Commission backs governance plan to aid transparency

Date: 29/03/01

THE European Commission this week approved a preparatory report for Romano Prodi's White Paper on European governance, promising to make the "workings of the Community machine more transparent, effective and accountable" as a "vital requisite for further institutional reform".

In their first formal debate on the White Paper, due to be completed by the summer, Commissioners agreed it should help shape the debate on changes to the EU's institutions and decision-making procedures in the run-up to the next Intergovernmental Conference on treaty reform, due to be held in 2004.

The report, drawn up by the EU executive's governance team, highlights the challenges which have to be addressed in the White Paper. It argues that although the public is generally in favour of more political integration, the institutions themselves are "poorly identified" and "poorly understood".

After what the document calls an "extraordinary transfer of powers" by member states to the Union over the past ten years, it says the EU should now focus on ensuring that policies are properly implemented.

The European Commission has approved a preparatory report for Romano Prodi's White Paper on European governance, promising to make the 'workings of the Community machine more transparent, effective and accountable' as a 'vital requisite for further institutional reform'.