Intergovernmental Conference IGC: revision of the Treaties, the financial interests and the European Prosecutor

The European Parliament adopted its resolution on the convening of the Intergovernmental Conference, drafted by Mr. Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos (EPP/ED, Gr) and Mr. Jos Leinen (PES, D). The Parliament states that it considers that the agenda for the IGC adopted in Helsinki in December 1999 by the Heads of State and Government does not comply with the Amsterdam Protocol No.7 which calls for a comprehensive review of the provisions of the Treaties concerning the institutions in the light of the challenges of enlargement, and that it fails to satisfy the requirements of greater effectiveness and greater democratic legitimacy of the Union. It welcomes the commitment of the Portuguese Presidency to expand the IGC agenda and calls on it to pay the utmost attention to the proposals set out in the Parliament's resolution of 18.11.1999 and to those of the Commission and of the Member States in order to pave the way for an ambitious reform of the Treaty. Parliament objects to the excessively narrow agenda adopted in Helsinki which might well jeopardise the process of integration and calls for an open-minded approach on the part of the Council towards the Presidency's proposals to expand the agenda for the Conference. The EP welcomes the start of work on drawing up the Charter on fundamental rights for the people living in the Union and stresses its demand that the Charter be included in the Treaties. It stresses the need for transparency in the working methods of the IGC so that the citizens of the Union may be informed about the progress of work and of the major decisions taken by the Conference. Lastly, the Parliament believes that the final decision of the Member States should be submitted to it via the assent procedure.�