| The leaders of the Party of European Socialists (PES), meeting in Madrid on December 14th 1995, discussed the EU Summit agenda as well as the basic political choices which have to be made in order to make a success of the forthcoming Intergovernmental Conference. |
| The PES constitutes the biggest political family in Europe. PES parties are in government 11 out of 15 EU member states and major opposition parties in others. They are fully aware of their role in shaping the future of the EU. |
| A new balance is needed for the EU based on European integration which respects national indentities and results in a Union in which economic and monetary integration takes place in a political framework aimed at social development, employment generation and environmental protection. It is up to the Intergovernmental Conference to translate this new balance into Treaty amendments putting employment, social and environmental policy goals on the same level as economic and monetary integration. |
| Only once the EU is perceived to be contributing to the solution of major problems in our societies such as poverty, unemployment and crime, can we expect sufficient public support to be generated for a strengthened and enlarged Union. We social-democrats will attempt to ensure that the mandates for the Intergovernmental Conference in 1996 will particularly take into consideration those subjects which are important to us and to Europe's citizens. |
| Before the start of the Intergovernmental Conference, the PES leaders will meet in Italy. Today in Madrid, they would like to stress the following basic political goals and choices which should be served by the outcome of the Intergovernmental Conference: |
| First and foremost the EU should be fully mobilised in the fight agalnst unemployment. For socialists and social-democrats, employment is not the only, but by far the best possible answer to the poverty and social marginalisation of millions of EU citizens. The Intergovernmental Conference also provides an opportunity to strengthen the capacity of the Union and its member states to fight unemployment effectively. |
| The strength of the EU represents an opportunity and responsibility for Governments and Central Banks to pursue policies favourable to economic recovery and employment generation. The chief powers and responsibilities lie with member states, but through European co-ordination, national policies can be made more effective. |
| The Treaty should be amended in order to provide for a specific competence to combat racism and xenophobia. |
| The concept of equality between men and women in the Treaty should be extended beyond the subject of equal pay for equal work. |
| European socialists and social democrats are looking forward to a new Labour government so that the Social Protocol can be integrated into the Treaty. |
| The Treaty should contain better and more complete provisions concerning the role of public services and services of general interest so as to guarantee that competition does not affect the availability, the quality and the universality of the services provided to the citizen. |
| Since the implementation of the Maastricht Treaty, the EU has followed through very few initiatives with regard to crucial issues like police co-operation, combatting fraud, terrorism and drugs trafficking. It is necessary to activate appropriate instruments such as EUROPOL. It is also necessary to develop a European strategy for immigration and asylum. These policy areas generally require decision-making by unanimity. |
| While acknowledging the wish of member states to play a predominant role in these areas, it has to be recognised that the citizens of Europe rightfully demand effective policies which by definition mean EU initiatives complementing national efforts. This requires a strengthening of decision-making in appropriate areas, a stronger role for the European Commission, democratic scrutiny by the European Parliament and the availability of judicial review by the European Court of Justice, in appropriate agreed areas. |
| Over recent years, there have been dramatic changes, both within Europe and on its borders. The EU's capacity to take action at international level needs to be strengthened considerably in order to meet major political challenges where necessary, both at global level and within our continent, as the crisis in ex-Yugoslavia has shown. |
| First of all, the EU's competences as laid down in the Treaty should be fully used. The member states should define the EU's role in terms of global security. Acknowledging the different traditions and positions, we are convinced that it is possible to define a common policy aimed at a strengthening of the United Nations, a more effective Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and economic co-operation and disarmament as instruments of a global and regional security policy. After a period of stagnation vis-a-vis the ex-Yugoslavia crisis, the implementation of the Bosnia agreement represents an opportunity for the EU to demonstrate its determination to promote peace through the reconstruction of economic life, democracy and cross border contacts. |
This means:
| The PES leaders reaffirm their commitment to Monetary Union as an important complement to the internal market, as well as to ensuring that, those countries proceecling to the Single Currency, meet the agreed EMU convergence criteria and timetable. It is necessary to ensure that the third phase of EMU begins with the highest possible number of member states. The implementation of Monetary Union should be accompanied by increased co-ordination of economic, budgetary, fiscal, employment and social policies, to ensure that the convergence criteria for sound economic performance are suatainable. |
| The EU should prepare policies to promote sound economic and monetary relations between those member states entering Monetary Union in 1999 and those not entering into the single currency at that point in time. |
| The EU has a major role to play in the protection of the environment. Experience shows that attempts to undertake decision-making in environmental policy by unanimity lead to inadequate decision-making; the extension of majority decision-making in this area is a necessary step forward. We support a tax system which favours work but penalises environmental pollution as well as an excessive use of energy and raw materials. |
| In no case should a member state be foroed to lower its own environmental standards. |
| The EU should have an active policy aimed at a reduction of nuclear accidents and pollution within Europe and at a global level. |
| The EU should stipulate in a much clearer way the rights of its citizens by adding to its Treaty a "Charter of Citizens' Rights", including basic social rights, and by acceeding to the European Convention on Human Rights, complementing citizens' rights at national level. |
| The ability of the EU to promote security will need to be enhanced by peace-keeping, peace-making, humanitarian relief and rescue operations through the WEU. Priority should be given to developing its operational capacity in these areas. The future of the WEUwill have to be decided in the context of the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference. It should be possible for observer members of the WEU to join in peace-keeping and humanitarian operations. |
| The PES leaders welcome the success of the Euro-Mediterranean Conference of 27 and 28 November 1995 and the strengthening of a political dialogue on a regular basis, the development of economic and financial co-operation and the emphasis on the social, cultural and human dimension of the partnership. |
| The enlargement of the European Union to include Malta and Cyprus as well as the countries of Central and Eastern Europe represents a significant step towards ensuing peace and stability in Europe. It is therefore in the political and economic interests of the member states and their citizens, as well as the applicant countries, that enlargement should be carried out successfully and efficiently. |
| A successful enlargement will require preparations on both sides: on the one hand, the European Union will have to reform its structures, institutions and decision-making processes with a view to enlargement, to ensure that work can be carried out efficiently in the future. On the other hand, the applicant countries must continue their efforts towards economic and political reform, as well as their efforts to make their legislation compatible with EU law, a process in which the European Union should offer as much assistance as possible. |
| Enlargement will have to be preceded by a clear definition of the "acquis communautaire" to be accepted by new member states. EU enlargement negotiations should start with all the applicant countries at the same time. It is, however, unlikely that they will become members at the same time. |
| The institutional reform of the EU should be based on the following three goals: |
| The institutional reform of the EU should be based on the following three goals: | More transparency and openness | More democracy |
| Effective decision-making It is not realistic to believe that a Union of about 27 Member States would be able to pursue policies effectively on the basis of unanimity across the full range of policies to which unanimity currently applies. In Community matters, there should be a significant extension of qualified majority voting, whilst acknowledging that in a limited number of areas of vital interest, the principle of unanimity should remain. | European political life should be made more open and transparent, so that it can be made clear who is responsible for which decisions. Decision-making should be simplified with fewer procedures; the adoption of legislation should take place in public. Recognising the principle of subsidiarity, the Union must ensure that decisions are taken at the appropriate level, including the regional or local level, where appropnate. | The term "democratic deficit" within the EU refers to the grey area where neither the European Parliament nor national parliaments exert sufficient democratic control. This can only be solved by increasing the powers of the European Parliament and by stronger involvement of national pariiaments at the member state level. |
| The EP should have the right of co~decision whenever the Council adopts Community legislation by qualified majority, increased scrutiny over the whole budget including compulsory expenditure and the right to nominate candidates for the President of the Commission. Furthermore the European Commission should be obliged to respond to initiatives put forward by the European Parliament. | ||
| Along with its Parliamentary Group in the European Parliament and its member parties, the Party of European Socialists will take an active part in the public debate which is needed to generate support from Europe's citizens for a further strengthening and a major enlargement of the EU. |
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