RESOLUTION B3-1333 and 1336/92

Resolution on the extraordinary European Council meeting in Birmingham on 16 October 1992

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the conclusions of the European Council in Birmingham,

- having regard to the need recognized by the Council to obtain public support for European integration by greater openness in the work of the European institutions and simplification of the legislative process, and by more information on the resulting benefits for citizens,

1. Welcomes the confirmation of the Twelve's determination to ratify the Treaty on European Union as quickly as possible, without reviewing the text as it stands;

2. Is gratified that in the Council's view practical definition of the subsidiarity principle will require 'agreement ... with the European Parliament' and welcomes the fact that its call for an Interinstitutional Conference involving the Council, the Commission and Parliament, to determine the arrangements for implementing this principle, has thus been taken into account, and instructs its delegation to the Interinstitutional Conference to negotiate this agreement;

3. Reiterates its support for greater transparency and democracy in the Community's various structures and sees in the 'Birmingham Declaration' an initial step in this direction through:

- improving public access to the information available to the institutions, and

- making Community legislation simpler and clearer;

4. Regrets, however, that the Birmingham Council meeting did not discuss the full extent of the problems currently facing the Community and the measures needed to ensure that the Community Institutions are completely transparent and democratic, but held most of them over until the Edinburgh Council meeting;

5. Is surprised that with regard to transparency the European Council only proposes application to the discussion of work programmes; calls on the European Council to discuss in depth the problems of transparency and democracy at its meeting in Edinburgh; reiterates the nine proposals contained in paragraph 2 of the Request embodied in its resolution of 14 October 1992 on the state of the European Union and ratification of the Maastricht Treaty, which constitute the draft solemn declaration by the Council, the Commission and Parliament on transparency and democracy;

6. Reiterates its determination to work more closely with national parliaments at all levels, particularly at the next 'Assizes', at which one of the issues to be considered, in accordance with the Final Declaration of the Conference of Parliaments of the European Community held in Rome on 30 November 1990, will be the constitutional position, and in the spirit of its resolutions of 22 November 1990 on the Intergovernmental Conferences in the context of Parliament's strategy for European Union and on the convening of the Intergovernmental Conferences on Economic and Monetary Union and on Political Union and of 12 December 1990 on the constitutional basis of European Union;

7. Reminds the European Council that at its Edinburgh meeting it will have to take decisions on:

- the Delors II package, an instrument necessary for the implementation of the 'Cohesion Fund',

- a more representative European Parliament with a view to enlargement, in accordance with the Declaration annexed to the Maastricht Treaty;

8. Hopes, while rejecting the idea of a two-speed Europe, that an agreement on a solution to the problem of ratification of the Treaty by Denmark will be found at the European Council in Edinburgh;

9. Calls on the Commission to continue its discussions at the highest level on agriculture and other issues with the US administration in order to conclude as soon as possible 'a comprehensive and balanced GATT agreement' as agreed at the summit;

10. Notes the concern of the Heads of State and Government with regard to the prospect of a slowdown in growth and an increase in unemployment, but regrets deeply that no mandate was given for a Community economic recovery plan, in view of the gravity of the situation;

11. Recalls its resolution of 16 September 1992 on the situation in Somalia; urges that all necessary measures be taken to help those affected, including in particular the despatch of massive amounts of food aid, supervised by UN troops to ensure that it reaches the people; requests the Council to participate actively in this operation;

12. Recalls its earlier resolutions on the situation in the former Yugoslavia; joins with the European Council in calling for absolute compliance with sanctions and the arms embargo, while taking care to ensure that other countries and parts of the region do not become unintended victims of UN sanctions;

13. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Heads of State and Government of the Community, the Commission and the parliaments of the Member States.