European Commission submits its proposals to the Convention on the Future of Europe, March 2002

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Publication Date 25/05/2002
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The European Commission presented radical proposals on the future of the European Union to the Convention on the Future of Europe on 22 May 2002 which appear at odds with ideas recently suggested by key EU Member States.

The European Commission is seeking to strengthen its position, particularly in the fields of economic policy co-ordination, justice and home affairs and foreign policy. In contrast, France, Spain and the United Kingdom are seeking to develop the role of the European Council, which would be headed by a European president.

Background

The Convention on the Future of Europe held its inaugural meeting on 28 February 2002. It aims to close the growing gap between the European Union and its citizens as well as improve the efficiency of the policy making process and the institutions so that the organisation can cope with future enlargement which is set to begin in 2004. More background to the history, aims and workings of the European Convention can be found in European Sources Online's previous In Focus: The Convention on the Future of Europe

Since its inaugural meeting, the Convention's Praesidium has met several times and there have been three plenary sessions. Through these forums, the European Convention has already discussed issues such as the delimitation of competencies, the mission of the European Union, and the legal instruments available to it. The proposals put forward by the European Commission will provide added impetus to the debate.

European Commission's Proposals

The proposals on the future shape of the European Union were adopted by the European Commission on 22 May 2002 on the initiative of President Romano Prodi and Commissioners Michel Barnier and António Vitorino. The Communication [COM(2002)247 final], entitled 'A Project for the European Union' calls for more effective EU structures that can respond better to citizens' demands and expectations, a stronger role for the Union and a genuine European capacity to enhance security and freedom of citizens.

Speaking about the proposals Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, said,

'The time has come to launch a grand political project that our fellow citizens can identify with. A project they can get to grips with. A project that can offer a solid, practical political response to the doubts, concerns and fears besetting Europe. Such a project must take up the great challenge of laying the foundations for a supranational democracy. The Convention's main aim should thus be to put forward an ambitious proposal that for the first time sketches out a constitutional framework for a united, democratic Europe. A Europe that can provide the right answers to the new expectations of Europe's citizens.'
European Commission: Speech: SPEECH/02/220

He emphasised that the European Commission's first paper to the European Convention provided a contribution to the general debate, portraying an overall vision of Europe's future, and that the European Commission would subsequently report in detail on issues such as institutional challenges.

The Communication identifies three fundamental tasks that the European Union must undertake. They are:

  • Consolidating the model of economic and social development: securing prosperity while ensuring solidarity
  • Building up an EU-wide area of freedom, security and justice
  • Exercising the responsibilities of a world power

Under the umbrella of these tasks, the European Commission is suggesting several changes. The key proposals are:

  • Increase the use of the Community method
  • European Commission should have the right to introduce proposals to the Council on the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines or on actions against national decisions that threaten macro-economic stability
  • With regard to the functioning of the Euro-area, a Council composed of Euro members only should be established in the Treaty, giving it formal decision-making powers
  • Examine the prospect of a direct EU tax and extend qualified majority voting to fiscal issues.
  • Increase the Union role in areas such as external border control, fight against organised crime and terrorism and co-operation in penal and civil law
  • Establish a system based on common norms and financial solidarity which should improve external border control, leading over time to a common European Border Guard
  • All legislation on justice and home affairs should be proposed by the Commission, adopted by co-decision (Council and Parliament) and controlled by the Court of Justice
  • In the area of foreign policy the European Commission proposes to give the right of political initiative to the High Representative and to integrate her in the Commission
  • Establish a new mechanism that would ensure compliance with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality before Council and European Parliament adopt an act
  • Decentralise the implementation of European policies as far as is possible for instance in the case of the new regional policy for the period after 2006
  • The Convention should deliver a constitutional text, which should be as simple and understandable as possible, unlike the current set of four Treaties with more than 700 articles
  • Abolish the 'three pillar' structure as introduced by the Maastricht Treaty
  • Reduce the number of decision-making rules. Qualified majority voting in the Council should be the general rule, including for fiscal and social affairs related to the single market. The co-decision procedure should apply to all legislative work. The constitutional text should give the Parliament increased budgetary powers.

Overall, the proposals would significantly increase the role of the European Commission in the European Union decision making process, a move which Romano Prodi said was not a step towards a European government but 'a solution for governing democratically in a globalised world' [IP/02/750]

Reaction to the Proposals

However, many of the European Commission's proposals are in direct contrast to the suggestions of the key Member States which view the Commission's proposals as an effort to cede more sovereignty to Brussels.

The United Kingdom is particularly opposed to the proposals, particularly those concerning tax harmonisation and the moves to create a two speed Europe by giving formal decision making powers in the field of economic policy to a special 'Eurozone Council', thereby excluding the UK, Sweden and Denmark.

Moreover, France, Spain and the United Kingdom have been combining efforts in recent weeks to push for a more powerful European Council, headed by a European President elected by European governments. They are also keen that foreign policy remains the Council's domain.

Tony Blair, the UK Prime Minister, has announced his backing for French proposals for an EU President which are believed to be supported by Valery Giscrad d'Estaing, the Convention's President and José Maria Aznar, the Spanish President, announced his support in a speech at St. Anthony's College, Oxford. Aznar said he was in favour of,

'the President of the European Council having a five-year mandate, or a shorter mandate of two and a half years. For that to be possible, he would not have to shoulder other political responsibilities in his own country. We should think about requiring candidates to have previous experience as heads of state or government.'

Aznar also suggested that the president should be supported by a presidential team consisting of five or six Heads of State and Government under a rotating scheme. This group of countries would be responsible for chairing the sectoral councils, thus ensuring continuity and consistency of work. Therefore, the European Council would become the competent institution for deciding the Union's political direction and strategies and in order to ensure a balance between all the institutions the European Council should possible have the right to dissolve the European Parliament, on the initiative of the European Commission.

From this position, it would seem that there are going to be 'two sides' to the debate on the future of Europe. The key member states will be on one side while the European Commission and the European Parliament look set to join forces on the other. The European Parliament has already expressed its support for the European Commission's proposals on the basis that a stronger European Commission would indirectly lead to a stronger European Parliament, which controls the European Commission. In a press release issued by the Parliament after Prodi had presented the proposals, MEPs expressed their support for increased use of the 'Community method' and welcomed the ambitious proposals which differed from those so far suggested by Member States. Indeed, the leader of the European Socialists in the European Parliament, Enrique Baron Crespo, claimed that recent Member States' proposals represented a model of 'the Holy German Roman Empire, not a community model,”

It remains to be seen what line the smaller Member States will take but they are unlikely to support any weakening of the European Commission. Similarly, there has not yet been much response from civil society groups although the European Platform of Social NGOs has broadly welcomed the proposals although it claims the European Commission has not been sufficiently ambitious, saying,

'At a time when nationalistic concerns are getting stronger, the Social NGOs believe that the Commission is not sufficiently ambitious and stops half way in its attempt to truly and fully address the fears of people across Europe'.

A Heated Debate

Clearly, by submitting several radical proposals the European Commission has ignited what will be a heated debate on the future of Europe and the real substance of the European Convention can now get underway. The divide looks set to be drawn between the key Member States who are seeking an intergovernmental model and the European parliament and European Commission who favour a more federal approach.

The Convention will hold its next working sessions on 6-7 June 2002 and the Convention President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing is expected to report on the first 'listening' phase of the Convention at the European Council meeting in Seville on 21-22 June 2002. Leaders from the national governments were expected to move to strengthen the Council in Seville so this could provide the first indication of the impact the European Commission proposals will have in determining the future of the European Union.

Further information within European Sources Online:

European Sources Online: In Focus
The Convention on the Future of Europe, March 2002
European Council, Barcelona, 15-16 March 2002
 
European Sources Online: European Voice
11.03.02: Defiant in defending his views on Europe
22.03.02: Giscard tells Convention to map EU future
18.04.02: Battle lines are drawn over EU power division
25.04.02: Parliament needs more power, Convention told
16.05.02: Convention under pressure to deliver on 'civil society' pledge
16.05.02: Hain unveils blueprint to tackle EU 'credibility' gap with citizens
23.05.02: Prodi plans for EU future get mixed Convention reaction
23.05.02: EU leaders want to hijack the Convention on Europe's future. They have to be stopped
 
European Sources Online: Financial Times
18.05.02: Commission proposals point the way to a two-speed EU (FT.com)
18.05.02: Prodi set for struggle to secure a sharp increase in Brussels' powers (FT.com)
19.05.02: An EU President (FT.com)
20.05.02: A public face for the EU (FT.com)
21.05.02: UK to fight Prodi's plans to boost EU powers (FT.com)
22.05.02: UK set to fight Prodi's plans to boost powers wielded by Brussels (FT.com)
23.05.02: Brussels seeks big foreign policy role (FT.com)
23.05.02: Prodi goes back to the future (FT.com)
24.05.02: Dual ambitions (FT.com)

Further information can be seen in these external links:
(long-term access cannot be guaranteed)

EU Institutions

European Commission

DG Press and Communication
Press Releases:
  05.12.01: European Commission wants broad mandate for the Future of Europe Convention [IP/01/1742]
  22.05.02: Commission proposes a far-reaching overhaul of the European Union [IP/02/750]
 
Memos:
  05.12.01: Information note on actions taken by the Commission for the public debate on the Future of Europe [MEMO/01/417]
  22.05.02: Communication from the Commission: 'A project for the European Union': Questions and Answers [MEMO/02/103]
  22.05.02: Explanatory note on the 'Community method' [MEMO/02/102]
 
Speeches:
  09.05.02: Statement by European Commission President Romano Prodi on Europe Day [IP/02/696]
  22.05.02: The foundations for the European Project [SPEECH/02/220]
 
Futurum: The Future of Europe Debate
Homepage
  13.05.02: Belgian contribution to the Convention concerning the missions, powers and instruments of the Union
  22.05.02: Communication from the Commission: A Project for the European Union [COM(2002)247 final]
 
The European Convention
Homepage
  Documents:
      15.05.02: The legal instruments: present system
      15.05.02: Delimitation of competence between the European Union and the Member States - Existing system, problems and avenues to be explored
      17.05.02: Meeting of the Convention on 23 and 24 May 2002- Achieving the tasks of the Union

Miscellaneous Organisations

The Centre for European Policy Studies
Homepage
The Convention on the Future of the EU [CEPS Policy Brief No.11 February 2002]
 
The European Policy Centre
Homepage
  The Future of the European Commission
  Convention Intelligence
      06.03.02: From Messina to Brussels: History in the Making
      25.03.02 Paving the way for debate
      25.03.02 Rising stars and emerging battle lines
      17.04.02: Mapping the EU's missions and values
      24.05.02: Down to Business: Blair or Barnier?
 
The Platform of European Social NGOs
Homepage
Press Release
  23.05.02: Ambitious but not enough: Why does the Commission stop half way?
Position Paper
  15.04.02: [un]Conventional Europe: New Thinking for a New Europe

News Organisations

BBC News Online
16.05.02: Blair backs 'EU President' post
22.05.02: Prodi pushes for more power
22.05.02: Brussels calls for greater tax powers

Further and subsequent information on the subject of this In Focus can be found by an 'Advanced Search' in European Sources Online by inserting 'Convention on the Future of Europe', 'European Convention' or 'Future of the Union' in the keyword field.

Helen Bower
Compiled: March 2002

The European Commission presented radical proposals on the future of the European Union to the Convention on the Future of Europe on 22 May 2002 which appear at odds with ideas recently suggested by key EU Member States.

The European Commission is seeking to strengthen its position, particularly in the fields of economic policy co-ordination, justice and home affairs and foreign policy. In contrast, France, Spain and the United Kingdom are seeking to develop the role of the European Council, which would be headed by a European president.

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