidency in preparations for the Intergovernmental Conference in 2000. A month ago, Prime Minister Lipponen came here to present you with an account of the outcome of the European Council in Tampere and, in so doing, he also touched on the IGC preparations. It is now three weeks until the Helsinki Summit conference, and IGC preparations are entering their final stage.
Union enlargement will mean the reform of the institutional system. The EU must freely acknowledge the fact that enlargement will bring about the need for changes that we have to resolve within the EU. We must be politically courageous enough to seek far-reaching solutions and institute the reforms the Union badly needs.
As you will certainly recall, at the Cologne Summit at the beginning of June, the next country to hold the Presidency, Finland, was charged with the task of preparing for the next Intergovernmental Conference. During the autumn, technical IGC preparations have been made at the permanent representative level. Now we have moved on to the political level, and we are having bilateral discussions at different levels with the other Member States, the European Parliament and the Commission. Next week, Prime Minister Lipponen is to begin the traditional tour of the capitals preceding the European Council meetings. Preparations for the Intergovernmental Conference in 2000 are one of the main issues connected with this tour. The resolution by the European Parliament thus comes at exactly the right time, also in light of this tour.
We have based these preparations on the Cologne mandate which, in practice, addresses three points in particular: the size and composition of the Commission, the re-weighting of votes in the Council and an increase in qualified majority decision making. In addition to these three areas, there are institutional matters that are closely associated with them.
The EU debate on reform has got off to a lively start, and this autumn there has been much heated discussion surrounding the IGC in the various forums. A month ago the Group of Wise Men, set up by Mr Prodi, published a report that called for a broad set of institutional reforms. On the basis of this report, the Commission last week laid down its own views on the Intergovernmental Conference in 2000, and what areas the IGC should handle.
Here, too, in the European Parliament the Intergovernmental Conference has been on the agenda in many committee meetings. We are aware that there are plenty of real IGC experts among you, and we value Parliament’s contribution to the debate. Tomorrow you will vote on Parliament’s position on the year 2000 conference. I promise we shall look closely at the views you adopt then.
The way the European Parliament participates in the Intergovernmental Conference is a very important question. I have heard from different quarters very positive comments on the invaluable and constructive cooperation offered by MEPs Elisabeth Guigou and Elmar Brok with regard to the IGC in 1996. Regarding the Intergovernmental Conference in 2000, the Member States have not yet settled on the form the European Parliament’s participation will take.
Preparations for the conference have included, in particular, discussions on the scope of the agenda. In addition to the three subject areas mentioned in the conclusions reached at Cologne, various parties have raised the following issues for debate, among others: the European Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors, the distribution of seats in the European Parliament, flexibility and the division of the Treaties into parts. We will present our own views in our report, after we have had discussions and listened to all points of view, on what we consider to be possible and desirable."@en1
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