European Constitutional Convention

Covering Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk, including Luton, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock.

Home

About Andrew

Press

Focus

European Parliament

East of England

Liberal Democrats

Official Convention Website

Contact Andrew

Email:

mep@andrewduffmep.org


THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION The Secretariat		Brussels, 3 March 2003 (05.03) (OR. fr)
	CONV 596/03
	CONTRIB 265

COVER NOTE

from :	Secretariat
to :	Convention
Subject :		Contribution presented by Mr Alain Lamassoure, Mr Josef Zieleniec, Ms Irena Belohorska, Mr Jose Borrell Fontelles, Mr Proinsias de Rossa, Mr Andrew Duff, Mr Ben Fayot, Mr Kimmo Kiljunen, Mr René Van Der Linden, Ms Hanja Maij-Weggen, Mr Alojz Peterle and Ms Anne Van Lancker, members of the Convention, by Mr Filadelfio Guido Basile, Mr Mihael Brejc, Mr Carlos Carnero González, Ms Piia-Noora Kauppi, Lord Robert Maclennan of Rogart, Ms Marie Nagy, Mr Nicolas Schmit, Mr Adrian Severin, Mr Istvan Szent-Ivanyi and Ms Androula Vassiliou, alternate members of the Convention, and by Mr Roger Briesch, Mr Emilio Gabaglio and Ms Claude Du Granrut, observers to the Convention " Contribution to the work of the Convention"

The Secretary-General of the Convention has received the contribution annexed hereto from Mr Alain Lamassoure, Mr Josef Zieleniec, Ms Irena Belohorska, Mr Jose Borrell Fontelles, Mr Proinsias de Rossa, Mr Andrew Duff, Mr Ben Fayot, Mr Kimmo Kiljunen, Mr René Van Der Linden, Ms Hanja Maij-Weggen, Mr Alojz Peterle and Ms Anne Van Lancker, members of the Convention, Mr Filadelfio Guido Basile, Mr Mihael Brejc, Mr Carlos Carnero González, Ms Piia-Noora Kauppi, Lord Robert Maclennan of Rogart, Ms Marie Nagy, Mr Nicolas Schmit, Mr Adrian Severin, Mr Istvan Szent-Ivanyi and Ms Androula Vassiliou, alternate members of the Convention, and Mr Roger Briesch, Mr Emilio Gabaglio and Ms Claude Du Granrut, observers to the Convention

_____________

ANNEX

Contribution to the work of the Convention

tabled by Alain LAMASSOURE (EP, EPP-ED, F), Josef ZIELENIEC (Parliaments, EPP-ED, CZ), Irena BELOHORSKA (Parliaments, SK), Jose BORRELL FONTELLES (Parliaments, PES, E), Proinsias DE ROSSA (Parliaments, PES, IRL), Andrew DUFF (EP, ELDR, UK), Ben FAYOT (Parliaments, PES, L), Kimmo KILJUNEN (Parliaments, PES, SF), René VAN DER LINDEN (Parliaments, EPP-ED, NL), Hanja MAIJ-WEGGEN

(EP, EPP-ED,NL), Alojz PETERLE (Parliaments, EPP-ED, SLO), Anne VAN LANCKER (EP, PES, B), members, Filadelfio Guido BASILE (Parliaments, EPP-ED, I), Mihael BREJC (Parliaments, EPP-ED, SLO), Carlos CARNERO GONZALEZ (EP, PES, E), Piia-Noora KAUPPI (EP, EPP-ED, SF), Lord Robert MAC LENNAN OF ROGART (Parliaments, ELDR, UK), Marie NAGY (Parliaments, GREENS, B), Nicolas SCHMIT (Governments, L), Adrian SEVERIN (Parliaments, PES, RO), Istvan SZENT-IVANYI (Parliaments, ELDR, H), Androula VASSILIOU* (Parliaments, ELDR, CY), alternate members, Roger BRIESCH (ESC, F), Emilio GABAGLIO (ESC, I), Claude du GRANRUT (CoR, EPP-ED, F), observers.

We propose the following common denominator on Institutions:

I. Legislative power: generalisation of the "co-decision"procedure

The legislative power of the Union is equally shared between the Council and the European Parliament.

II. Budgetary power : a single budget of the Union

The Union has one single budget, which is proposed by the Commission. The budget is adopted by the "co-decision" procedure; if the Council and the Parliament fail to agree, the Parliament has the last word.

III. Executive power : the Commission with stronger democratic mandate

The President of the Commission is elected by simple majority in the European Parliament. Then, he/she submits a proposal of the composition of the whole Commission — which will ask a vote of investiture both in the European Parliament (acting by simple majority) and in the European Council (acting by qualified majority).

IV. Better balance between main institutions of the Union : possibility to dissolve the European Parliament

As the European Parliament becomes stronger in its legislative and budgetary powers and in its influence over the Commission, it has to be more accountable. Thus, if it overthrows the Commission, the European Parliament should be dissolved.

* Mrs. VASSILIOU has reservations about point III ; she would like the President of the Commission to be elected with a qualified majority in the European Parliament.