| Author (Person) | Bower, Helen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Title | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Details | 15.12.02 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication Date | 16/12/2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Just days before the Copenhagen European Council, at which European leaders finalised plans to enlarge the EU to 25 Member States in 2004, the European Commission adopted a series of proposals aimed at improving the decision-making in the European Union without altering the existing treaties. The proposals, adopted on 11 December 2002 [IP/02/1865], further represent the European Commission's efforts to fulfil the commitments it undertook in the White Paper on European Governance, September 2001 presented in July 2001. A report summarising other European Commission proposals within the remit of the Governance paper as well as the reaction from the public, civil society and national or regional authorities to the White Paper was also presented in December 2002. The reform of the European system of governance has been one of Romano Prodi's key priorities since he took on the role of President of the European Commission in 1999. Commenting on the latest proposals, Prodi said:
Background Fundamental reform of the decision-making process in the European Union became one of the four strategic priorities of the European Commission at the beginning of 2000 in response to the growing perception amongst European citizens that the EU is remote yet at the same time intrusive. Under the leadership of Romano Prodi, European Commission officials examined ways in which the implementation of EU legislation could be simplified and improved without the need to amend the EU treaties. This work culminated in the publication of a White Paper on European Governance, September 2001 [COM(2001) 428] in July 2001. The paper suggested a number of ways in which governance - defined by the European Commission as "the rules, practices and processes that affect how powers are exercised at the European level - could be improved. In addition, it outlined a number of changes which are likely to be considered as part of the Intergovernmental Conference due to be convened in 2004 that will focus on the institutional architecture of the European Union. More information can be found in European Sources Online's earlier In Focus, entitled " In June 2002, the European Commission presented proposals [COM(2002) 277] on how to make the institutions more accountable and efficient. These represented the first in a series of efforts by the European Commission to improve European governance. The proposals received the backing of the Council in September 2002. The Council also called on all EU institutions to work together to improve the inter-institutional framework and decision making process in the European Union. Improving the decision-making process The proposals presented by the European Commission in December 2002 follow on from those presented in June 2002 but focus specifically on improving the openness, effectiveness and accountability of the implementation of European legislation. Published as a Communication, the suggestions focus on five key areas:
Under the proposals, general principles and minimum standards [COM(2002) 704 final] concerning the public consultation of interested parties will be introduced from the beginning of 2003 and will apply to all major European Commission policy initiatives. This will offer every EU citizen the chance to comment on Commission initiatives within a minimum eight week period. As of 2003, the European Commission will also promote the use of best practice [COM (2002) 713 final] in all areas by introducing a framework outlining guidelines to ensure that European Commission departments mobilise and exploit the most appropriate expertise while also establishing core principles of quality, openness and effectiveness. In addition to improving standards, the European Commission is also seeking to further clarify the division of powers between the legislative bodies of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, and the executive role of the European Commission. In the latest proposals, an overhaul of the Commission's committee system [COM(2002) 719 final] is suggested as a way in which to strengthen the control of the legislative bodies over the Commission's implementing powers. New regulatory agencies [COM(2002) 718 final] could also be created to help improve the ways rules are applied and enforced across the European Union. The proposals outline the functioning and control mechanisms that would accompany any new agencies although the unity and role of the executive Commission would be emphasised. Increased co-operation with regional and local actors in the Member States is also put forward in the proposals specifically by the introduction of tripartite contracts [COM(2002) 709 final] and agreements between Member States, local authorities and the European Commission for implementation of Community policies. The contracts would be concluded in direct application of basic Community law whilst the agreements would concluded outside the framework of Community law. As an initial step, the European Commission plans to set up a number of tripartite agreements, which will be evaluated before any tripartite contracts are concluded. Progress Report Sixteen months after the White Paper was presented, the progress report [COM(2002) 705 final] examines what has been achieved so far and also details the public reaction to the paper. Divided into two parts, it firstly examines the response from the public, local and national authorities and civil society to the paper and looks at the lessons that should be drawn from this. The second part examines how the EU should seek to implement the ideas laid out in the White Paper through four specific lines of action:
The report concludes that "the Commission has already developed and launched the majority of the actions proposed in the White Paper" and notes that other key issues such as democratic legitimacy will be addressed by the Convention on the Future of Europe. However the report also calls on all the institutions for "a joint effort" to improve European governance and stresses that the agenda should not be limited to the White Paper. Indeed over the course of 2003 the European Commission will seek not only to implement the proposals laid out in the December 2002 Communications but also to present further ideas on improving European governance in the forum of the European Convention and the upcoming Intergovernmental Conference. Further information within European Sources Online
Further information can be seen in these external links: EU Institutions European Commission
Compiled by: Helen Bower The European Commission adopted a series of proposals on 11 December 2002 aimed at improving the decision-making in the European Union without altering the existing treaties. |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
