Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-02-02-Speech-3-088"
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"en.20000202.6.3-088"2
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"Mr President, I warmly recommend a vote in favour of the Dimitrakopoulos/Leinen resolution, which clearly expresses both our disappointment at the inadequacy of the agenda and our wish that the Intergovernmental Conference should take place as soon as possible. In any case, this emerges from the favourable schedule we decided upon.
I think that, under the present rules of the Treaties, the European Parliament would have little to gain from a policy of confrontation. On the contrary, we should concentrate on working out persuasive proposals on the necessary reforms, in collaboration with the Commission whose own proposals are worthy of note. We must use dialogue at every political level, including of course dialogue with the national parliaments. That way, we will create a climate of cooperation which will be positive for the quality of the reforms.
Parliament’s representatives at the Intergovernmental Conference must make it clear to those with whom they will be negotiating that, with the Union’s institutional changes, we are faced with responsibility for the constitutional development of the Union. They must therefore realise that such issues cannot be decided on the rationale of bargaining alone. The issues to be dealt with at this Intergovernmental Conference are exceptionally sensitive. It may be easy to come up with solutions, but what matters is how well those solutions will stand up in the long term.
I will mention two point that may create tension. One is the balance which has so far been maintained between large and small countries. Europe is not, nor can it become a classic federal state. The solutions we opt for must be consistent with the fundamental rationale of the European Union, which is a union of states and peoples.
The other area of conflict is more difficult. Owing to the imminent increase in membership, the bodies of the future European Union must become more effective. This means that they must function more simply and more rapidly. By its very nature, however, the European Union is, and will remain, a complex and convoluted multi-governmental institution. Possibilities for faster and more simple operation do exist. Of course they do, but they are not unlimited. If the limits are exceeded because of a one-sided quest for effectiveness, then the legitimising basis of the European Union will suffer. I am, however, optimistic."@en1
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