MEPs demand a say in treaty talks

Date: 06/05/1999

By Gareth Harding

THE European Parliament is pushing to be more closely involved in the forthcoming talks on reforming the EU's treaty.

MEPs are calling for a "new formula of parliamentary participation" in the next Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) in a resolution expected to be adopted by the full Parliament today (6 May).

" There must be genuine democracy in the preparatory work of the IGC," insists the resolution, which was unanimously approved by the Parliament's institutional affairs committee last week.

MEPs had only very limited input into the last round of talks on institutional reform which led to the Amsterdam Treaty. This time, the assembly wants its representatives to take part in all meetings leading up to the signing of the new blueprint. It is also calling for an "institutional dialogue" to be organised between the Parliament and the European Commission to make sure the two bodies agree on the final document.

The resolution is short on details as to what specific reforms MEPs expect from the treaty revision, but it does lay down a specific timetable for when the talks should start and finish. It says preparatory work should begin in 2000, the IGC should get under way in the first half of 2001 and it should be wrapped up by the end of that year. This is roughly in keeping with the timetable likely to be outlined by the German presidency at next month's Cologne summit.

Bonn is also supporting the Parliament's demand for a greater role in the treaty talks. Addressing the assembly's institutional affairs committee last week, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said he was in favour of MEPs playing an active part in the next IGC discussions. He also said the Parliament's powers should be boosted, insisting that without further changes, decision-making in an enlarged Union would become increasingly difficult.

MEPs call for a 'new formula of parliamentary participation' in the next IGC.