15 May 2003

The Intergroup "European Constitution" which unites 220 Members of the European Parliament from 5 political groups, debated the proposals of the Convention Praesidium on the Institutions of the EU during its meeting on May 14th.

The European Parliamentarians reject the proposal by the Praesidium to install the European Council as a new institution. The bulk of the criticism was aimed at a full-time president of the European Council. The Members of the European Parliament fear that this would mean shifting the balance of power in the Union towards the Council and a gouvernementalisation of EU politics. An elected Council president could not be controlled by either the national parliaments or the European Parliament. This proposal exacerbates the democratic deficit in the EU rather than improving the Union's democracy, said the deputies.

They also stressed that a Congress of the Peoples was superfluous. Such a body would be a mere debating society and had no competencies to take decisions. Neither the European Parliament nor the national parliaments would be happy in the future with this set-up.

The members of the Intergroup "European Constitution" welcomed the separation of the Legislative Council from the other council formations and the creation of a European foreign minister. They stressed, however, that the European Parliament had to be fully involved in both the election and the control of the work of the European Foreign minister.
The Intergroup called on the Convention, to still make substantial improvements to the proposals of the presidium. The new EU-institutions had to meet the criteria of democracy and transparency.

Contact : Bruno Boissière, Tel.: +32-2.508 30 32