Press Release: President Prodi launches White Paper on governance

In line with an undertaking given to Parliament by President Prodi, the Commission plans to draw up a White Paper on governance by summer 2001. The object is to provide a better response to the concerns of the public, and to rethink methods that may have grown obsolete, beginning at the Commission. The White Paper will look at new forms of governance, and put forward whatever proposals appear necessary; no options are ruled out in advance. Two main areas will be considered: decentralising responsibility in the Union, and developing better consistency between Community policies.