Dear Europeans,

As expected after the last meetings the Constitutional-Convention is now
rapidly moving from tackling solely technicalities to dealing with the crucial
institutional debate. The Presidium has issued a discussion paper on the
question of competences, the core question in the current Future of Europe
debate. In this paper as well as during the latest Convention sessions more
and more important players are speaking up for a radical institutional reform
calling for a democratic Europe based on a federal constitutional system.
In this Bulletin you will therefore find a variety of articles and comments on
this debate.

At the same time the dialogue with civil society is getting more and
more concrete. Various Convention Members as well as European and National
institutions have understood that European citizens have to play a major role in
this debate if the Convention is to bring our
Union back to its people. The Economic and Social Committee is taking a
leading role in this aspect, inviting NGOs to regular meetings. This is why
we are especially happy to offer you an interview with Anne-Marie Sigmund,
Chair of Group 3 in the Economic and Social Council and Observer at the
Convention. In her comments on the Convention she tackles many general
issues about NGO involvement in the Convention, which should be urgently
considered, both by the Convention Presidium as well as by representatives
of the Civil Society.

“The time has come to launch a grand political project that our fellow citizens can identify with. A project they can get to grips with. A project that can offer a solid, practical political response to the doubts, concerns and fears besetting Europe.
Such a project must take up the great challenge of laying the foundations for a supranational democracy.
The Convention's main aim should thus be to put forward an ambitious proposal that for the first time sketches out a constitutional framework for a united, democratic Europe.
A Europe that can provide the right answers to the new expectations of Europe's citizens. A Europe that can manage enlargement and play the role that befits it in the world. Such a constitution should mark the birth of Europe as a fully-fledged, mature political entity.”

Speech of Romano Prodi President of European Commission “The foundations for the European Project”, Conference of Presidents at the European Parliament. Brussels, 22 May 2002

Original in German

- Mrs Sigmund, The ECOSOC has observer status in the European Convention. What do you see as its role in the debate on the Future of Europe? How does the ECSOSC follow the Convention practically?

We currently have 3 observers and 3 substitutes who follow the Convention. We have established a sub-committee within the ECOSOC consisting of one representative from each member state. Each of the members of this body has different competences and responsibilities. Generally speaking they are following and supporting the observers in their work. One part of the committee is dealing with research to find out which documents have been issued by the ECOSOC on the Convention in order to facilitate the internal work. Two colleagues are mainly dealing with the contacts to current EU member states and applicant countries respectively. We also use our contacts to candidate countries that are established so far to organise local events. This has been already the case in Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, and in Slovenia next week. Another member is responsible is for the contact to national economic and social committees as far as they are established. One leading committee is the French one at the moment which has just issued a very interesting research proposal on the inclusion of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the current treaties and connected juridical questions. One member of the committee is dealing with the interests of the European Social Partners, which proves to be the most difficult aspect at the moment. The 3 social partners represented in the Convention naturally try to promote their respective interests in the first place whereas we in the ECOSOC are interested in a consensus between all partners. This is a relatively difficult situation which we are still confident to solve. Another aspect of our work, and I would say the most promising one is the contact to various NGOs.

Brussels, 22 May 2002.

Commission proposes a far-reaching overhaul of the European Union

In its first paper to the Convention on the Future of Europe, the Commission calls for more effective EU structures that can respond better to citizens' demands and expectations. The role of the Union should be substantially strengthened in three major areas. The introduction of the Euro requires better mechanisms to steer the European economy. There has to be a genuine European capacity to enhance security and freedom of citizens. The Union must have a forceful foreign and security policy in order to make a difference in the world. In order to achieve this, the Commission wants stronger economic policy coordination. It proposes common border controls with a common immigration and asylum policy. It wants to integrate gradually the function of the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy in the Commission. Decision-making should be simplified within a single institutional framework, putting the European Union firmly on the road towards a Constitution.

The Communication was adopted on Wednesday 22.05 on the initiative of President Romano Prodi and Commissioners Michel Barnier and António Vitorino.

SUMMARY

1. The Nice and Laeken European Councils requested that the delimitation of competence between the European Union and the Member States be examined in order to respond to criticism that the Union should take less action in certain areas and more in others. It was also pointed out that it is difficult for citizens to understand how such a delimitation is made, i.e. "who does what" within the European Union.

2. The note also aims at examining the problems raised with regard to the existing system of delimitation of legislative competence between the European Union and the Member States, while suggesting certain avenues to be explored to solve such problems (part II). To assist the discussion, part I of the note describes the existing system of delimitation of competence and an annex describes in greater detail the scope of the Union's/Community's competence in relation to that of the Member States' in the various areas covered by the
Treaties.

Dr Matjaz Nahtigal, Representative of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia

Efficiency is inseparably connected with legitimacy. There is no efficiency without legitimacy. The decision taking procedures and the participation of institutions can only be efficient if they are legitimate. The composition of institutions as well as the decision taking procedures must reflect the diversity of both preferences and national cultures in Europe.

At the very beginning, the constitutional treaty should clearly demonstrate that it is to establish a union of equal states, nations and citizens. This is the foundation of the Union. Its specific features provide certain vital elements of the character of the Union that must be considered in its functioning and are therefore prerequisite for the most profound and broadest legitimacy of the Union. We would like to point to two elements that we consider as vital:
In the light of the above, the balance between smaller and larger states will always be an important element of the EU legitimacy. It will be of essential importance to preserve the equality of smaller and larger states in order to ensure legitimacy of the future European structures.
Furthermore, with regard to the enlargement – the key historical challenge faced by the EU, the legitimacy of the European project can only be ensured if the present and the future Member States are equal.

1. As discussion has begun within the Convention on matters of substance, the need has emerged to set up working groups to meet the twin aims of investigating a number of specific questions in greater depth and involving the members of the Convention in fundamental work which cannot be done in plenary session.

2. Article 15 of the Working Methods lays down that:
"In the light of views expressed in the Convention, the Chairman or a significant number of the members of the Convention may recommend that the Praesidium set up Convention Working Groups. The Praesidium will determine their mandate, working arrangements and composition, taking into account the specific expertise of members, alternates and observers in relation to the subject under discussion. Every member of the Convention may attend all such meetings. The Secretariat establishes a summary note after each meeting of the working groups.".

For the second time since the start of the European Convention, the Economic and Social Committee of the European Union invited numerous NGOs to debate the Future of Europe and to discuss with Mr. Dehaene, Vice-President of the European Convention and responsible for civil society, and with Commissioner Barnier, representative of the European Commission. More than 80 representatives of European NGOs attended the meeting.

* Organisation of the hearings of civil society

Vice-President Dehaene reminded the audience that the hearing session would take place on 24-25 June. These two days will be designed as “open days” for civil society, with space given to NGOs to organise stands and present their views to the members of the Convention and to the press. Following reports by the ECOSOC and the Commmittee of the Regions and the social partners, various NGOs representatives will address the Convention and present the views of their sector on the Future of Europe.

Dear Members of the Organised Civil Society,

As you may be aware, the 24-25 June 2002 session of the European Convention will be devoted to civil society. The plenary session will take place in the hemicycle of the European Parliament in order to allow European NGOs to follow the discussion from within the chamber (with a maximum of 2 representatives per NGO).

The Plenary Session will be structured in the following way:
- Introduction by Vice-President Dehaene reporting on the Forum, and his contacts with civil society;
- reports by the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the Social partners (as observers of the Convention);
- Reports from representatives of civil society;
- Reports on the national debates (by Members of the Convention).

The European Women’s Lobby (EWL) is the largest coalition of women’s NGOs in Europe representing more than 3,000 member organizations. Through its petition campaign “Put your weight behind equality in Europe”, EWL has been constantly lobbying for a gender-balanced composition of the Convention on the Future of Europe since October 2001. In spite of their warnings and efforts to promote an equal representation of women and men in the Convention, the reality that we face today is one of a stark gender imbalance, with only 16% of women in the Convention (19 women out of 118 full members; 19% of women if we count the alternates) and only two women members of the Presidium (Ana de Palacio from Spain and Gisela Stuart from the United Kingdom, out of 12 members, the President and the two vice-presidents being men).

The Convention on the Future of Europe has the very important task of preparing the ground for the European Union of tomorrow and it seems unthinkable that women will participate only marginally in the shaping of Europe’s future, while they make up more than half of the population of the EU. This is not only a symbolic statement, since the under-representation of women in decision-making means that their views and special concerns are not taken into account. The EWL believes that equality of women and men is a prerequisite for the building of a democratic Europe. Whereas the establishment of the Convention was meant to be a response to a growing need for transparency and democracy at EU level, the lack of inclusion of women in the nomination process seriously questions the democratic legitimacy of the Convention. If the idea is to bring the EU closer to the citizens, we need an assembly that is truly representative of the European population.

There is no future for Europe without an effective guarantee of fundamental rights and freedoms for women and men.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

AFEM, a federation of Greek, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish NGOs, welcomes the convocation of the European Convention. AFEM, whose contribution to the work of the first Convention is generally recognised, agrees on the necessity to address the fundamental questions put by the Laeken Declaration, because, as the latter underlines:

“The Union needs to become more democratic, more transparent and more efficient. It also has to resolve three basic challenges: how to bring citizens, and primarily the young, closer to the European design and the European institutions, how to organise politics and the European political area in an enlarged Union and how to develop the Union into a stabilising factor and a model in the new, multipolar world.”

EWLA welcomes the setting up of working groups within the European Convention, as an effective means to organise the debate on the complex issues the Convention has to deal with.

EWLA recalls that, although the participation of women and men in the Convention is not balanced, in spite of the calls of NGOs and President Valéry Giscard d`Estaing himself, both the Convention and its Praesidium include very able women.

EWLA welcomes the convening of the European Convention. EWLA hopes that, although the participation of men and women in the Convention is not balanced, in spite of the calls of civil society and the Convention’s President himself to this effect, the Convention will be able to contribute to a European Union within which the fundamental rights and freedoms of men and women will be effectively guaranteed.

I. There can be no Constitution of the Union without an effective guarantee of fundamental rights and freedoms of women and men

The Cologne Council of June 1999, in deciding the drafting of the Charter, recalled that “protection of fundamental rights is a founding principle of the Union and an indispensable prerequisite of her legitimacy”. The Laeken Declaration underlined that “the European Union’s one boundary is democracy and human rights”.

Youth NGOs criticise Youth Convention's selection procedure (from Euractiv.com)

In short:
Youth NGOs have expressed their disappointment concerning lack of
transparency in the selection procedure of the participants of the Youth
Convention

Background:
The Youth Convention will be modeled as closely as possible on the real
Convention. In total, 210 young people will be allowed to participate:
168 youths will be chosen by the representatives of national Parliaments or governments (6 per country); 32 by the representatives of the European Parliament; 4 by Commission representatives; 6 by the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen.

The European Youth Forum DOES NOT have the mandate to select any delegates to the Youth Convention. The selection of delegates to the Youth Convention rests on the European Parliament (32), the European Commission (4), the Chairmen of the Convention (6) and the full and alternate members of the Convention representing national parliaments or governments (168), bringing the number of delegates to a total of 210.

The European Youth Forum issued an open call to European non-governmental organisations, both members and non-members of the European Youth Forum on 1 May 2002. The call invited organisations to send a list of their candidates to the European Youth Forum by 12 May 2002. This deadline was later extended to 16 May 2002

PRESS RELEASE of FEDERALIST VOICE
Network for a European Constitution

The Praesidium of the European Convention has decided on the creation of seven Contact Groups in order to prepare the public hearings of civil society which are to be held. FEDERALIST VOICE, a Network of 12 European organisations in favour of a European Federal Constitution, protests against this decision. None of the seven thematic Contact Groups actually relate to the general interest of Europeans for more democratic and efficient EU institutions which are closer to the citizens.

The Young European Federalists (JEF) believe that the proposed Youth
Convention, to be held 11-12 July 2002, offers a good opportunity to raise the public profile of the work of the Convention and to encourage debate among young people about the future of Europe.

The selection process for the Youth Convention will be crucial in
determining its success. The Young European Federalists support the
inclusion in the selection process of National Youth Councils and the
European Youth Forum, as the recognised representatives of youth
organisations. We believe that the Youth Forum’s proposals, supported by the Youth Contact Group on the Convention, represent the best way to ensure an open and transparent process, which can choose candidates who can contribute in an active and continuing way to the construction of Europe.

REPARTITION DES COMPETENCES DE L’UNION EUROPEENNE

Que fait l’Union ? La réponse n’est pas toujours évidente… En revanche, là où la demande d’Union est forte (politique extérieure, asile, immigration, environnement…), la paralysie de l’Union est visible ! Il est donc urgent de clarifier la répartition des compétences entre l’Union et les Etats, afin de la rendre plus compréhensible pour chacun. En outre, l’Union doit acquérir de nouvelles compétences et être capable de s’adapter aux besoins des populations.

* *
*

I/ La simplification et la clarification de la répartition des compétences

Fusionner les 3 piliers

Les 3 piliers de l’Union européenne n’ont aujourd’hui plus lieu d’être. Cette distinction, mise en place en vue de distinguer ce qui relevait des institutions communautaires et ce qui relevait d’une coopération intergouvernementale plus traditionnelle, est aujourd’hui devenue très complexe (avec des passerelles multiples). Surtout, elle a perdu son sens, puisque c’est justement dans les matières des piliers 2 et 3 (justice, immigration, défense, politique étrangère…) que la demande d’Europe est la plus forte. Une entreprise de clarification des compétences se doit donc avant tout de réaliser cette synthèse.

La deuxième édition de la lettre d’information des Jeunes Européens-France est désormais disponible à l’adresse suivante :

http://www.jeunes-europeens.org/agir/newsletter_convention_2.PDF

Infos et analyses en français !

Discussion document of the working-group on constitutional aspects within the UNION of EUROPEAN FEDERALISTS (UEF-Europe)

The debate about the future of the European Union will be a battle around the fundamental choice:

“Which institution shall become the “Government” of the European Union - the European Commission or the European Council?”
(see the respective positions of Prodi and Giscard d’Estaing, Agence Europe, 13.10.2001)

Press Release, Brussels, 23 May 2002

ECOSY, the organisation of European Young Socialists condemns the arbitrary and short-sighted decision taken today by the EP Delegation to the European Youth Convention. Members of the European Parliament seem to have the intention to transform the Youth Convention into a gambling table of their personal vassals.

Jan Krims, President of ECOSY, said: "The European Youth Convention was convened in order to ensure that the opinion of young people is heard and taken into account when developing a concept for the future of Europe. On the contrary, MEPs have shown that they prefer a showbiz gathering of youngsters nominated according to their personal taste".

Press release, 25th April 2002

After the last plenary session of the Convention, Jan Krims, the President of ECOSY emphasised the demands of the European Young Socialists during their Bureau meeting in Valencia-Spain, the 23rd April 2002.

Jan Krims insisted that all participants, coming from EU member states or applicants countries, must be treated on equal foot and must have the same rights, not as it is in the senior Convention: "What kind of image of the Enlargement would it be given if the young participants from CEEC could only suggest and not decide ?".