LIBERALS AND THE FUTURE OF EUROPE

The ELDR Council, meeting in Brussels on 24 January 2003,

Welcoming the progress made by the Convention on the Future of Europe in
reaching a large consensus on several key elements of institutional
reform, and appreciative of the work of the Liberal caucus in the
Convention;

Strongly opposed to the Franco-German proposal for a permanent president
of the European Council with executive powers which threatens the
institutional balance of the EU;

Favouring the Commission's proposal for merging the function of High
Representative and Commissioner responsible for external relations, by
creating the post of European Minister for external affairs, who will be
Vice-President of the Commission;

Unanimously resolves as follows:

1. Qualified majority voting plus co-decision must be the norm. QMV
should be determined as a majority of member states representing a
majority of the population of the Union.

2. When acting in its legislative capacity the Council must be open and
its proceedings published.

3. The legislative functions of the Council should be separated from its
executive role, which should be restricted to CFSP, Ecofin and Justice
and Home Affairs.

4. The Commission should maintain the right of legislative and budgetary
initiative. The Parliament should have co-decision on all aspects of EU
budget expenditures,

5. Secondary legislation of the Commission should be subject to
call-back by the legislature.

6. The President of the Commission should be elected by the European
Parliament by qualified majority.

7. The Parliament must have the right of assent (i) over all
international treaties; (ii) for measures decided under a revised
Article 308; (iii) for all revisions of the constitution.

8. The Parliament's electoral procedure should be revised to allow for
the election of a proportion of its members from an EU-wide list.

9. The 'three pillars' of Maastricht must be merged effectively into a
unified system. The Union must enjoy a single personality in terms of
international law.

10. The European Court of Justice should develop its role as a
constitutional court in respect of competences and fundamental rights,
and access should be improved for individuals.

11. The Charter of Fundamental Rights must be in the constitution as a
legal commitment.

12. The European Council should decide a multi-annual policy strategy of
the Union on a proposal of the Commission and after having consulted the
Parliament. The Commission remains responsible for its annual
legislative programme.

13. Amendment of Part Two of the constitution (policies and their
implementation) must be capable of being effected by a lighter procedure
than that pertaining to Part One (constitutional structure, competences
and institutional powers).

14. To call for the inclusion of equality between men and women as one
of the values and objectives of the European Union

15. To call for local and regional authorities to have the right to
bring actions before the European Court of Justice, in the event of EU
Institutions infringing their prerogatives 16. The role of national
parliaments as to proposed European legislation should be strengthened
through an enhanced partnership with their respective governments and
thus no new EU institutions (such as the Congress of people of Europe)
should be created.