The debate on the ratification of the

Maastricht treaty - in France as well in the other EC countries - has shown that a great majority of citizens wants a more democratic and transparent Europe.

The reaction of the public opinion to the Maastricht treaty, the result of a diplomatic compromise, showed that the European Parliament was right, demanding a global and comprehensive reform of the EC, based on a procedure able to convince and to mobilize the European citizens.

The Federalist Intergroup - recalling the example of Altiero Spinelli - is firmly committed to a European Union, founded on a federal Constitution.

In this spirit, the Federalist Intergroup is ready to support the proposal of the Belgian Parliament to call a Conference of the Parliaments of EC and the European Parliament, at the latest in the Autumn 1993. This Conference should agree on a timetable for the democratisation of the EC institutions and should be submitted the Draft Constitution elaborated by the European Parliament, according to the final Declaration of the first Conference of the EC Parliaments (Rome, 30 november 1990).

A federal Constitution for Europe needs both impulse of the national governments and Parliaments of EC and the support of its peoples.

The Federalist Intergroup appeals to the German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese and British Parliaments to seize the occasion of the ratification of the Maastricht treaty to give this push forward.

The Federalist Intergroup considers it essential to promote a wide campaign of information and sensibilisation, in order to explain to the European citizens which are the fundamental elements and advantages of a federal system for the whole of Europe.

The Federalist Intergroup demands to the European Council and to the President Delors, meeting on October the 15th, to reject any attempt to weaken the Maastricht treaty and calls on them to clarify the further steps of european integration process, through the definition of the timetable and the method for the elaboration and implementation of a Constitution for Europe.